Contrary to popular opinion, living a life of simplicity is much harder than one might expect. Even more so, designing your pad to reflect the minimalist lifestyle can prove to be a hair-pulling project. Because a minimalist room requires few pieces of décor to get the job done, the art of the achieving a stylish look falls unto the designer’s ability to perfectly synchronize each item. Besides, just because it looks easy, doesn’t mean it is easy. So, how can you successfully convey simplicity without sacrificing style? Start from a focal point, build out and think lines.
When designing a room to reflect your minimalist style you must strip the room void of any item. A bare-bones approach will help you first visualize and subsequently piece your selected items together. Think of the room as a blank canvas waiting to become a masterpiece!
Once the room is stripped, assess what is absolutely essential and forget the rest (unless you can store it). Before you begin throwing in the goods, first think about the room’s intended use. Will you be dining? Lounging? Working? Sleeping? Knowing these variables ahead of time will simplify the vetting of items. Remove any unnecessary items from the lineup. If you’re purchasing new furniture, pictures, etc… Carefully consider what you’ll be pairing together by comparing photographs. Furthermore, working with neutral colors, punctuated by black and deep brown highlights will really make the room pop. If you choose to exercise bold coloring, do so with relatively few colors and with restrictive moderation.
As mentioned above, you should start from a focal point and build out. The focal point can be anything from a picture on the wall, a bed, a television or even a dining room table. Regardless of the preferred focal point, you should always, always add a large area rug. The area rug should be proportional to the length and width of the room if you plan to center it. This creates a border and boundary lines from which to work. Grass rugs are a good choice because of their slimness, neutral colorings and simple patterns.
Once the rug is placed, decide where you want to place furniture items. The best pieces of furniture should have clean lines of symmetry. They need to match your preferred color palette and the other pieces of furniture. If the room demands different types of furniture (i.e. chairs, bed, table, entertainment center), use only one of each and don’t exceed 3 or 4 items – especially if the room is small. When placing the furniture, be sure to align them with the room’s focal point. Adding a single picture or mirror to one of the walls will really give you that simplistic appeal. As a tip, if the room is predominantly white and black, incorporating a single, brightly colored vase will add character, serving as a visual signature.
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