How you design, construct and ultimately furnish your home says a lot about what kind of person you are in your everyday life. While bold colors and textures may have been the norm in the past, people are opting more and more for simplicity, sustainability and minimalism, with a perfect space blending and merging these three words seamlessly. This article aims to shed light on the art of minimalism and how you can transform your home into a peaceful oasis for the body and mind.
What is Minimalism?
Minimalism is a loaded term, quite ironically, and generally refers to living a life with little clutter characterized by simplicity, clean lines and a monochromatic palette with color used as an accent. It usually combines an open floor plan, lots of light and functional furniture, meaning that everything you put into a space in terms of furniture will also be used on a daily basis. Long gone are the days of quantity over quality. Minimalism focuses on the shape, color and texture of just a handful of essential elements. Put simply, minimalist design is about prioritizing the essential.
Now, let’s take a brick-and-mortar casino as an example. If an interior designer wanted to create a minimalistic feel, they would opt for high ceilings, a uniform lighting design and warm tones in the booths or for the furniture. With casinos being so busy, both in terms of the amount of people and the amount of chips and games going on at any given time, a minimalistic approach to the interior design can create a sense of calmness. Picture sitting in a casino in London, for example, and playing blackjack games in the UK, wouldn’t you agree that the ambience and interior decor are paramount to how you feel and whether you’d return? Particularly in entertainment venues, a minimalistic approach works beautifully, not least because of the ease of use and limited maintenance and cleaning required.
A minimalist building, object, or interior design is stripped to its core function, realized using limited materials, neutral colors, and simple forms, and excess ornamentation is avoided to achieve a pure form of elegance. In this case, the saying ‘less is more’ really does ring true. If you are interested in minimalism, try to be intentional, eliminate distractions and make mindful choices. Before buying any piece, think carefully about whether you’ll really use it and what requirements it may fulfil in your home.
Peace of Mind
Minimalism and sustainability have so many things in common, with the main benefit being peace of mind. Minimalists tend to purchase fewer items, which means a decrease in the demand for goods. This decrease in demand ultimately leads to a reduction in the amount of energy and resources required to produce goods, which inevitably eventuates in peace of mind. Concerning sustainability, everybody should aim to reduce their consumption of goods in order to decrease the consumption of the world’s natural resources, from shopping locally to purchasing a portable generator, sustainability encompasses many things. Thus, both sustainability and minimalism result in reduced consumption of resources.
Broadly speaking, minimalism promotes the value of experiences over material possessions, placing higher importance on meaningful items rather than those that merely occupy space. It’s common for minimalist homes to skip rugs, accent chairs and even end tables as they take up a lot of space and wouldn’t fall into the essentials category. Furniture is kept to the bare minimum, so are decorative pieces and wall art. Having fewer pieces in your living room allows you to invest in key elements that will make the room pop and still feel warm and comfortable.
When Less is More
Less stuff, less stress, less clutter, fewer possessions, fewer hours cleaning, more space, more money, more room, more energy, more focus, more creativity. Didn’t that sentence just make your shoulders drop and your eyes sparkle? No one really wants to live like a hoarder or be surrounded by heaps and heaps of things. Making small, positive changes can lead to greater peace if one practices minimalism.
It’s not uncommon these days to see houses on TV that feature huge rooms will even bigger closets filled to the brim with clothing and shoes. In a world where consumerism is the norm and more is always better, minimalism really does offer an alternative way of living. The core of minimalism in design is about simplifying your life and focusing on what truly matters. It is said that adopting a minimalist lifestyle can help free yourself from the burden of excess possessions and create space for what truly brings you joy.
Minimalism isn’t just a trend or a passing fad that will be gone in a few weeks. It really is a way of life that’s gaining popularity for a reason. Having a place for every item in your home, reducing cleaning time and only purchasing what’s really necessary is an antidote to the stress, anxiety, and dissatisfaction that can come from trying to keep up with the Joneses. There are eight basic rules that anyone wanting to dive into the interesting and fulfilling world of minimalism and sustainability should look at: Rule # 1 — purposeful possessions only. Rule # 2 — one is enough. Rule # 3 — essentials only. Rule # 4 — a place for everything. Rule # 5 — simple is best. Rule # 6 — quality over quantity. Rule # 7 — experiences matter most. Rule # 8 — digital over physical.
Clean House, Clean Mind
There are many who believe that your mind is a reflection of your home. If you keep your space tidy, your brain will reflect that approach too. Minimalism in home design is a game changer, with so few cons compared to the plethora of pros. Minimalism offers a visual and spatial breather. It can induce a sense of calm and order, which is psychologically appealing to many people and is particularly true when it comes to interior design. When it comes to designing your new home, think sustainability and minimalism.