Background of the minimalist style
The minimalism style first appeared in New York. The first design creations in this direction date back to the twenties of the last century. The peak of popularity for minimalism in home interiors occurred in the 60s. The main features of minimalism are considered to be constructivism and functionality. Modern minimalism in the interior of the living room is, first of all:
- conciseness;
- simplicity;
- geometricity.
Simple and concise minimalism in the living room with a multi-level ceiling
The minimalist style categorically does not allow any creative accessories and decorations. But, despite all its severity, it can be bright and original. The most correct example of such design is considered to be Japanese minimalism.
Modular shelving in a minimalist style living room
Characteristic features of the minimalist style for the living room
Modern man's idea of a living room gradually began to evolve. If earlier it was perceived as a room in which guests were always welcomed and noisy parties were held, now it is more like an individual relaxation room. Here the owners relax after a hard day of work. Therefore, the minimalist style is aimed at acquiring peace, in which there is no riot of bright colors and ethnic ornaments.
Strict rectangular shapes of upholstered furniture and a coffee table in the living room
The minimalism style can be recognized by the following main characteristics:
- an enlarged room in which there are no partitions or doors; recently, several rooms have more often been combined into one;
- the amount of decor and accessories is kept to a minimum;
- preferably only monochrome colors are used in the interior;
- as a rule, there are more light tones than dark ones;
- Natural lighting should predominate; large panoramic windows are usually installed;
- textiles are used to a minimum, or are absent altogether in the interior;
- the design, as a rule, is made in strict, laconic lines, no blurry outlines are allowed;
- zoning of space is done using furniture.
Minimalism in the living room with an artificial fireplace made of gray granite
You can dilute strict colors in a minimalist style interior using:
- natural wood;
- metal;
- glass;
- bricks
Placing bright accents in a minimalist style living room
What size living room is the minimalist style suitable for?
Minimalism is convenient primarily because it is suitable for rooms of any size. In itself, this style tends to have a large amount of free space, but the main techniques for decorating a living room in the minimalist style are aimed at visually expanding the room, and this is especially true for small rooms.
When renovating your living room in a minimalist style, expand the windows - this will give the room a feeling of spaciousness. If the room opens onto a glazed loggia, it can be combined with the living room.
Important rules for creating a minimalist style in the living room
To make the interior correct and complete, read some rules for formation:
- Never confuse minimalism with asceticism. You should not get rid of those things that emphasize the style itself. Minimalism is distinguished by comfort, beauty and a special and unique coziness and warmth.
- Walls should not accentuate the interior of the living room. If you choose wallpaper for their decoration, then it should be plain, without unnecessary patterns or ornaments. It is allowed to decorate walls with plaster. Its color must be white. A slight texture on the surface is allowed.
- The ceiling must also be light. Thanks to it, it should create a feeling of height and lightness. You can make a multi-level ceiling, but without bright color transitions. Backlighting is permitted.
- The floor finish should also not be bright and flashy. Usually laminate, linoleum or parquet is used. There should be no drawings.
Below is a selection of interesting ideas for arranging a living room in a minimalist style.
Furniture in the interior of a minimalist style living room
Furniture is the main element of a minimalist living room, which sets the overall appearance of the room. This style took a lot from Japanese interiors:
- strictly rectangular shapes;
- low tables;
- armchairs;
- sofas;
- natural colors in upholstery and furniture finishing;
- instead of massive partitions there are screens.
Minimalism in the living room is characterized by white colors on the walls, ceilings and floors.
A modern living room in a minimalist style has a minimal amount of furniture. Everything is absolutely necessary and nothing more. The main set of furniture for such a living room consists of the following elements:
- coffee table;
- sofa;
- TV.
As for storing things, they usually use:
- modular type racks;
- hidden shelves;
- Japanese style cabinets.
The accent in the living room of a minimalist style in the form of natural wood on the furniture
The basic principle that must be followed when furnishing a room is that each piece of furniture must have a strictly geometric shape and be as functional as possible. Pay special attention to the texture of the furniture. There should be no threaded elements. Metal and glass are allowed. If the room is small, then it is worth considering transformable furniture, which can easily turn into a bed, armchair or small computer desk.
A bright accent in the living room in the form of a painting and a red pillow
Here are some tips for choosing the right furniture:
- use built-in wardrobes;
- the upholstery of upholstered furniture should be a light shade without any patterns (natural leather is allowed);
- cabinet doors can be decorated with aluminum moldings or glass (or mirror) inserts.
Below are some illustrative examples of ideal living room furniture in a minimalist style.
Geometric shapes in minimalism
The minimalist style in the interior of the living room is largely recognizable thanks to the furniture, or more precisely, its shape. Furniture in the living room should be used with sharp corners, straight lines and the absence of any smooth curls, forging and floral patterns.
The sofa and armchairs are the main attributes of the living room. They should have a rectangular or cubic shape, hard armrests, rectangular pillows. A coffee table, as a traditional piece of furniture in a living room interior, should be made of glass or other transparent (glossy) material.
To store things in the living room, it is best to choose a solid shelving unit with closed shelves and drawers. The amount of cabinet or built-in furniture should correspond to the volume of stored items and not clutter up the space.
Lines and angles, parallels and perpendiculars, squares and parallelepipeds are the main geometric shapes in a minimalist living room. The color of the furniture should be uniform. A design that does not occupy a large surface in the form of geometric shapes, straight lines, etc. is allowed. Living room furniture is also very important because it provides storage for all the necessary things, including large pieces of modern technology. A minimalist living room is distinguished by the absence of unnecessary objects.
There is a formula for the minimalist style, created by the famous architect Van der Rohe: “Less is more.” This formula should be followed when designing a living room in a minimalist style. The living room should have no knick-knacks and very few accessories. The maximum is a painting (graphics, not landscapes) in a thin frame or a black vase or some other abstraction in the form of a sculpture. Equipment and workplace should be hidden using furniture.
Transformable furniture is an excellent solution for a minimalist living room. There shouldn't be any visible wires here. You should try to install the music system, wires from the computer and other equipment in furniture, for example, a built-in shelving unit.
The decoration of the living room interior includes furniture and materials: glass, metal and mirror surfaces. Mirrors in the living room should be used quite actively, because they help achieve the necessary expansion and lightness of the space. Metal and glass in furniture, finishing of ceiling and floor surfaces are also irreplaceable. Additionally, the role of these materials increases lighting.
Minimalist living room color palette
Pay special attention to the color palette. In a minimalist style, color is important. It is customary to use the following range of shades:
- white;
- grey;
- beige;
- ashen;
- sand;
- brick.
Original vases for the living room in a minimalist style
The main base should be made in a neutral color. The accent can be made with a brighter shade:
- blue;
- olive;
- black;
- yellow;
- red.
Bright olive accents in the living room on the sofa and wall
The main thing is to observe the measure with the placement of accents. Remember, the minimalist style does not tolerate tackiness. A bright accent can be placed on upholstered furniture or a coffee table.
Stylish upholstered furniture with decorative wallpaper
Lighting
- In a minimalist interior, lighting fixtures are usually installed in wall structures, ceilings, furniture and even the floor.
- The most commonly used are halogen lamps.
- Wall, floor and other lamps are made in a laconic, technological design.
- You cannot use bulky chandeliers in a minimalist style living room; they should be laconic and not attract a lot of attention.
- In a minimalist living room interior, a black and white color scheme will be perfectly complemented by powerful but diffused lighting. This will help somewhat smooth out its contrast and give additional volume to the room.
Textiles in the interior of a minimalist style living room
All textiles for a room should be selected carefully. Not allowed:
- aggressive colors;
- floral prints;
- baroque patterns.
Fabrics should bring comfort, lightness and freshness to the interior. In such a room you need to rest and relax, so it is better if all the textiles are monochromatic. Curtains and pillows for the sofa should be made from natural fabrics, for example:
- linen;
- chintz;
- cotton.
Everything should have the same style and match the design idea. For example, as shown in the following collection of ideas for a living room in a minimalist style.
It is not customary to curtain the windows in a minimalist living room. Natural light should always be in the room, even in the evening. If you need to close yourself off from prying eyes, then it is better to replace classic curtains and curtains with lightweight Roman roll materials.
Light brown tulle combined with a sandy shade of upholstered furniture
The importance of lighting a minimalist living room
Light plays an important role in the interior. With its help you can create additional space in the room. The lighting system in a minimalist style living room is complex, so it must be carefully thought out. Ideally, the room should have the following type of light and lighting:
- main;
- side;
- cornice;
- lighting for accessories;
- LED and halogen lamps.
In a minimalist style living room, central chandeliers are not used. It is better to give preference to spotlights built into furniture, walls and ceilings. Wall sconces and table lamps should be selected in technical design.
Living room combined with kitchen in minimalist style
Minimalist design: general rules
Minimalism appeared under the influence of two styles: functionalism, when when decorating premises preference is given to functional elements rather than decorative ones, and constructivism, in which the interior of the room is characterized by laconicism, geometricity, rigor and lack of luxury. In the broadest sense, a minimalist interior can be described as modeling space and light using only the necessary items in the room.
In general, the main features of the minimalist style in any room are the following:
– if possible, the space is expanded as much as possible: partitions that can be demolished are demolished, windows are expanded, rooms are combined, etc. For example, in the following interior we see a combined kitchen-living room; two functional areas are not separated by partitions:
– minimum number of decorative objects and accessories
– functionality of objects and elements in the design of the room
– most often the interior is monochrome
– the presence of specially erected structures in order to hide some elements (for example, a computer in a drawer, an air conditioner behind a shelf door, etc.) Let's look at the following living room interior: there is no computer desk in the living room as such, it is combined with a console shelf.
– in the minimalist style they prefer to use natural materials.
