Minimalist house decor sounds like a contradiction: if minimalism advocates focusing on essentials, why should you get decorations?
Decor is added to make your interior aesthetically pleasant. That may not seem important, but try to imagine your house with just furniture, fixtures and painted walls. That doesn’t feel homey at all.
With carefully selected decorations, your minimalist home stays far from boring. Below are tips to make it happen.
1. Liven up a room with showy foliage in a simple planter.
A minimalist interior doesn’t have to be a combination of whites, grays and blacks.
You can spice it up with a splash of color; the green of a houseplant is relaxing and soothing. Aside from their pleasing color, many houseplants also help purify indoor air.
You don’t want to obsess over houseplants though, especially if you’ve never taken care of one before.
For a minimalist home decor, be daring and go for an indoor plant with showy foliage. Elephant ear, fiddle-leaf fig, dumb cane and swiss cheese plant are noteworthy for their big leaves. You can put one in a large – yet plain –
white or gray planter. Any of them is ideal for a corner of a spacious living room or for your porch.
If you have limited space, you can choose a small potted plant, like hosta or caladium. Both houseplants stand out for the color combinations in their leaves. You can set one on a shelf, coffee table or console table.
2. For minimalist house decor, try hexagonal patterns and decors.
Squares and rectangles are bound to fill up a minimalist home.
Seeing four-sided shapes can start to feel dull; you might want to consider featuring hexagons, too.
Big six-sided tiles may suit your living room floor. You can install medium-sized ones for your bathroom and/or kitchen’s flooring. Medium-sized hexagonal tiles could also serve as bathroom backsplashes.
For a minimalist interior, tiles with solid, neutral color are the most ideal; or gray and white ones with streaks are great, too.
If you’re opting for those with solid colors, stick to one, or up to three, colors. If you prefer those marble-like ones, make sure you pick the same shade even if they don’t have the same streak patterns.
Instead of tiles, you might consider hexagonal shelves and coffee tables. You could also secure your houseplant on a six-sided planter.
If you’re not keen on hanging a painting or a photo on your wall, you could hang honeycomb shaped reflective stickers. A hexagonal pen holder looks fine on your work desk, too.
3. Install round mirrors encased in simple frames.
Don’t underestimate a mirror as a minimalist home decor.
Mirrors add depth to an otherwise small room. Ditch the mirrors with elaborate frames though; they tend to steal the spotlight in a room. They also look out of place in a minimalist interior.
For a minimalist house decor, avoid the trend of hanging a set of mirrors instead of just one. The extras can feel like clutter. One big round mirror is enough for the wall on top of your console table, and another one for the wall behind your bathroom sink.
When picking frames, you can select those around one inch thick or less – or just go frameless. Black, silver and gray frames are among your best options. A mirror encased in unfinished wood also fits in a minimalist interior with wooden elements.
4. For minimalist house decor, place skinny furnishings.
Skinny tables, chairs and shelves are space-saving and pleasingly simple.
In case you’re downsizing, you can donate or sell your bulky furniture and replace with the former.
- You might put a slim loveseat or two on your living room.
- For your dining room, a wooden table with matching non-upholstered chairs should suffice.
- In the bedroom, let go of posters and tufted headboards. A wooden bed frame with an oxford, redcliffe, or finsbury headboard is minimalist yet sophisticated.
Aside from furniture, skinny furnishings like thin glass vases are also worth considering. You can display a tall one for your console table and another on your dining table. Fill it with a bloom or three. You can put a short and thin glass vase on a shelf as well. Maximize its use by adding a handful of lavender flowers.
For lighting, consider table and floor lamps with straightforward styles. One or two should be enough in your bedroom and living room.
If you have a rectangular dining table, you can install three uniform Nordic-style pendant lights overhead. If you have a low ceiling, opt for recessed lighting instead.
5. Put a three-piece set of scented candles in a room.
A minimalist home decor isn’t only visual. With scented candles, you also delight your sense of smell. For safety and minimal cleanup, stick to candles in glass containers.
Candles with jasmine, lavender or vanilla essences are wonderful additions to your bathroom, or, try sandalwood or cedarwood for your living room.
6. Add an area rug with a solid color and simple pattern.
Oriental rugs are world-class – but they’re not compatible with the neutral colors and straightforward styles in a minimalist home.
The good news is that you can always choose area rugs that feature a solid color each. Some of them may also have a few streaks or stripes. Blue, gray and brown rugs, with or without white streaks, can harmonize with your hardwood floors. If you have tiled rooms, select a rug that contrasts well with the dominant color.
An area rug isn’t recommended for small homes, but you can follow the same principle when picking a mat for your front door and bathroom.
7. When buying minimalist house decor, take quality and durability into consideration.
This will preserve colors and appearance, and avoid excess purchasing when poor-quality items need replacing not long after you buy them.
Every home needs decor.
Some decor is essential for a house that feels like home.
Minimalist house decor is focused on creating a homey, personalized interior without feeling busy or cluttered. These tips will help you decorate tastefully without going overboard.