On the surface, minimalism might seem simple and straightforward, but in reality, this approach to interior design can be highly complex and nuanced, making it difficult to master. Many a time, homeowners will abandon their dreams of creating a truly minimalist living environment simply because they don’t understand the key concepts that make minimalism work, it’s foundation, and its uniqueness. It’s easy to make a minimalist setting look too empty, monotonous, or uninspiring, and that’s because minimalism is not so much about the absence of décor as it is about its strategic implementation.

Today, let’s delve deep into minimalist interior design, and explore the key concepts that you can use to make minimalism work in your home by bringing form and function together. Here’s what you need to know.

Elevate functionality by decluttering

The first key consideration that affects both the form and the function of a room you need to know about is flexibility. Minimalism might not be the absence of décor per se, but it certainly is the absence of clutter, which invariably elevates the flexibility and maneuverability in the room, while at the same time elevating its aesthetic appeal. This is why your first job is to declutter your living environment thoroughly.

There are two main ways to declutter: getting rid of your stuff, or storing it in concealed storage spaces. Before you start putting everything in drawers and hollow ottomans, though, be sure to get rid of as much extraneous décor as you can. But instead of simply throwing stuff away, be sure to see if someone might make use of the things you no longer use, and donate these belongings to charities. You can even try to sell some pieces online if you’re parting ways with something of material value.

Discover beauty in simplistic forms

Minimalism relies heavily on complementary as well as contrasting shapes and forms, which can make it quite difficult to successfully mix and match décor elements. Oftentimes, the look and feel of the room might continue to seem like it’s cluttered simply because the shapes of the furniture, architectural elements, and the amenities are at odds with each other. This is why a good idea would be to stick to the basic shapes such as squares and rectangles, complemented by common lines such as horizontal, vertical, diagonal, crisscross lines, and curved lines.

You can use circular or elliptical shapes for your focal points, which we will touch upon shortly. Sticking to these basic shapes and lines will allow you to frame the design of your stylish living environment and unify the minimalist look and feel, all the while setting a beautiful foundation for the complementary accents. With the foundation comprised of these essential elements, you will also be able to bring in truly captivating focal points later on, which will give every room its unique aesthetic appeal and bring the minimalist design to life.

Bring the space to life with floor accents

To make the minimalist design truly shine, you need to make every room unique in its aesthetic appeal, but without cluttering the space with extraneous décor element. One of the best ways to do that is to bring a vibrant floor accent into the mix, such as an ornate rug in the seating area, or a cozy standing spot underneath the kitchen island. It’s important that the rug doesn’t interfere with the minimalist setting, yet that it frames that area of the room.

Over the years, creative companies have perfected many styles of carpets and improved their look and feel to fit every interior design approach, such as the popular Miss Amara NZ that offers minimalist-friendly rugs in monochrome designs, jute styles, and classic looks that go with everything. It’s important that you choose a pattern that complements the shapes and lines we mentioned previously, but the shape of the rug itself is allowed to stand out – such as a circular carpet underneath a square-shaped seating area in the living room.

Use colors strategically

People often think that the minimalist color scheme consists of black and white colors, and while it is true that the foundation of the room should be as neutral as possible, that doesn’t mean that you can’t play around with some vibrant color options. You just have to use strong colors strategically and place them in the inner parts of the space.

What this means is that minimalism comes to life with pure white and off-white walls that, for example, will allow a beautiful marble floor or slab to shine in all its glory. Once you have the foundation in place, you can use vibrant colors for your pillows, blankets, and other throws on the furniture to give every piece its unique flair. And speaking of uniqueness, let’s move on to the focal points.

Introduce a focal point in every room

Finally, keep in mind that every room deserves to have a striking focal point that will tie the whole minimalist look together. Now, a focal point can be anything from a grand focal wall in the dining room, to a lush potted plant in the corner of the living room, or a set of vibrant paintings over the fireplace – it all depends on your personal taste. When it comes to focal points, you are free to let your imagination take the reins, but keep in mind not to overdo it. Instead, make sure to stick with one such feature per room.

Minimalism is not just about the aesthetic appeal of a clutter-free interior, it’s also about the functionality and comfort it brings to your home. With these design tips in mind, you will be able to bring a beautiful minimalist living environment to life imbued with happiness and zeal.

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Lana Hawkins

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