“I don't think minimalism belongs to just the Japanese or the Scandinavians; I think it really extends throughout numerous, various cultures,” Anishka Clarke, interior design director at Ishka Design, tells AD. She and Bascom point to nomadic communities, like the Wodaabe individuals, that have long embraced a minimalist lifestyle—partly through necessity—that materializes in a way that doesn’t look like the Western interpretation of minimalist interior design. “Every couple of months, they just pack up and move all of their clothes and their furniture with them,” Bascom says. “So, to me, that’s a highly minimal and practical society and way of thinking.”
You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.
We embrace living large with less with minimalist house designs that whisper elegance and shout efficiency.
Generally when discussing minimalist homes, individuals imagine clutter-free rooms with white walls and a lack of any unnecessary furnishing or decor. The look is often seen as a close cousin to Scandinavian or Japanese interiors, where both cultures have long embraced a less-is-more ideology. Spaces that fall within a minimalist design aesthetic are typically defined by clean lines, limited ornamentation, a neutral color scheme, and natural materials. And although this may be an accurate way to describe our contemporary understanding of minimalist house design, there is much more to it than just this.
We’ll explore homes so sleek, Marie Kondo herself might have designed them—where every chair is a statement piece and your entire wardrobe could fit into the glove compartment of your car.
Contrary to popular belief, minimalist interior design is not about living with as little as conceivably possible. “Minimalism is definitely a highly global concept that spans from every different cultural aspect in the world,” says Niya Bascom, creative director at Ishka Designs , a full-service interior design firm based in Brooklyn. Though often imagined as an uncluttered room with a monochromatic color palette and a few pieces of furniture, minimalism encompasses much more than just a finished aesthetic, especially when you consider how different cultures honor the ethos in their spaces. In this guide from AD, learn everything you require to know about a minimalist interior design style, including its history, elements, and how to bring it into your home.
