Minimalist home décor is very popular right now.
The truth is, minimalist room design and minimalism in general goes back decades.
Minimalism emerged post-WWII in the United States as a reaction to expressionism. This style has a broad range of applications throughout all kinds of art including interior design, music, and literature.
Minimalist home décor is visually clean and aesthetically calming. Rooms are much easier to clean due to low clutter, and natural lighting helps improve contentment.
Minimalist Home Décor Elements
It’s much easier to begin by explaining what minimalist home design isn’t.
No clutter, no busy patterns, no frills.
Just bare minimum furniture, necessary items, and a few meaningful pieces of art for expression.
Colors for Minimalist Room Design
Colors should all be neutral and stick within the same family. Think gray scale or slightly varying shades of white.
Furniture and Textures
All furniture and other items should serve a deliberate purpose. Everything should be functional and practical. This means no entertainment centers or shelves for knickknacks.
Glass, painted wood, natural wood, and black metal are all great options for tables, frames, windows, and fixtures.
Lighting
Natural light is ideal. Try painting your walls a bright white to draw in and reflect natural light during the day.
Instead of mood lighting, opt for bright. If you don’t want your entire room filled with bright overhead lights, consider isolated lighting fixtures.
Art and Accessories
Less is more. Artwork should be kept to a minimum and bare space is preferred. Select meaningful pieces of art for specific places such as one painting, photograph, or vase.
Everything should be an average size – nothing too big and nothing too small. Don’t overdo it with the pillows and keep blankets tucked out of sight.
Minimalist Design Ideas and Inspiration
Now that you know what you’re looking for, you need some minimalist design ideas to spark your inspiration and get you started.
Minimalism encourages simplicity and calmness by cutting back and living with less.
Take a cue from other cultures for embracing the lifestyle.
- Japan: Japanese interior and exterior design focuses on only the necessary items. If you’ve ever traveled to Japan or know someone who has, they’ve probably told you about the tiny hotel rooms.
- Buddhism: Buddhists are all about living with less. They focus on things that really matter instead of shallow consumer goods. If you can, try to do without and make sure everything in your home serves a distinct purpose.
Minimalist Room Design Accessories and Pieces
Nothing in your minimalist room design should make a statement or serve as a visual distraction. This means staying away from bright colors, busy patterns, and intricate carvings.
Keep it simple.
Glass Cabinets and Doors
Swap out wooden wardrobes and cabinets for glass. Minimalist room design should encourage open spaces and cleanliness.
Houseplants
Minimalist home décor doesn’t leave much room for pops of color. If you need to liven things up, consider a houseplant. Solid green plants give off a relaxing vibe and help improve air quality.
Floor Beds or Couches
Ditch big headboards and elaborate couches. Floor beds and simple couches are great minimalist alternatives. Get some inspiration from Japanese design which has fully embraced minimalist design.
Cinder Blocks and Wood Pallets
Paint cinder blocks black or gray and use wood beams to create shelves. Wood pallets are great for making just about anything and you can paint them with neutral colors.
Desk Lamps
Artificial lighting should be deliberate, functional, and mimic natural light. Don’t overdo it with lamps.
Minimalist Apartment Ideas for Hiding Clutter
If you live in a small space like an apartment, it can be difficult to fully embrace the minimalist style. Where does all the clutter go?
Here are some minimalist apartment ideas and tips for cutting back and hiding the things you just can’t bear to part with.
- Take stock: Have a yard sale and get rid of old items. Fully embrace the minimalist lifestyle by living on only the bare necessities.
- Boxes and baskets: Hide necessary items like your internet router and appliances in simple black boxes or baskets.
- Cover wires: Use piping to hide wires along the floor.
- Hang it up: Swap out your entertainment center for a hanging flat screen TV. Don’t stop there. Hang speakers and other items, too.
- Create a charging station: Clean out an old drawer to create a hidden charging station for phones, remotes, and other necessary items.
Minimalism goes far beyond interior design: It’s a lifestyle. The goal is to create a sense of calmness and contentment by cutting back on clutter and other unnecessary items. Interior design is a great way to give this lifestyle a shot.
