What's Your Style: Why Minimalism is the Most Rigorous Style
Modern Minimalist interior design is not just about white walls; it’s about storage and perfecting the details
Minimalism – the style, not the millennial lifestyle movement – is about the details. Without paying attention to the minutiae of the interior elements – flow of space, material joints, lighting fixtures, choice and placement of furniture, light switch covers, storage etc. – your home won’t be minimalist, it will just be empty and bland.
It’s generally thought that the current version of the minimalist style emerged in the middle of the 1960s as a description of the new type of art appearing at the time from the likes of Donald Judd and Robert Morris.
In order to show the minimalist art off to best effect, galleries – and eventually homes – began to pare everything back to the essentials to create a simple, clean space.
In order to show the minimalist art off to best effect, galleries – and eventually homes – began to pare everything back to the essentials to create a simple, clean space.
However, this was actually the second version of the minimal ideal. The first came from the De Stijl artistic movement founded in 1917 that focused on the idea of reducing art and architecture to essential forms and colours; everything was simplified to vertical and horizontal frames and only white, black and primary colours were used.
De Stijl, or ‘The Style’, was the foundation for famous artists like Mondrian whose iconic works continue to influence interior design today - just check out the kids section at Ikea and you’ll know what I mean.
Architect Mies van der Rohe is often considered the father of modern minimalism. His motto of ‘less is more’ was used to describe everything from buildings and furniture, to art and fashion, and even to flower arrangements.
See Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona Chair in 12 different homes
See Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona Chair in 12 different homes
Once the ‘white box’ art gallery effect began to gain momentum in the late 1960s, it began to take on some aspects of Japanese traditional design. In the 1970s the use of more natural materials and the idea of only having one perfect example of any one thing, became a fashionable trend.
The Japanese style called Ikebana was a popular trend and tied into the already growing influence of Japanese ‘Zen’ culture in the minimalist movement.
My mother still owns a whole series of flat vases with sharp-pronged metal stem holders that she used to create amazingly minimalist Ikebana flower arrangements in the mid 1970s.
Flowers that bow to Ikebana
My mother still owns a whole series of flat vases with sharp-pronged metal stem holders that she used to create amazingly minimalist Ikebana flower arrangements in the mid 1970s.
Flowers that bow to Ikebana
Van der Rohe was famous not only for stripping back excess details, but also for making elements of a home do double duty; everything had to not only be beautiful but functional.
By the 1980s, minimalism was thriving in the lobbies of skyscrapers and hotels around the world, and gradually moving into everyday homes.
The look translated into large open plan spaces, with white details and furnishings, cold lighting and a minimum of objects and furnishings, often alongside one staggeringly large and colourful sculpture.
The look translated into large open plan spaces, with white details and furnishings, cold lighting and a minimum of objects and furnishings, often alongside one staggeringly large and colourful sculpture.
The one thing that these minimalist spaces had that our apartments generally do not is large expanses of empty space and huge ‘wall of glass’ windows.
Singapore flats are also not often home to very high specification finishes; another detail that makes true minimalist style really work.
Singapore flats are also not often home to very high specification finishes; another detail that makes true minimalist style really work.
When everything is on show and there’s not a lot of stuff to look at, everything you can see must be absolutely perfect in order to go from blandly empty to brilliantly minimal.
What is modern minimalist style?
Modern minimalist style can be broken down into open-plan spaces featuring neutral colours – yes, lots of white, but also black, grey, browns and primary colours as accents – and streamlined, low-slung furniture and fittings in either clearly delineated horizontal or vertical directions or seamlessly hidden away.
Modern minimalist style can be broken down into open-plan spaces featuring neutral colours – yes, lots of white, but also black, grey, browns and primary colours as accents – and streamlined, low-slung furniture and fittings in either clearly delineated horizontal or vertical directions or seamlessly hidden away.
The idea is to hide from sight all the untidy bits and pieces of everyday living like kitchens and knick-knacks (house keys, mail, toys etc.).
Create modern minimalism at home
There are four main things you will need to do in order to have a truly minimalist home.
You need to remove everything – no clutter at all is allowed; you will need to stick to a very simplified palette of colours; again this is to keep the overall streamlined feel; and you will need to do with only the essentials – quality over quantity rules.
There are four main things you will need to do in order to have a truly minimalist home.
You need to remove everything – no clutter at all is allowed; you will need to stick to a very simplified palette of colours; again this is to keep the overall streamlined feel; and you will need to do with only the essentials – quality over quantity rules.
The only way you can really be sure that your lovely clean and empty spaces will stay that way is via good storage options.
This is where concepts like integrated fridges, dishwashers and freezers, hidden cooker hoods and even fully enclosed kitchen areas come into play.
Your entertainment area should be free of wires, plugs, set-top boxes, game consoles and speakers. Even the TV should be hidden behind panelling. If you have a projector screen, even better.
Bathrooms will also need additional storage options. Look for in-wall toilets and floating sinks to continue the flow of your horizontal lines.
10 tips from inspiring minimalist bathrooms
10 tips from inspiring minimalist bathrooms
White helps to bring brightness and light into smaller areas.
However, you don’t have to only use white. Grey is popular right now, but palest blues, pinks, beiges and even darker greys and black can be used as your base colour.
But if you really want that super clean look, then by all means go with white-on-white everything – as long as you choose the right white.
Less really is more
One reason why the minimalist style has seen a recent resurgence is that more and more people are realising that they own too much stuff. Do we really need 15 pairs of jeans, 5 sets of coffee cups or 20 faux plants?
One reason why the minimalist style has seen a recent resurgence is that more and more people are realising that they own too much stuff. Do we really need 15 pairs of jeans, 5 sets of coffee cups or 20 faux plants?
All this consumption is not only bad for our wallets, but it’s even worse for the environment. Where will all this stuff end up when we’re done with it?
This is why holding to the minimalist’s mantra of ‘less is more’ makes perfect sense. If you do need to buy something for your home, buy the absolute best quality you can afford.
This is why holding to the minimalist’s mantra of ‘less is more’ makes perfect sense. If you do need to buy something for your home, buy the absolute best quality you can afford.
Minimalism can be confusing
Minimalism is often confused with the Scandinavian style says Jas Johl from Sugarbakers. Since both minimalism and Scandinavian styles feature simple lines, lack of clutter, geometric shapes and pale colours, it’s easy to mislabel them.
Minimalism is often confused with the Scandinavian style says Jas Johl from Sugarbakers. Since both minimalism and Scandinavian styles feature simple lines, lack of clutter, geometric shapes and pale colours, it’s easy to mislabel them.
The easiest way to tell them apart is through the materials used. Scandi style features more organic, ‘softer’ materials like natural stone, more naturally curved timber and more handcrafted items.
Minimalism focuses on more man-made or ‘harder’ materials like stainless steel, plastics, chrome, and polished stone or seamless wood products like MDF and laminates.
Mixing more natural textures like timber laminates and soft furnishings in light colours with strong simple lines but still avoiding clutter can create a more ‘friendly’ version of modern minimalism.
A more glamorous version of modern minimalism sticks with the straight lines and fine details but adds touches like metallics and darker shades for a dash more luxury.
TELL US
Do you think you could live the clutter-free, rigorous life of a true minimalist? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save your favourite images, bookmark the story, and join in the conversation.
Do you think you could live the clutter-free, rigorous life of a true minimalist? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save your favourite images, bookmark the story, and join in the conversation.