Publication Magazine Volume 2 Friendly House | Page 24
Tips to help you make your home more minimalist
Sleek Minimalist Living Rooms Perfect For Stylish
Lounging
Coastal Minimalism
The den of a minimalist beach house on Long Island has a
vintage alpaca rug, an ottoman covered in a Kyle Bunting hair-
on-hide leather and a photograph by Darren Almond. The walls
and ceiling are painted in Benjamin Moore’s Super White.
Indoor-Outdoor Living
4. Create a main focal point.
Having clutter around you not only makes it difficult to relax, but
also makes it hard to find things when you need them making
life stressful, having a lot of ornaments can also trap a lot of
dust By creating a minimalist home it will be far easier to keep
clean and tidy, and your belongings will be well organised. Go
through your home and get rid of any unnecessary items, try and
place other belongings together in practical places. Make use
of baskets, trays and other containers to keep your things well
ordered and easy to find, consider buying furniture for specific
things to help you hide everything away. Whether it is an ornate mirror, a fancy rug, or a beautiful sofa,
use an item to create a main focal point of the room. Making
one item the centre of attention will really complement the subtle
tone of the rest of your design and really help to finish off the
room. By viewing the room as a grid built around one central
point, and visualising furniture and other items being placed
along the horizontal and vertical lines it can really help create an
effective look.
2. Stick to your color scheme Placing items together which are the same style or color, or have
similar uses can really help create a tidy and ordered minimalist
look. Placing a group of similar pictures or ornaments together
in one area can really help make a bold yet subtle statement.
A contemporary farmhouse in the middle of L.A. is a little bit
country and a lot modern. Inside the indoor-outdoor living area,
custom concrete sofas are topped with Brenda Antin pillows, the
1990 Mats Theselius chair is Swedish, the 1953 Bigfoot cocktail
table is by Paul Frank, and the wall is clad in reclaimed farmhouse
boards. Using a variety of colors or patterns can make a room appear busy
and claustrophobic, or create a chaotic atmosphere. By sticking to
a few key colors, for the walls, curtains, furnishings and flooring
it is possible to make the room ap pear more uniform and give it
a more relaxing atmosphere. Using varying shades, textures and
materials for contrast will stop the room from appearing boring
and give the design more depth.
Neutral Shades 3. Make sure your design has balance
In the neutral living room of a weekend home in Bridgehampton,
New York, designed by Steven Gambrel, the Thebes-style caned
stools are vintage, the cocktail table is by Dos Gallos and the
abaca rug is by Stark. The ceiling is painted in Super White by
Benjamin Moore, with beams in Armory by Pratt & Lambert. By arranging cushions, lamps and artwork in pairs or
asymmetrically to one side you will be able to create a well
ordered and effective minimalist design within your room. By
paying attention to the balance within a room you will make the
most of the available space and light and help give the impression
of well defined areas with the room.
Dark Minimalist Design
The den of a sleek West Village apartment features a custom
sofa based on a 1960s Harvey Probber design and is covered in
a Ralph Lauren silk velvet. The 1970 French cocktail table is by
Michel Boyer, the nesting tables are based on a Poul Kjaerholm
design, and the artwork is by Marilyn Minter.
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1. Create a clean and tidy space
5. Place similar items together.
6. Less can be more
Making the best possible of use and space is key to creating a
successful minimalist room. Allowing light to flow freely through
a large window can really make a room seem lighter and bigger,
by blocking it off with large potted plants you will only make
the room feel cluttered. Having clear areas of space on walls will
help to highlight any other features within the room and help the
space to feel clearer.
Having seen the advantages to having a minimalist home do you
feel inspired make some changes? Clear out the clutter and get
rid of all your junk and start to create a relaxing home that you
love. Minimalist doesn’t have to mean sterile, empty or cold it is
just a more balanced and tidy approach to home design.
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