Learn how to make your home calming, functional and beautiful by using some easy techniques and principles of minimalism. Below, you will find 16 key elements for you to consider. Choose which ones suit best to your home and style. When done right, a home with minimalist decor results in a clean, calming space without being boring.
I personally love the Scandinavian minimalist design. Minimalist Scandinavian design furniture is made to last, both due to its timeless style and its high quality. It may feel expensive when buying it, but in the long run it will save you money. It often has a high resale value in auctions. So, you can get some money back even after having used it for years. Minimalism in life and in modern design has many benefits.
Benefits of incorporating minimalism in Modern Design and Home Decor:
- There is the obvious visual appeal of minimalist furniture.
- It is much easier to clean a house with modern minimalist design because less stuff means less to clean.
- A minimalist home gives the illusion of being clean, even when it is not. The same way that clutter in a home makes it feel dirty, even if you are the cleanest person.
- Minimalist furniture often leaves plenty of room for open space, making your home feel bigger.
- By buying quality and timeless design, you will consume less as your items will last longer. This will relieve some of the constant pressure that drains the planet’s resources and your pockets.
How to make your home calming, functional and beautiful
1- Declutter and organize your space.
2- Get rid of the decor that doesn’t fit your style anymore.
3- Make the most of natural lighting and plan the lighting in your home for each area. For example: in the kitchen, you will want to have some direct light over the working area. But in your living room, it would be best to have soft lighting spread around the room accenting specific spots or some indirect lighting. This gives the “hygge” mood.
4- Enable a good flow from room to room. Arrange your home in way that suits how you and your family move and gather. This will increase your home’s functionality.
5- Have some plants or fresh flowers.
6- Use neutral colors. It gives a calming feeling to the home.
7- You don’t need to give up on colors: choose a signal color or pattern to your Monochrome palettes are very popular as it creates contrast in an elegant way. If you use a color you love, seeing it everyday will spark of joy. Art and home accessories such as cushion, vases, flowers are great ways to bring color in a room.
8- Experiment with texture and materials: You can create design perfection with all white by using different textures. Using different materials can also make a big impact (such as wood, linen, fur, leather, metal, glass).
9- Apply minimalist concepts. Less is more. One key element of minimalist is highlighting simple, organic forms. So stay grounded.
10- Choose items wisely, specially if you want to show your personal style through your home décor while keeping it minimalist.
11- Pay Attention to Scale: There are a few swaps you can make to get the most out of every usable square meter. Avoid bulky furniture.
12- Focus On Shapes: Our brain finds symmetry calming and beautiful. So, include this concept in your home.
13- Find Smart Storage Solutions: Minimalism is a lot about keeping clutter to a minimum. But let’s be honest, we will always need storage, specially if you have kids or live in small space. The floating shelves framing the doorway (see picture below) make use of all the vertical space, allowing for small items to stay tucked away in stylish bins and decor to shine without being in the way or on the floor.
14- Keep It Classic and timeless: Elegant, simple, and right in the middle of modern and traditional, the below living room is as timeless as it gets. The classic layout allows conversation and comfort, and those big windows let plenty of natural light pour, which never hurts.
15- Have a place to gather (as per picture above). For us, the living room is where we gather. We have decided to have no TV there. Instead, we have our Sonos stereo to give us background music and that is where we gather for playing board games with the kids, helping them with their homework or sitting and talking about our days, plans and dreams over a cup of coffee or glass of wine.
16- Have a room that is kids free zone or that they need to ask permission to enter. This can be, for example, your bedroom. This will allow you to have a calm oasis. Because let’s be honest, as amazing as it is to see your kids lively playing, seeing it 24/7 can be exhausting.
I hope you have found these tips useful and inspiring. Remember to keep your home organized even after the decluttering and re-decoration. A good tip is to implement the 1-minute rule in your household. This will allow you to enjoy a calming, functional and beautiful home for longer.
Actionable Tip
Share picture of your before and after or of your current minimalist home in social media and tag us (@modern.minimalist.lifestyle). We will feature your picture in our page to inspire others in the MML community.
Further inspiration on how to make your home calming, functional and beautiful through minimalism and Scandinavian design below:
