While minimalism may have taken the entire world by storm, you will still find a few naysayers who remain unimpressed. Their reason – minimalism looks “too good to be true” or “too unapproachable” or “too staged.” They want homes that possess character and interior design inspirations that it accessible to all.
Warm minimalism is an off-shoot of minimalism that blends minimalism with personalisation. As a result, you get a home that features nature-inspired interior design, a welcoming ambience, and a distinct personality. At the same time, you get to enjoy the perks of a tidy, clutter-free life!
Here’s how to get Pinterest-like warm minimalistic homes:
Get Rid of Clutter
Naturally, decluttering is the first step to a minimalistic home. Every item in your home should have a dedicated place and function to make the interior design more conscious and deliberate. By doing so, you can be assured that you are not merely filling up the negative spaces in your home and prioritising function over form.
Feel free to get rid of items that fail to justify their occupation of space to make the arrangement look more well thought out and truly minimalistic. However, you can bend this rule a little for pieces having personality or history as they will add a personal touch to the setup.
Pick a Neutral Colour Palette
Neutral colours lay the foundation of a minimalistic home. For warm minimalism, you can lean towards warmer, neutral colours for the interior design inspiration. It will counter the cooler tones that make minimalistic homes feel slightly aloof and make your home more inviting. Once you have zeroed down on the base in the shade of beige, white, cream, and the like, accentuate the warmth using nature-inspired interior design colours like tan, blue, green, yellow, orange, etc. that will create a fresh and calm environment.
Think Patterns and Textures
Build on the warm, neutral colours by adding patterns and textures to enliven them. It gives your home more quirky, adds depth to the decor, and makes it appear less sterile. Think shaggy rugs, chunky knit throw blankets, macrame wall hangings, stone accent walls, patterned wallpapers, printed cushion covers, etc. to delight the senses and make the guests feel right at home. Once again, rather than overwhelming your home with such elements, make every addition as deliberate and well-planned as possible.
Keep the Light Right
All the colours, patterns, and textures will miss their mark if bathed in poor light! Ideally, natural lighting is the best solution for warm, minimalistic homes. Cover your windows with light, sheer curtains that allow ample light to filter in. However, if you are unlucky on that front (or just want to have nights that are much like the days), then recessed or cove lights can light up your home uniformly and make it look well-lit and airy. If your heart is set on having a statement light fixture, forgo the elaborate chandeliers and opt for pendant lights as they harmonize better with the spirit of minimalism.
Raw, Natural Materials
Whether you are looking to introduce warm, neutral colours or to add pattern and texture to your home, nature-inspired interior design elements would be the best way to get an enviable look.
Natural elements like wood, wicker, leather, stone, terracotta, natural fabrics, and even plants instantly add warmth, personality, depth, charm, and texture to your home – and it does not even have to be expensive! Such raw, natural materials are readily available at your local stores and they don’t even have to be “perfect”. Items showing signs of use or things that are “lived-in” will make the warm minimalistic decor more intimate.
Go Green
Speaking of raw, natural materials, plants are an excellent way to make your home warm and minimalistic. They add a splash of colour, some texture, and a natural look and feel to your home. Plus, accessories like wooden or jute planters add to the nature-inspired interior design theme.
You can even repurpose “junk” or unused items like broken metallic buckets or mason jars or plastic bottles wrapped in jute into attractive planters that can help you “go green” quite literally and figuratively. Even a vase of fresh flowers can uplift the overall mood of the atmosphere and make a cold, harsh minimalistic room into its warmer, more enjoyable counterpart.
Quality Above Quantity
Minimalism emphasizes quality over quantity. Rather than loading your bookcase with the entire collection of literary reads, curate the books that speak to you or that you relate with. Similarly, rather than flooding your home with an abundance of plants, pick the ones that you can care for. The same applies to the display holding the souvenirs. Select the ones from your favourite trips. Use all the space available in your home very sparingly and judiciously. Practising mindfulness will ensure that every item would have rightfully earned its spot.
Warm minimalism caters to our need of having a chic, modern home, without making it appear too pompous. Use the above interior design inspirations that will transform your home and make it more Insta-worthy or fit for showing off on Pinterest.
For more insights and interior design inspirations, keep checking out the HomeLane blogs section for many helpful resources.
