Take a look around your home. Look at all the furniture in each room carefully. Turn your head to the portraits hanging on the wall and the objects that sit on your tabletops. Does everything need to be there? Or can you do away with some of them? Minimalism is all about subtracting unnecessary frills and the things from your decor and keeping things simple. And a lot of homes are turning to minimalist decor as a refreshing way of neat, organised and clutter-free living.

The minimalist decorating style is an exercise in restraint, where space, lighting and objects play equally important roles. This style demands you to pare down your furnishings to the bare essentials so that you’re left with a set of curated objects that deliver maximum impact. Far from being boring, this style is bold, functional and highly memorable.

Channel your inner Marie Kondo and implement these nine tips if you are planning on experimenting with simple, sophisticated interiors for a change.

“Minimalism is binding the space, while making it breathable. It is barer; though by no means, less designed. Uncluttered spaces are the need of the hour. Minimalism seems like a natural fit.”

Heny Savla

Interior Designer, Livspace

Minimalist Style Decor Tip #1: Use a restrained colour palette

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Think monochrome to enhance the minimalist look

Light colours such as white along with understated neutrals, barely-there greys, and pastels are intrinsic to minimalist interiors. Though you could add brighter colours, we suggest you stick to one or two and limit the dosage. The picture above uses shades of beige and white to create a well-lit room. Even the marble dinner table here enhances the minimalist style.

Minimalist Interior Design Tip #2: Empty spaces and focal points

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The key is to build focus on a few things and not several items

Empty space is considered an important element in minimalist room decor, since space interacts with the objects and defines the look. Visual balance is just as important and can be achieved only by having a focal point. Notice how the living room has plenty of empty space and no unwanted distraction. At the same time, some of the family’s essential decor elements do find a spot on the walls.

Also Read: This ₹17 Lakhs 1250 Sq. Ft. 3BHK in Vajram Newtown Apartments, Bangalore Is a Minimalist Millennial Dream Come True

Minimalist Design Tip #3: Declutter and edit

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Keep the bare minimum on surfaces

Having a minimalist interior design means you need to say goodbye to clutter. And to do that, you’ll have to edit what you display on shelves and tables. Stick to essentials only and store the rest in cabinets. This kitchen shows how only a few well-chosen elements have made it to the counters. Also, the choice of a white kitchen with a pop of wine red gives the impression of a lot more space while staying stylish.

Minimalist Style Decor Tip #4: Use accent decorations

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Keep the highlight to one element in a room

Designing a minimalist home doesn’t mean you need to avoid decorations and bright colours. The rule is to simply use decorative elements as accents and not overwhelm your home with a lot of things. Similarly, for art, choose one focal piece instead of a group of small ones. In this living room, the pair of portraits against a bare wall become a focal point and not a cluttered distraction.

Minimalist Interior Design Tip #5: Clean lines and flat surfaces

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Choose handleless cabinets throughout for a seamless look

Furniture and objects in a minimalist design majorly feature clean, defined lines and curves as well as flat surfaces. This kitchen has well-defined cabinets, drawers and windows and lots of flat surfaces. The clean lines ensured by the lack of handles on the cabinets are also soothing to the eye!

Minimalist Design Tip #6: Play with textures

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Bring in more textures than furniture

In minimalist interiors, you can make things interesting by trying different textures. In this bedroom, an upholstered headboard and a mint-hued, textured wallpaper perfectly complement each other and give the room a refreshing appeal. The wooden floorboards further add to the textural story of this room. While different textures have been combined, this room decor is in no way overwhelming.

Minimalist Style Decor Tip #7: Let in the light

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Sheer curtains are an excellent choice to let in more light

Bare windows are your friend. If you can leave your windows unadorned and let the light pour in, it would significantly add to the minimalist style. If privacy is an issue, use the thinnest materials for your curtains or use blinds. In this living room, sheer curtains bring in a lot of sunlight, brightening everything it falls on. The pop of pink only adds to the aesthetic.  Less certainly is more!

Minimalist Interior Design Tip #8: Power of simple objects

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Keep things that bring you joy and let go of the rest

Decorating minimalist interiors can make you rethink the quantity of ordinary objects you want around you. In this living room, the first thing that catches your eye would probably be the striking painting hanging on the wall or the colourful throw pillows. When set against a white backdrop or a neutral tone, even simple objects can stand out. With minimalist decor, maintenance becomes easier.

Minimalist Design Tip #9: Patterns find a place

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Choose patterns wisely to avoid overwhelming the place

Minimalist homes usually use a limited amount of patterns or opt to do away with it all together. If you decide to go with patterns, use them on a small scale, tone-to-tone or an unobtrusive pattern. When it comes to prints, use it the way you would an accent piece. Choose prints for the curtains or your throw pillows. You can have them both, like this living room, but make sure you do have plenty of empty space. Also, remember, you can never go wrong with a patterned carpet that centres the room. It gives the room a much-needed break from monotony.

What we’ve given above are the ground rules of minimalist decor. However, once you have these in place, you can experiment a bit with different styles of minimalism such as modern, comfortable or industrial minimalism.

Take a Look at This Minimalist Home We Designed

Need a little more help to build your minimalist home? Take a look at this Minimalist Interiors at Sprawling Legacy Estilo Apartment.

How Can Livspace Help You?

We hope you found our ideas useful! If you want your home to be just as beautiful, then look no further. Book an online consultation with Livspace today.

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