In this fast-paced world we live in today, some of us struggle to find peace and tranquility in our lives. We struggle to find balance and a way to live a simple life. Minimalism is more than just a lifestyle, but it is also a decorating style that can be found in many homes across the nation. So what is minimalism in terms of decorating? Minimalism is defined as a style of decorating where one “exercises restraint” with a focus on space, lighting, and a set of “curated objects.” Many may compare the style to an art gallery, where visitors are focused on only the art displayed. For others, it is a style of living that is the opposite of accumulating an excess of things. Today, we will discuss a few ways you can begin incorporating minimalism into your home’s design.
Bedroom
You may be thinking about your bedroom furniture. You are wondering how you can incorporate minimalism into your bedroom. The first thing to consider is the usefulness of each piece of furniture you already have in your room. For instance, do you have drawers with nothing in them? Do you just have them in your bedroom for décor? Consider removing them to free up space. Think of it as decluttering. You may ask, “What about the bed? My back cannot live without a mattress, but I do need a replacement. And what about my old bed frame?” While you can easily replace your bed frame with a new minimalistic design, mattresses require you to look for ones based on comfort rather than design. So choose your next mattress carefully because you will be using it for the next 10 years. As for the bed frame, would you consider being without one? At the core of minimalism, after all, is downsizing.
Lighting
Now I know part of minimalism is restraint; however, minimalism also means functionality. With that said, you may want to consider adding smart devices as part of your journey towards your home’s minimalistic design. You wonder how that can be done. I, personally, started out with smart bulbs. Picture this: you had to stay for overtime at work one evening, but you left your pet running around at home in the dark. A smart bulb can be turned on using your mobile device. This allows you to put your mind at ease while you are away from home. Smart bulbs can replace your standard light bulbs (which is a necessity around the home), so you don’t have to worry about buying more things that go against the principles of minimalism. It creates functionality without adding clutter. It also makes your home more energy efficient because you don’t have to leave the lights on all day.
Kitchen
So you have just walked into your kitchen and now you are thinking that this is the next area you need to downsize or transform. You’ve got a whirlwind of things inside and outside your kitchen cupboards and drawers. Do you use all of them? Were they just bought compulsively because you thought you were going to use them at one point but never did? Perhaps it is because your cupboards and drawers make you feel obligated to fill them up with things. Let’s keep it simple, er, minimal.
There are a couple of ways you can transform your kitchen. If you cannot prevent yourself from filling each space up with things in your cupboards and drawers, consider downsizing by removing a few of them. This will help you exercise restraint by only having enough space for the items you truly use every day. One of the other principles of minimalism is organization. So perhaps some of the cupboards and drawers are gone, but you need a place to store your Kitchen Aid mixer and its accessories. Enter shelves. Add shelves to neatly store your kitchen appliances without sacrificing counter space. This combines some of the principles of minimalism through restraint, downsizing, and organizing, which are the hallmarks of minimalism.
These are only a few ways you can begin to incorporate minimalism into your home’s design. Minimalism is great for your home—leaving it neat and simple. It is also great to adopt as a lifestyle to live a less stressful life in today’s modern world.
