Minimalist Interior Style
Brightness, simple shapes, the importance of spaces, and the well-known expression “less is more” is the support point of the minimalist style, a branch of contemporary or modern design.
Minimalism prevailed in interior design in the 60s as a reaction to the surplus of color and details characteristic of previous forms of art. In a house, the spaces will be much airier, with few effective accessories, with bright white spaces and straight lines. The main element of this design is the attention to form, color and texture.
“What does minimalist style mean?”
A minimalist design means prioritizing the essentials. A building or a minimalist interior design is reduced to its basic function, made using limited materials, neutral colors, simple shapes, and avoiding excess ornamentation. While it would seem simple to complete such a design, achieving this kind of simplicity is not easy at all.
Space, objects, and light play equally important roles. This design is a bold style, not boring at all. It is also functional and extremely comfortable.
For some of us, it can be quite difficult to create a minimalist design ourselves, but there are a lot of gorgeous and captivating inspirations that combine form with function and class with comfort, for a unique result. Even if, most of the time, it may seem simple on the outside, it takes a lot of skill and ingenuity to create a minimalist space that overflows with refinement and elegance.
Minimalist style: main features
- Simplicity in form and functionality
- Airy, white, very bright spaces
- Decorative elements as simple as possible
- Simple wall finishes
- Strategic use of materials to visually appealing
Monochromatic colors: A key principle of minimalism is the use of color. Minimalism uses a simple color palette, often using different shades of the same colors. Saturated colors are mostly reserved for accents, while the rest of the color palette centers around neutral shades.
Functionality: Minimalism focuses on the elements of greatest importance, reducing a room to its essence and providing only the necessary elements to live comfortably in that space.
Open spaces: minimalist style often features open space plans and lots of light, turning the bedroom or living room into a soothing and calm space.
Colors
Color is the main element of minimalist design. Bright and bold colors are not suitable for minimalism, only neutral tones and color palettes such as beige, white and gray are.
The gray, resulting from the mixture of white and black, completes a minimalist decor, its rich palette of shades (light gray, silver gray, gray, petrol gray, blue gray, etc.) bringing diversity to the room without affecting its chromatic harmony. In such a color scheme, you can add, for a spectacular effect, a detail in an intense, vivid shade of red, orange or yellow.
Many people think that a range of monochromatic colors is the most suitable for a minimalist design, but this is not really true. Color can be used to create an attractive design, without sacrificing minimalism, as long as a relatively small palette of 1-3 colors is kept.
You will give life to a successful design, which will surely stand out. As for color, embrace monochromatic schemes by all means, but don’t limit yourself to them. An occasional splash of color here and there can really help highlight certain points in the design and focus on certain elements.
The light
Light is also one of the main elements of minimalism. Natural light is always beneficial in minimalist designs as it helps to provide warmth and comfort in the room and also gives the impression of more space.
The place of the traditional chandeliers is taken by tall metallic lamps, artistically made, or by very fine ones, with paper shades. The neon lights hidden in the ceiling-mounted plasterboards, recessed spotlights, glass sconces in geometric shapes, and pendant lighting fixtures are just a few examples of minimalist-style lighting. When you dare to decorate a house in a minimalist style, it is good to keep in mind that nothing should burden the atmosphere, bore, or tire the eye.
Walls and flooring
As a rule, white walls are a suitable choice in a minimalist design, but you can also opt for spots of color, which will break the monotony. You can choose to paint a wall in a different color or you can opt for an extremely simple and brightly colored geometric shape on a single wall. Even if you use neutral shades, you should not shy away from strong, vibrant colors. You must, however, keep the right proportion.
The recommendation is to keep the ceiling and walls white and to add color only through simple furniture. You can get a delightful contrast, for example, if you place an all-white bookcase on a white wall, but in front of it, you place a sofa in an intense shade of red or green.
Keep in mind that a minimalist room decorated in red and white creates an atmosphere full of vitality, the combination of white and green is more relaxing and the mix of white and orange infuses freshness and dynamism into the environment.
Decorative elements
Limit yourself to creating a center of interest or giving small accents of color to the walls, without overloading them. For example, a table with three vases, each with a simple, white flower, with a photo next to it, can be enough to create a center of interest. A simple painting in strong colors will look great on a wall in neutral colors.
Frequent mistakes in minimalist arrangements
Do not vary the textures
Even if you have seen a lot of images of minimalist living rooms or bedrooms whose floors were sparkling clean and were not covered by carpet or carpet, you should know that, in fact, it is even recommended to alternate the textures of the surfaces. A smaller or larger carpet, depending on its role and the size of the room, in neutral colors, will increase the comfort of the room, making it even more welcoming.
Decorate the windows with printed curtains and/or opulent draperies
The window is very important in this type of arrangement because it must allow natural light to enter the room as freely as possible. Instead, opt for simple, transparent curtains.
Even if these steps of the furnishing process in a minimalist style may seem difficult to follow, you should know that this is perhaps the most practical style of interior design.
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