What do Minimalist Homes look like?
It’s all in the details.
Instead of having lots of everything, minimalism focuses on having fewer things, but in higher quality or with sentimental value.
It’s the quality and the subtle pattern in the of the seemingly plain white curtains or owning a dinner table handcrafted by an artisan in a deep, rich mahogany.
The 4 following principles of Minimalist Style
- Quality over quantity (Decorations and Furniture)
- Clear surfaces and blank walls
- Carefully chosen decorations on display
- Functional pieces of furniture – none just for decoration
Each of these principles are present in varying degrees: Extreme, Moderate and Light
Extreme Minimalism
- Only the basics – furniture, chairs, plates.
- No decorations to very little decorations.
- All the surfaces are extremely bare.
- The lamps and other functional pieces are small and unobtrusive.
- No rugs or extra affects that don’t serve a purpose, and simple white curtains only used if required.
- Quite bare and stark.
- Traditional Japanese homes are a good example.
Moderate Minimalism
- Simple pieces of furniture that scream a quiet quality, or personality – note the side tables being made out of crates on wheels
- Decorations are simple as well – note the vase on the decorative mantle piece or the blank canvas hanging over the bed.
- Everything has its place, but is also displayed rather than hidden in drawers and shelves.
- Small touches throughout the room add to the atmosphere such as the large hanging lamps and the rug tucked under the bed.
- All the surfaces are fairly clear with small decorations, and usually only one of each.
- Modern Japanese homes are good examples.
Light Minimalism
- Colour scheme is still simple with pops of colour.
- Surfaces aren’t extremely clean, but also not cluttered.
- There are open spaces and allowance for blank walls.
- More groupings of decorations such as vases or lamps.
- All the pieces of furniture serve a purpose rather than just for decor.
How to create a Minimalist Home Part 2 (Saturday Project) coming up next.
- Saturday Project: Minimalist Decorations
- Minimalism isn’t always about Neutrals, Greys and White Bedrooms
- We don’t decorate for anyone but ourselves – hence the lack of decoration!
- Minimalism embraces comfort
- Understanding: Simple Living, Frugality, Living Green and Minimalism; what’s the difference!?
E
on Sep 30th, 2009
@ 1:43 pm:
I like the moderate minimalist style with a bit of leaning to the light side. Extreme feels a bit too bare, and ghost-like for me (like you never existed or anything). Having some “stuff” at least showcases a life that has existed that has had some life experiences. Good examples.
Mrs. Money
on Sep 30th, 2009
@ 6:09 pm:
I think I like the moderate too! I think the extreme is too cold and impersonal.
What’s your style?
Mrs. Money´s last blog ..Getting Made Fun of for Frugality
Jessie
on Sep 30th, 2009
@ 7:23 pm:
I like the moderate style as well but I don’t think extreme minimalism necessarily means you’ve never been there, not having junk/clutter can be part of your personality as well! Also, it means that everything you have has been well thought out and carefully chosen by you so it may not be glaringly obvious but a bit of your soul is in there somewhere
Rae
on Sep 30th, 2009
@ 9:17 pm:
Hmm… I think I’m a mix of moderate and light — I like my “morning rooms” (bathroom, bedroom) to be more empty, and my “living rooms” (computer room, family room) to have a little more colour in them.
And I 2nd Mrs. Money’s question!
Rae´s last blog ..theNotice’s two-year audio celebration!
ashok
on Sep 30th, 2009
@ 11:09 pm:
I love those pics of the interiors! I need several million dollars so I can get one of those places designed for me and furnished and staffed with minimalist house servants.
I don’t think I can go as far as “moderate,” let alone “extreme.” I need way more books than either of those featured areas allow.
ashok´s last blog ..Note on Alice Shapiro’s “I”
everydayminimalist
on Oct 1st, 2009
@ 5:49 pm:
@ashok: *laugh* I don’t think you will need a ton of money if you’re going for a minimalist look
Minimalism is not about having lots of decorations, I’m sure you could just walk in there and have the house already “minimalist”
I also don’t believe that extreme or moderate means NO books whatsoever. You can have a minimalist library, if you cover it up with something so it doesn’t seem cluttered.
Personally, I’d rather have an e-book reader, but that’s just me.
everydayminimalist
on Oct 1st, 2009
@ 5:51 pm:
@Rae & @Mrs. Money — I think I am in the moderate minimalism area, with heavy tones of extreme minimalism.
I really don’t like stuff everywhere. And since I live in a small space, it’s difficult to decorate without it starting to feel like it is too cluttered. My view is all I need right now!
I like decorating with what I have — my books, my bathroom products (yes, really) and my jewelery.
everydayminimalist
on Oct 1st, 2009
@ 5:53 pm:
@Erran & Jessie: I agree.. Extreme minimalism isn’t as bare as it seems.
For me, having lots of stuff in the home is really a headache. My eyes get strained from looking at it, and I do put touches of who I am, everywhere. In what I read, what I use on a daily basis.. my view..
I don’t like knick knacks, vases, or anything that can easily be knocked over. I am probably more the type to think about colour in my wardrobe and using my jewelery as decoration rather than putting an actual picture of something I love on the wall.
ashok
on Oct 1st, 2009
@ 6:45 pm:
Off-topic: thanks for the comment on the “success” post – I liked the “niche”/”general” distinction you made, and I should have spent a bit more time writing about that.
E-book readers don’t work for me: I don’t like writing in my books, but I still use a handwritten journal and am thinking of getting a fountain pen soon.
ashok´s last blog ..What does success on the Internet look like?
everydayminimalist
on Oct 2nd, 2009
@ 5:39 pm:
@ashok: You are very welcome!
I love my fountain pen. But books are much too heavy for me to keep carrying around (I have some problems with my shoulders/back).
ashok
on Oct 2nd, 2009
@ 9:15 pm:
Just curious: any fountain pens you would recommend? I also have to practice writing with them, I lift the pen off the paper pretty frequently when writing nowadays.
ashok´s last blog ..Note on Alice Shapiro’s “I”
Saturday Project: How to create a Minimalist Home Part 2 | The Everyday Minimalist
on Oct 3rd, 2009
@ 7:46 am:
[...] Read: How to create a Minimalist Home Part 1 [...]
coco
on Dec 8th, 2009
@ 7:25 pm:
just found this blog, and love it, love it, love it!!!!!
my house is pretty much extreme for the kitchen and bath and moderate for the other rooms. of course my house isn’t nearly this pretty!
everydayminimalist
on Dec 9th, 2009
@ 12:24 pm:
Wow, thank you!
Christine Simiriglia
on Dec 27th, 2009
@ 12:57 pm:
I’m living a light minimalist life these days… striving to get lighter. Coming from a past of being a shopaholic and stuff person and then having to organize and clean it all and discovering that it was a worthless way of being, I’d say I’ve made some progress.
Christine Simiriglia´s last blog ..Waste Now Want Not
Non Consumer Girl
on Dec 28th, 2009
@ 3:40 pm:
I like the light minimalist, but in reality living with a husband and child, it tends more to the moderate minimalist.
We have downsized to live in a small townhome, and I am currently on a project to downsize our belongings, reduce our stuff as it takes so much of my life energy and time cleaning, organising, and looking after it.
Non Consumer Girl´s last blog ..A little gift to you… Non Consumer Girl Christmas Video
Jim
on Jan 26th, 2010
@ 4:24 am:
I guess I would fall under the light minimalism. I like color and pictures on my wall. Not too many pictures though! My walls are currently white, but my landlord will let me paint so I might.
erwin
on Jun 6th, 2010
@ 7:35 am:
I love this site. I learned a lot from the article. I still have problem dealing with "I may need this" things in my house. I am trying to be mean but sometimes sentimentality of the stuff comes in.