One of the most popular styles when it comes to decorating today’s homes is the minimalistic look. As its name suggests, the idea is not to overload a room with excess furniture, accessories, or colors. Simplicity is the name of the game. The minimalistic look is therefore characterized by neutral colors and furniture of a symmetrical, geometric shape. Flounces and elaborate decorations are definitely out. The atmosphere you are trying to project is one of calm and relaxation.
So how would you decorate your living room in the minimalistic style? Below are twenty tips to help you:
1. Keep it simple. As stated above, you need furniture that is simple, easy to assemble, and not too showy. This adds to the calming effect, because you don’t need to do too much and the end result is easy and relaxing to the eye. Additionally, furniture that is too fancy can lend a room an overwhelming atmosphere. Here, you don’t have that problem.
2. Don’t add anything unnecessary, such as footstools or extra ornaments. No one likes a room that is reminiscent of a junkyard. Therefore you should only include what you actually need, such as chairs, a table, and sofas.. At the same time, obviously, you don’t want the room to be so sparse that it does not fit the basic requirements of a living room.
3. Choose plain designs. In a minimalistic living room, you will not see any furniture decorated with loud designs or many colors. Usually, you will find something like a plain white, black, or beige sofa – in a single, neutral color.
4. Use simple area rugs. You may find contemporary rugs or a simple oval rug in a minimalistic living room. Put it on a wood flooring rather than atop a wall-to-wall carpet. Once again, keep to plain designs rather than a fancy floral rug or loud, bright swirls and stripes. Here, you may want to keep to the neutral colors mentioned above or you may create a contrast such as black on white or red on cream.
5. A single color for the walls. You won’t find a multicolored minimalistic living room. White, cream, or magnolia are popular as these are neutral and will match the furniture. If the room is small, you may find a mirror on one of the walls to add a feeling of space.
6. Use simple light fittings. No chandeliers or lampshades here – just simple lamp bases and lighting from recessed fixtures. This creates a subtle kind of lighting – not too bright or decorative but it does the job. These understated lights can provide a lot of atmosphere to the room, conforming to the concept of being relaxed and cozy.
7. Keep the windows simple. The minimalist look requires only a simple curtain, blinds, or a shutter at the windows. Within this context, you can put up a simple lace curtain or an elegant venetian blind that is plain yet classy and still within the minimalist category.
8. Some pictures are allowed – but not too many. Three large pictures on three of the room’s four walls are probably enough.
9. Keep out all clutter. A minimalist living room must never get cluttered. Of course, by definition this would be difficult as the idea is that the lack of surplus surfaces will keep all clutter away. This is one of the greatest attractions of a minimalistic living room, making it any housewife’s dream.
10. Choose neutral, but welcoming colors. Choose colors that are welcoming and either blend or contrast with each other very well. Neutral colors include white, cream, beige, magnolia, or a very pale blue.
11. Good color schemes are black and white, with or without a touch of red, beige and white, or beige and cream. To add to the effect, you can include a heavy contrast, such as black and white, or cream and red, which increases elegance and class of the room. On the other hand, blended colors can make a room look very good and have a smooth effect, such as beige, brown, and various shades in between.
12. Throw pillows and other frippery are not necessary. If you decide on some cushions, keep them very plain. Lacy flounces and ruffles are not a part of the minimalistic living room.
13. Get rid of excess shelving. Shelves full of ornaments and bric-a-brac are not wanted in a minimalist living room. Again, the idea is to keep to what you need. So if you have some books, you would put up a bookshelf, but you would not add any extra shelving that you don’t need or for putting up ornaments as these are not particularly welcome here.
14. Quality beats quantity. You may spend more on a few high-quality pieces of furniture, rather than having a lot of cheap items. As you are not putting anything unnecessary here, you may prefer to invest in a few high-quality, useful, elegant pieces of furniture.
15. Minimalism does not have to equal Spartan. You can choose more luxury pieces, such as wooden cabinets and stylish coffee tables – but they should have clean lines and no flounces. Geometrical shapes and straight lines are usually the most popular designs here – and these look far from Spartan.
16. If you want a great look, try transparent. You can find transparent light fittings and even transparent chairs to add to your minimalistic décor. These add to the neutral atmosphere and give the room an even more contemporary look.
17. And where do you put the TV? An LCD TV screen on the wall will blend in very well with your minimalistic design. It is subtle, plain, and conforms to the concept of simplicity.
18. Remember that minimalistic coffee tables tend to be low. As mentioned above, these can be made from wood or have a glass top and may look quite elegant. But remember not to pile it up with anything unnecessary.
19. The way to see if something is suitable is if it looks bulky or heavy. Minimalistic furniture is always lightweight and streamlined. This conforms to the ideal of ease, simplicity, and relaxation. You will find plenty of examples of such furniture on the Internet.
20. Ideal furniture materials are chrome, wood, glass, leather, and stainless steel. These materials do not have to be majorly expensive, and they are lightweight and can be very pleasing to the eye. There is a variety of designs that you can choose from.
