Much misunderstood, minimalism often gets a bad rap. While most people would think minimalists are firmly in the business of shunning material possessions and throwing things away but, in reality, minimalism is about valuing the objects you possess.
When we examine the history of minimalism as an art movement it’s clear how a minimalistic approach to interior design is the best way to create a space in which every object is valued. Now, because art history is very cool, let’s go back in time to the early 1960s to take a look at the historical movement that brought us the minimalistic interior design that shines in our homes today, 60 years later.
The movement was born in artist circles in New York in the early 1960s as artists began experimenting with geometric abstraction in their paintings and sculptures. As you’d expect from the references to geometric abstraction, the movement has links to the Bauhaus School which advocated for designs that used the least amount of material possible. The restraint that Bauhaus artists showed when they used their materials sparingly helped shaped the basis for minimalism.Famous minimalist artists include Frank Stella, Ellsworth Kelly, Robbery Ryman and Sol LeWitt as well as many more that you can read up on here.
In the world of architecture, the Bauhausian restraint was echoed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, a minimalist architect who adopted the motton ‘less is more’. In architecture, influence is drawn as much from Japanese traditional architecture as it is from the Bauhaus School of design and traditional Zen philosophy. I think that we can all agree that we could all use a little more zen in our lives, in fact, many observers saw minimalist architecture as a response to the brash chaos of urban life. This could be why, whilst in the art world minimalism exploded in the 60s and 70s, minimalist architecture became popular in major metropolises like London and New York in the 80s. While you’d be forgiven for thinking minimalist design would be sparse, cold and devoid of character, you’d be wrong because while Mies van der Rohe laid out the principles of minimalism by saying ‘less is more’ he also said ‘god is in the details’ which is why, although minimalist design pieces are reduced to their necessary elements in the name of simplicity, pieces of furniture that are designed with minimalism in mind are actually stunning.
If you haven’t previously committed to a minimalist design for your home but, having read about the history, are interested in pursuing it as a design aesthetic now then you might like to consider investing in some minimalistically designed pieces. Minimalist furniture focuses on form and functionality, it is simple, stylist and transcends any soft of trend that may come and go. The palette of these pieces is mostly neutral or monochromatic with colour used to accentuate lines from time to time. Here are 22 on-trend pieces that would add style and flair to any room.
So, if you’re into minimalistic design and the sort of values that are sketched out in the theory of the art movement, then it’s clear that you value your possessions and take pride in the environment you have curated. When we take pride in things you want to protect them and one of the best ways to protect your possessions is with NRMA contents insurance. This insurance policy will protect your belongings in case they are damaged or destroyed in anything from a fire, theft, flood or even lightening damage!
If you value every single piece of furniture, belongings and possessions then protect them and continue to fill your home with objects that bring you joy!