Minimalism is really about best utilizing the space you have, making it look more spacious as well as bright and clean. Although it was originally introduced in the 1950s, it’s enjoying something of a revival, particularly among today’s smart young professionals. Here are a few tips on how to recreate the look and transform your home in style:
First principles
Declutter your home by getting rid of all the things you don’t really need – including furniture, ornaments and even clothing, especially if you haven’t worn garments during the past year. This will help you make the most of available storage. You can take items to the thrift store, have a yard sale or donate them to a good cause and you’ll be amazed how good it feels to get rid of non-essential stuff.
Next, you need to consider the shape of your rooms and if you take the trouble to clean out the room completely, you will be able to look at it afresh and implement good minimalist design concepts.
Floors and walls
A shiny, clean floor will enhance your space considerably and wooden floors may benefit from a coat of varnish to brighten them up. Stone tiles also look good, as long as they are kept free of clutter and thoroughly cleaned.
You may like to change the paint colors on walls to introduce more white space, or work with one feature color you love, such as yellow or blue. Artworks are fine if you opt for bigger, unframed pieces that are striking, as opposed to lots of little ones, which will tend to get lost in all that white or pale wall space.
Windows and doors
Making your rooms look bright and clean means making maximum use of light and also controlling it. For example, if some rooms are on the dark side, consider whether glazed doors would help to bring in light from other areas that have more exposure to sunlight.
In the same way, the window treatments you choose need to be as sparse as possible – window shutters come in a range of colors and materials these days and will give your rooms a streamlined, functional feel. It’s important to keep up to speed with cleaning tasks to keep your home looking good, and luckily this becomes much easier if you choose minimalist design.
Furniture
The shapes and lines of retro 1950s furniture works wonderfully well with the minimalist concept – think Danish armchairs and huge pendant floor lamps in your living room and Formica tables in your kitchen. One feature to look out for is slim elongated legs on everything, from couches to sideboards.
You may possibly prefer to choose pieces that are radically alternative and absolutely contemporary – whichever your personal preference, remember that you are aiming for a tidy, open space where less is not only more, but actually better.
When you give your home the minimalist treatment you give it a modern, sophisticated stamp of style and make it so much more interesting than a regular bachelor pad.
