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Ideas, Tips and Guides for a Minimalist Living Room

Ideas, Tips and Guides for a Minimalist Living Room
modern room

By Maria Healey, MariaHealey.com

The minimalist style is trending amongst new homeowners as they take onΒ a ”lessΒ is more” approach to design.Β Moving into a new home or redecorating an outdated room to breathe new life into it can be an exciting project to take on. When it comes to decorating a small space, or just decorating on a small budget, there are plenty of options available to create a beautifullyΒ decoratedΒ minimalist living room. Here’s a guide to assistΒ youΒ withΒ yourΒ work in progressΒ for aΒ functional yet appealingΒ bare-bones minimalistΒ design plan.

Wall Color

When it comes to minimalist living room design, the ideal wall color is usually white, in order to keep the space bright and make it appear as large as possible, while optional accent colors add interest without overwhelming the eye.  

Neutrals: White walls help to create a neutral first impression of the room overall, and painting is generally the first job to tackle when moving in or redecorating a room. Applying a fresh coast of white paint on even weathered walls will breathe new life into the space. 

Bold colors:Β An accent or statement wall is also something to consider, so careful pre-planning is necessary if you wish to create one in your minimalist living room, as this will need to be completed early in the process. A single bold paint color can be used for this purpose,Β or consider using patternedΒ wallpaperΒ to create a pop of color or texture as an accent to theΒ otherwise plainΒ white walls and room.Β 

Windows

Once the wall painting or wallpapering has beenΒ completed, the next elements to consider when creating a minimalist living room design are the windows. If you are lucky enough to have a large picture window with an amazing view, this is an opportunity to emphasize the window as an art piece built into the space.Β Β 
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Framing:Β Framing the window can beΒ accomplishedΒ by addingΒ window treatmentsΒ such a fabric drapery or shelving,Β orΒ byΒ placing floor plants or other bright greenery in a complementary fashionΒ nearby.Β 

Coverings:Β IfΒ insteadΒ you’ve decided to useΒ window coverings asΒ bold statement piecesΒ forΒ the room, consider incorporating textures or shapes that flow through the rest of theΒ spaceΒ seamlessly. Subtle prints willΒ helpΒ makeΒ the room seem large, rather thanΒ busierΒ patterns that can quickly shrink or overwhelm a room.Β 


Floor

Depending on what kind of flooring material you currently have in place β€” whether it’s wood or laminate, concrete or linoleum β€” the design or pattern involved will help determine what additional elements to use for complementing your minimalist living room design. A plain, simple floor can be thought of as a blank canvas ready for a bold piece; while a busy floor pattern will benefit more by displaying something muted in place.  

Rugs:Β Both looks can be captured with a large areaΒ rug, spanning the length and width of a room toΒ displayΒ beautifully under allΒ theΒ furniture pieces,Β or justΒ use a smaller rug asΒ an accent piece to lay in the center of the room and draw all the pieces together.Β Β 

Nature:Β Bright greenery, florals, or naturalΒ elementsΒ in neutral tones can also fillΒ upΒ floor space that would otherwise make the room lookΒ tooΒ empty. Consider some beautiful artificialΒ plantsΒ for easy care all year longΒ (modern versions can be surprisingly realistic).Β 

Wall DΓ©cor

Wall dΓ©cor can stand out in a stunningΒ way, especially in a minimalist setting.Β 
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Art:Β AΒ gallery-worthy high impactΒ artΒ piece willΒ reallyΒ pop on white walls amidst a minimalist living room. Choose a piece of art that speaks to you or complements the other elements of the roomΒ viaΒ either shape or color. The bold elements of modern art work well when placed in a bright spaceΒ that’sΒ lacking any other large elements that might fight for its attention.Β 

Mirrors:Β Adding a large ornateΒ mirrorΒ to a wall of this space is another way to enhanceΒ aΒ minimalist living room design.Β Pay particular attention to shape and color when choosing a decorative mirror to complement the room.Β Metallic colors work wellΒ as an accentΒ whenΒ theΒ mirror is used as a focal point of a small space. Placing the mirror in a location that extends the view of the room also creates the appearance of a larger space, a common yet very effective technique.Β 

Furniture

Furniture has a major impact on the layout of a room. When editing your space, consider what is crucial as well as what is proportional. 

Go smaller:Β In a modern minimalist living room, smallerΒ furnitureΒ pieces go a long way in creating the illusion that the room is much larger. When working within the confines of a smaller space, opt for a loveseat or settee rather than a large sofa or sectional couch.Β Β 
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Multifunction: Look for multifunctional pieces and consider using a set of stacking tables rather than a large coffee table, for example. Stacking tables can be stored away within their own space and pulled out when necessary for entertaining. 

Storage

When decorating for a minimalist living room, lack of space may be a significant reason for choosing to decorate with less.  In that case, storage is of the utmost importance; multifunctional pieces will again come in handy.  

Furniture with storage:Β While a coffee table or nesting tables mightΒ be ideal for dining or entertaining, anΒ ottomanΒ with storage becomes a convenientΒ everydayΒ addition to the room in order toΒ helpΒ storeΒ items such as books or blankets.Β 

Shelving:Β Wall shelves or bookcases can also assist with maintaining orderΒ byΒ providing an option for storage in a small space. Bookcases canΒ be used to display items such as smallΒ framed photosΒ orΒ Β otherΒ decorative elementsΒ of the room.Β No need to fill up every shelf space; a few bare spots will echo your minimalist theme nicely.Β 


Β Function

When decorating for a small space or just trying to choose as few items as possible, consider what each item can do for you as more than just something to create the look of the room.  

Tray tables: A tray table is quite a useful object that can also add to the aesthetic of the room when used on top of an ottoman, rather than placing a coffee table in the space. Now you have somewhere to place your drinks without needing another piece of furniture. 

Blankets:Β A qualityΒ blanketΒ can also work in the same way to replace the use ofΒ throw pillows. An attractive blanket can be put on displayΒ for aesthetics,Β but also serves a greater purpose for snuggling up with on a cold dayΒ while lending texture contrast and warmth to the room.Β Β 

Color Theme

One last important thing to consider with minimalist living room design is color. Simply stated – don’t overdo it. Stick to using complementary colors or a monochromatic palette and limit where the art of color is used. Choose one or two ways to use color as a bold standout piece in your space or opt for muted colors if you intend to use similar shades throughout. 

The key to creating and maintaining a minimalist living room is thoughtfully investing in high quality pieces that complement each other without competing for attention in the space. Whether you’re starting from scratch or revamping a lived-in space, you don’t have to break the bank with these minimalist living room ideas.Β Β 

About The Author

Casey Christiansen

Casey supports the PR team at Zulily.

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