Several times I have mentioned how my cluttered childhood home inspired my minimalist lifestyle. Our house then was cluttered in every sense of the word and furniture was not left out. We had more furniture than space in the house and it was so annoying. I think of it now and it makes me laugh how annoyed I was when sometimes I'd look at the furniture and wish they'd be thrown out.
We had a living area of about 12m by 20m that served as living room/dining area. There were four single-seaters, two two-seaters and one three-seater couch. There were also two center tables in the middle of the living room, yes, two because my dad was a hoarder and never let things go.
Then there was a very gigantic TV shelf area that's like 80s style that took even more space. The dining area had a very massive table that took up the passage from the front door to the inner rooms.
You literally couldn't walk freely in that house without your toes hitting furniture. I have no idea why my dad acquired so much furniture in that tiny space 😄
The point of this little story is to tell you what I learned not to do when it comes to interior decor and layout. This is in response to the #KISS prompt of the week and it's for question #3.
What are some of the factors considered in your room decor and layout to maintain your minimalist environment?
I am not skilled in interior decor but I know what I want because for years I knew what I didn't want. I obviously dislike clutter and these factors are things that stray away from clutter.
An open layout
I mentioned how I couldn't move freely in my childhood home because we had very little room to walk around. The number one thing I consider in every room in my home is an open layout. I need more space than furniture or decor and I want it visibly clear that it's more empty than full.
Simplicity
As a simple gal, everything about me has got to be simple. I stray far away from loud things and I tend to go for monochromatic everything. I love white walls and I like browns for furniture and beige/greys for curtains and blinds. Neutral colours make the space appear more open and that's exactly what I like.
I love clean lines, and simple shapes, preferably rounded tables as they take up less space. Textures matter a lot too in a minimalist space because simple doesn't mean boring.
I also spice up the place with plants (although they're dead now). One thing I know will look really good and is the ultimate decor is a painting as the centerpiece of the room but I haven't gotten one still. It will add that pop of colour a monochromatic space needs and no matter how huge it is, it won't be taking up a lot of space.
Functionality
I'm not big on decor/ornaments and I don't like things sitting in a spot for the sake of it. I feel like I should get the whole package - beauty and functionality. I don't want a fancy couch that isn't comfortable or an ornament that has no meaning or additional use to me. Extra decor or furniture means extra cleaning and I'm not the biggest fan of cleaning furniture.
Interior decor is not my forte but I know my space is okay and minimalist with these factors in mind. It is freeing to live in an open space and it gives a sense of calmness that is refreshing to the mind.
Cover Image made on Canva.
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