We are going through quite an overwhelming era. Times in which we are completely surrounded by instant, overabundant and excessive information and stimulations. One barely open eye in the morning and our sight is already on our phone going through Instagram, answering a WhatsApp message or scrolling through the current news. One step outside your front door and the sight & mind is completely invaded by publicity in buses and billboards, cluster of movement and sensory overload. We are thoroughly soaked up in overstimulations.
Our homes will sometimes echo the abundance of the outside. We’ll buy things in an compulsory and materialistic manner, we’ll over-accumulate clutter and our houses end up just as overwhelming as the outdoors.
Minimalism is a life-changing way to transform our mindset and balance out the excessive stimulations experienced daily in the outer world. It can be thought of as a new way of living and thinking. There’s a very intriguing documentary called Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things (it’s on Netflix) that we fully recommend to grasp a better idea on the whole minimal movement.
MINIMALISM IN INTERIOR DESIGN
Narrowing it up a bit, there are several benefits experienced when applying this moto into your home:
- better health – living in a uncluttered environment, relaxes the sight and mind due to the lack of unnecessary stimuli. It will absolutely reduce stress.
- freedom – when de-cluttering your home, you’ll probably learn to let go of material objects and free yourself from holding on to them. This will free you from the anchor these hold down on you.
- less quantity, more quality – you’ll learn to buy less unnecessary objects that’ll probably end up in a drawer and replace these with fewer quality items.
- aesthetic appeal – it will not only relax the mind and sight due to the lack of abundance but it will also look aesthetically better for sure.
- cleaner – a minimal home is definitely easier to clean up! It’ll also reduce the toxins and dust in the air.
Yet when implementing minimalism in interior design, stripping your home to its essentials, maybe simplifying if too much, there’s a risk of leaving spaces a bit too empty and shallow. At AWANAY we love minimalism but always had a bit of a duality when leaving interiors too cold and lifeless.
That’s when we discovered the concept called warm minimalism. This design concept centres around the the same idea than minimalism but focusing on creating interiors embodied with warmth, homeyness, character and that are essentially filled with life.
WARM MINIMALISM & HOW TO ACHIEVE IT
Creating a warm minimalist interior may be a challenge. It has to look clean and cluster free and yet appear welcoming, cozy and liveable. It’s quite specific and distinct. One incorrect item may transform the space into a bit too bohemian, too rustic or not so minimal at all. So, we put together a guide with tips and recommendations for you not to fail!
Choose Quality Over Quantity. Remember that you’re still aiming for a minimal interior, so always keep in mind choosing few quality items to fill up your home.
Warmer Neutral Colours. Use neutral colours to keep up the minimalist & clean approach but to offset the cooler tones, bring in warmer ones! The key is balance. So, to create a harmonious interior, balance out the lightness minimal white walls with other warmer focal points. These could be wooden or leather chairs, warm & neutral coloured rugs, even plants or artworks.
AWANAY‘s Madera & Golfo rug would look completely stunning, adding the ideal warm touch to a minimal interior.
Add Texture by Mixing Natural Elements. So, few items will automatically make your interior minimal. The key is in adding texture. It’ll instantly add warmth and depth. This can be done by introducing natural elements such as plants, wood & leather features and chunky wool rugs.
AWANAY’s thick and bulky Pimienta rug is the right one to add lots of texture to an interior!
Elements With History & Personality. As we have previously mentioned when speaking about Wabi-Sabi, it’s essential to choose items that are unique, that have a story, a past that will enhance its presence. This will absolutely add life to a minimal interior!
Glow. Small details of copper, brass or glass will add lots of style and character!
Pattern. Introduce subtle patterns to balance out the all-white, monochromatic style. You can add patterns with pillows, throws, chairs or with rugs!
Take a look at AWANAY‘s Valdés Rug to add a pattern to your interior!
Soft Materials. Soft sofas, mushy pillows, warm throws & blankets, cozy, spongy wool rugs and linen beddings will undoubtedly incorporate homeyness and make the interior more liveable and yet preserve it’s minimalism.
At AWANAY we feel warm minimalism fully represents our philosophy and aesthetic. From choosing unique, handmade & singular items – as are our own products – instead of compulsory mass-made products, to visually creating clean spaces that are warm, laid-back and inviting.
What are your thoughts on warm minimalism? Please share them with us below! We’d love to hear from you ♡
Sources:
- https://urbanrhythm.com.au/blogs/urstyle/your-guide-to-designing-a-warm-minimalist-home
- https://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/top-8-benefits-living-minimalist-lifestyle.html
- https://www.onekingslane.com/live-love-home/decor-trend-warm-minimalist-rooms/
- http://www.lonny.com/Here’s+How+To+Make+A+Minimalist+Home+Feel+Warm/articles/mkHd1flsmAf/Mind+the+White+Space
Images: All images were sourced from Pinterest unless stated otherwise in the image.
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