Your new apartment: A minimalist design

By One Kindesign September 28, 2014

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Minimalist Apartment Design-01-1 Kindesign

You like to keep things simple, especially when it comes to your home decor. Aside from the attractive modern aesthetic, creating a minimalist design in your new place can be beneficial to your sense of well-being: namely stress relief. Minimalist homes also tend to be more charming and inviting – they appear more spacious, and tend to focus on the innate beauty of a single piece of furniture or work of art. It’s not bare; it’s artistically restrained.

And, as a plus, they are much easier to clean. Think about how easy it is to clean a home without having to maneuver around so many unnecessary objects or pieces of furniture. So how do you create a minimalist style in your new home?

De-clutter

Maybe you’ve moved with a ton of stuff. Well, if you’re unsure of what to keep and get rid of, here are some things that can go: excess magazines and newspapers; unnecessary furniture; unused glassware, hardware, kitchen gadgets, pots and pans; clunky pillows, candle holders, magnets and vases; tired artwork, office supplies, seasonal decorations, sports memorabilia and old mirrors. For a successful modern minimalist design, these items are not necessary. They can be thrown away or donated (after all, there must be someone in your life who can use those old pots and pans).

As you de-clutter your space, you are naturally going to want to keep some items. These should be organized and stored away in a very specific place, which is another perk of the minimalist home: succinct organization.

The mantra here is “A place for everything, and everything in its place.” That means, with some exceptions, showing only the bare essentials. Whether it’s the bedroom, kitchen or living room, you want to keep things off of the floor and out of sight.

Keep it Simple, Start Small

Focus on one room at a time. For example, start with the bedroom, move to the living room, and so on. If you live in a loft or studio, it’s easy to get going because there’s only one room to worry about. Though a single room offers new sets of challenges, lofts or studios can benefit greatly from a minimalist design’s dedication to openness.

Pay great attention to the furniture choices, as this is what takes up the most space. Keep in mind, when it comes to sofas and couches, sharp lines, narrow construction and smooth curves are a minimalist staple. One way to keep minimalism consistent throughout an apartment is to find a bunch of pieces you like, come up with a plan or theme, think it through and then start to eliminate any unnecessary furniture from those you’ve picked – without sacrificing comfort, of course.

Flat surfaces, like countertops and coffee tables, should be sparse and clean, aside from maybe a few appliances or art books, respectively. Remember you want to keep only the essentials. You can always add decorative accents later.

Start Furnishing

You only want to keep a few pieces of simple furniture in the room, such as a couch, a comfortable chair or two, and a coffee table. What’s more, all of these items should be solid colors – make the hues stark whites and bold blacks for a more dramatic effect.

There should not be a lot of artwork on display – just one or two pieces at most. These works should be very simple as well, with a solid colored frame. For instance, simplistic cubist paintings and designs complement minimalism extraordinarily well. On the other hand, you can certainly keep some walls bare.

As far as window treatments go, windows can be kept bare, or treated with solid color curtains or wooden blinds. Similarly, while natural light provides a minimalist space with subtle accents, the right indoor lighting fixtures – whether strategically placed wall mounts or hanging options which are integral to a seamless interior design.

Decorations should be kept to a minimum as well, but feel free to add a splash of color with a standing potted plant. The natural greens will liven up the room a bit and contrast nicely with the whites, beiges and tans. Keep in mind, the rest of the room should be filled with solid, neutral colors like these.

On the surface, minimalism seems easy, but if a home is too bare, that’s just as noticeable. With these tips in tow, your new apartment will astonish, welcome and relax everyone who walks in.