Creating a minimalist home design

THE adage ‘less is more’ is quite appropriate if you want a home that’s simple and yet elegant.

It takes great skill and imaginative flair to create a beautiful room with the minimum of furniture, fixtures and fittings.

There are certain guidelines when it comes to creating a minimalist design for your home

Each element of the room has to be carefully thought out to create the desired effect. It also takes self discipline to keep it clear and clutter free.

Although less is more, it can be also be more expensive. For example, you may want to buy a branded furniture to enhance the look and add character to the empty space, otherwise it may look cheap and boring.

There are many more considerations to create the minimalist look.

For example the use of hidden storage space, the use of cold stones like granite and marble, and shiny surfaces like glass, stones, and marble which are hallmarks of the minimalist design.

THE MINIMALIST FACTORS

Colour scheme -One of the ways to create a calm atmosphere of a minimalist room is to use neutral and soft, muted colours only. Popular colours are whites, natural browns and greens -colours that are found in nature. If dark colours are used, they are often used as accents.

Choose monotone colours like white, gray, blacks, or those from the same colour group, so they are not distracting. Also use earth tones, or European brown which is less striking. Furniture - When choosing furniture, aim for modern and classlooking pieces. Materials like plain leather, natural wood, stainless steel and transparent glass give out a nonbulky and crisp ambience to the entire room.

Avoid excesses like ornate carvings, fringe, and other embellishments.

Furniture must have crisp and angular design. Avoid round and oval shapes.

Windows - Do not fuss over decorating windows, you can opt to leave the windows bare. They should be kept simple to allow the optimal entry of light. If you’d like to have a little privacy, consider installing straight panels, roman shades, white drapes or blinds.

Accent decorations - A home completely clear of things can be dull. So instead of having a coffee table completely free of any objects, you can have a simple vase or a family photo. Modern minimalist home decor is not plain and empty, but attempts to produce home beauty with simpler or less ornamentation.

Make use of artworks - Use abstract paintings which tells a story to bring the living room to live”.

Good interesting paintings often play an important part in the design of a minimalist space; they enable colour, texture and vibrancy to be added to a room without encroaching on the physical space.

They also reflect the personality of the owner, and bring character to the room to prevent it from seeming too bland.

Essential lighting - Light can be used to great effect to enhance the simple, spacious and airy atmosphere or to highlight a specific area within the room like a painting, a table or some other eye catching object.

Dimmer switches allow you to control the amount of light to suit the occasion and the mood.

Make use of hidden light box to create ambience and indirect lighting, and no pendant lights hanging from the ceiling. Stand lamp is also a good choice, as it adds character to the space whether on or off.

Downlights and Eyeballs lights are also popular for the minimalist look.

Smart storage - The key to a clutter free home is smart storage. Incorporate as much storage space into your design as possible.

Clutter happens when there is not enough space to hold all your belongings. So planning for sufficient storage is important in a minimalist home.

When it comes to smart storage, everything must be covered and positioned in specific areas. Use wallto-wall cabinet and floor-to-ceiling door to create a minimalist look, so the space does not appear cluttered. * Massive has put together a team of property experts from various related backgrounds to help its members learn, build and grow their property portfolios.