Different people have different tastes in home decoration. Some may be fans of the luxurious hotel look with bright chandeliers and heavy furniture. However, others favour a more minimalistic look with as little furniture and clutter as possible.
The minimalistic look is actually a trend nowadays and you can see it in many hipster cafes and restaurants. There are many benefits of adopting the minimalistic decoration style including less clutter in your house, less things to clean and making it more visually appealing. A minimalist home also has positive mental effects as it has been shown to improve concentration and reduce stress.
Here’s how you can turn your home into a minimalist haven:
1) A dual colour scheme
When decorating, think of only two colours, and one of them has to be white. Keeping things minimalistic means you keep your colour theme extremely simple. Paint your walls white and use another darker colour as decorative accents. This means that you add little things like dark vases, door handles, a chair or a flower pot, preferably all in that same dark colour. The dark colour usually recommended includes navy blue, black, olive green, maroon and wine red.
2) Lightweight Curtains
Ditch heavy black-out curtains and go for a light coloured pair made with semi-transparent materials like organza, lace or chiffon so that light can stream in through the windows. Preferably, the material should be lightweight enough to flutter in the wind and create a naturally relaxing atmosphere.
3) Don’t put up walls
If you have a large space in your house and want to divide it into different spaces, don’t build a new wall. Instead, use curtains, a semi-transparent screen (can be a foldable screen) or a sliding wall.
4) Minimalist Lights
In minimalist decoration, lighting for any room is usually a single light bulb hanging from the ceiling. This light bulb should be larger and brighter than usual so that it is adequate for the whole room. If you cannot hang it from the ceiling, try affixing a hook or bracket on the wall and hang your lightbulb from it.
Avoid lamps with shades at all costs and install more mirrors to increase the light reflection and penetration in your home.
5) Only Necessary Furniture
Keep it to only the bare necessities when it comes to furniture. Additionally, avoid heavy and carved furniture. Keep the home free of too many drapes and throws by only having one throw over a single sofa or bench.
6) Remove all clutter
An effective minimalist design can only happen if you let go of your messy belongings or store them well without allowing any bits to be left on floors or at corners.