By Guest Blogger, Anna Sharples
When you choose minimalism, you don’t necessarily think of the comforts of home. While the number one rule of minimalism is less is more, it doesn’t mean you need to live in emptiness.
With a mixture of decluttering and soothing colour palettes, wide-open spaces and geometric shapes, minimalism is a design approach that can lend itself to a warm home.
Here we give you some tips on how you can live in a minimalist house that feels like a home.
Choose neutral colours
A neutral colour palette, including whites, creams, and pastel shades, is essential for minimalism.
White is on trend this year and is a bold minimalist choice. While it can give a home a sterile look, it also offers a sense of light and space.
Karolina Grabowska
If you want to add more homeliness to your colour palette, selecting pastel colours and playing with shapes on your walls is a great move.
Textures and lighting
As you tell, minimalism means you lose out on any chance to play with patterns or bold colour choices.
However, you can flex your creative talents with your choice of texture and lighting.
With minimalism, you are given full permission to pair your wood with your metal, your faux fur with your concrete.
If there are few objects and little clutter, you can be adventurous in your design choices.
Lighting is generally bright in a minimalist space, so keeping the windows free of heavy drapes is essential.
Using blinds to cast different lighting patterns across the room is another way to add texture.
Bryan Geraldo
The natural light is so essential to the warmth and homeliness of a minimalist design.
Flat surfaces
The point of minimalist design is simplicity, so any shapes in your home need to be simple.
When choosing tables, cabinets, and shelving, choose sharp, clean lines.
Better still if you can get ones that reflect the light back into the room.
Open spaces
One of the biggest challenges of minimalism is keeping the space free from clutter and still open plan.
You do not want to be constrained by dividing walls to maximize natural light. However, removing walls and large pieces of furniture for storage means a problem with stuff.
Where can you put your things, so these open spaces are free from detritus?
The tip is to maximize storage which also doubles as other pieces of furniture.
Tatiana Syrikova
For instance, you might purchase a coffee table with beautiful sharp lines that also lift to reveal a space for your things.
Equally, you might take up a whole wall in neutral shaded cupboards, from floor to ceiling, so keeping the shape and shade of minimalism while providing copious amounts of space for your things.
Personal and necessary
While there are many design choices, you can make, living in a minimalist design is a lifestyle choice.
You need to embrace the change in mindset that comes with the simplicity of living captured in this aesthetic.
What does this mean?
It means that we must covet things less and cherish space more.
We do not need to own so many objects to feel happy and contented; instead, this comes from using only personal and precious items to achieve this.
Minimalism is not about clearing your home of any memorabilia or sentimental items; it is about investing in quality over quantity.
Moving through your home and placing a hand on items can give you a sense of whether something is necessary, loved, or unneeded.
Minimalism is a lifestyle of less is more
Ultimately, as you set about your redesign, you need to embrace a mindset of less is more.
You can start small, begin by taking the paint scheme back to neutral and removing some of the unneeded furniture from your home.
You can then move towards the purer form of minimalism in stages when you are sure of what is loved and what you can discard.
Join the Fun!
If you enjoyed this post and you want to keep seeing my weekly blog, the best way to do that is to subscribe.
You can subscribe by downloading my 11 Secrets Only Designers Know to Make Your Space Rock. If you’re curious about how decorators and designers make a home look magazine ready, you’ll love taking a gander at these 11 secrets. You’ll learn how to style your room from the floor up and it will work for ANY space you have.
I write about small space design and decorating, sustainable furniture options, positive self care and a variety of do-it-yourself home décor.
I’d love to connect with you!
“Michael Helwig was top-notch, very professional and responsive to my needs. He allowed me time to explore ideas and try out a variety of combinations until we found the perfect fit. Michael provided detailed information and offered beautiful ideas to make my dream living room become a reality. The furniture he sourced has totally transformed my living room space. Everyone that has seen my new living room has one word, WOW! A special thank you to Michael for a wonderful experience.”
“Michael was very knowledgeable and guided us, with great patience and good humor, through the process of designing our dining room and helping us find the perfect sleeper sofa. He offered really helpful advice when we asked questions - which was often - but at no time did we ever feel pushed. He helped me when I felt like I couldn’t make one more decision. When my new furniture finally arrived I realized everything down to the pillows was perfect. I couldn’t be happier!”
This article was written by guest blogger Anna Sharples, who’s the marketing manager for Sloane & Sons Tub Chairs – who are the UK’s leading suppliers in tub chairs, accent chairs and much more!
The opinions and views expressed in any guest blog post do not necessarily reflect those of Michael Helwig Interiors or its Principal, Michael Helwig. Michael Helwig Interiors, and Michael Helwig, do not have any affiliations with any products or services mentioned in the article or linked to therein. Guest Authors may have affiliations to products mentioned or linked to in their author bios.