Minimalism is a design style and attitude towards life. Is art born out of necessity or has the lifestyle adapted to the artistic style? But even more important is the question of how to furnish your apartment in a minimalist way without getting lost and what needs to be taken into account in detail. You can find out how to achieve this in this article:
1. What is minimalist design?
On a superficial level the question is quite easy to answer. The minimalist design avoids everything that is superfluous and non-functional. At least that’s how it was in the beginning, in the days of Frank Stella or Christian Judd, who played a key role in shaping minimalism. “Less is more” and “What you see is what you see” were the slogans of the initiators of minimalism in the 1960s.
Of course there were critics, the Daily Mirror reported, who said you could build a wall out of bricks, but stacking them on top of each other and calling it art would be too much.
But the art of reduction has made its way into homes and apartments. At the end of the seventies the first small and multifunctional furniture appeared on the market; playful shapes were out of fashion, as were decorations.
Minimalism has found many followers over time, it is much more than simple multifunctionality, it is a statement and an attitude towards life that expresses the desire for simplicity in a complicated world.
2. Why choose minimalism?
If you’re moving or ready for a change in your apartment, there are many design options available to you. A minimalist style is recommended, even if you simply want to declutter and get rid of old things, limiting it to the bare minimum can be liberating. You can be happy and live comfortably even with few things or furniture. It is often only after renovating your four walls that you realize how many useless things you have housed over the years, how little you need these materialistic things to be happy and how nice it is when there are no decorative objects in every corner or the walls are full of paintings and other knick-knacks.
Of course minimalism isn’t for everyone; some people need a little chaos and lots of memories accumulated over the years and which bear witness to happy vacation days or sumptuous celebrations. To determine whether you will feel comfortable in the minimalist living room in the future, it is advisable to proceed slowly.
3. Switch to minimalism: you know how to do it
Every few years you should clean thoroughly, regardless of whether it is… Wardrobethe wall unit, that one bookshelf or basement and attic. It is best to combine such a project with a renovation of the respective room. It’s important to tackle one room at a time and not start everywhere and end up creating the mess you actually wanted to clean up.
Pick a room and start thinking about what you want to get rid of and what should be saved and possibly moved. It is not advisable to simply move things to the attic or cellar, because in the end you will not have gotten rid of anything. You can temporarily store your discarded items with friends and find out if you really don’t need them anymore or if some of them have become too dear and too expensive for you to part with completely.
Experimental minimalism, which starts small and becomes more detailed over time, prevents too big and sudden a change that can quickly backfire.
And not all are the same. Some minimalists even manage to do without a bed, while others treat themselves to a comfortable place to sleep as their only luxury to be able to start the day fresh and rested in the morning.
Minimalism therefore always means individualism. You don’t have to throw everything out of your apartment at all costs and then sit unhappy on the floor because the sofa and armchair are no longer there.
4. The important basic rules for a minimalist living style
If you want to favor minimalism in your home, there are some fundamental rules that should be respected with this style of furniture. You still want to feel comfortable and work towards minimalism with small changes first. You can start with the walls.
Less is more and nothing is minimalism. But it doesn’t necessarily have to be implemented this way. Even a single highlight can remain, for example a large photo of the baby or any other wall decoration that is dear to you. You should consciously avoid other wall decorations, simply to get a feel for minimalism and the calming effect it can have on you.
Minimalism means getting rid of unnecessary things; the candle holder on the wall or the string of lights above the dresser are useless and may be gone. A room conceived in this way, which is satisfied with the bare minimum without appearing bare, is reduced, but does not lose the poetry it must have in order to feel at ease.
There can certainly be room on the floor for a small runner or rag rug, but only one that is a pale color and should be designed in the same way as the floor itself. Colorful tiles or wildly patterned carpet are out of place in minimalism. Wooden floorboards, which in many older apartments and houses lie dormant under the floor and waiting to be integrated into the minimalist style, are completely rationalized.
Nippes should not only be removed from walls, but also from all surfaces. Dressers, cabinets and other surfaces for storing ceramic figures, floral arrangements and doilies.
These free surfaces visually create more space and more peace, because nothing distracts the eye, but rather creates space for the imagination.
5. What furniture suits minimalism?
Furniture suitable for a minimalist interior style has clear lines, is designed to be simple and practical and avoids frills, patterns or bright colors. You won’t find anything distracting or unnecessary with this furniture. This does not mean that wardrobes, chests of drawers or sideboards are boring and cannot attract attention – on the contrary.
A relatively empty and relaxed room creates a completely different perspective on the little furniture it houses. If these are simple, they stand out even more because they fit perfectly into the concept of minimalism. The color of the furniture should match the colors of the room and, like these, be rather muted. White furniture is the most discreet, but individual highlights can also be integrated into the minimalist style, such as an old peasant sideboard that represents an important souvenir for you. But then it should be the only exciting piece of furniture, so that nothing distracts the eye from it and the whole thing soon seems too restless and excessive.
Multifunctionality is very important in minimalism, so each piece of furniture can and should serve multiple purposes as much as possible. The dining table becomes a desk, the sofa becomes a bed, and under the benches there is space to store many things. You should avoid open shelves; it is better to use wardrobes with doors or shelves in which to store everything that could disturb the minimalist room.
If you are renovating an apartment, it is always best to start with a few things and a few pieces of furniture. However, as time passes, objects of all kinds accumulate and many decorative pieces are given to you on various occasions.
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