New Year New Minimalism

This New Year is all about refreshing our homes and what better way to begin than with new minimalism.

New minimalism takes root in the rise of carefully curated and meaningful objects. This contemporary form of minimalism uses your unique personality and spirit to create a beautiful space with enhanced meaning. If you crave imperfection and find yourself drawn to home furnishings and pieces that have a story behind them, then new minimalism just might be the perfect design for you. 

Couple Imperfection with Transitional

Design by JENNIFER BACKSTEIN  Photography by MIKE CHAJECKI

An important element of this design style begins with intention, so choose your furniture, flooring, and decor objects carefully. What speaks to you? What matters most to you and how is it reflected in your design?

While traditional minimalism often takes the form of clean-lined perfectionism, new minimalism seeks to see the beauty in the imperfect. Couple imperfection with transitional design to create spaces that are more fluid to suit your needs. Asymmetrical lines in architecture, blemishes in art pieces, and the imperfect physical nature of furnishings like raw wood or stone put us at ease. It's hard to get comfortable when things feel too perfect, so embrace imperfection. We often feel more at home in our environment when our own quirks or “flaws” are reflected. 

Enhancing Personality with Color

Design by MICHELLE BERWICK  Photography by LARRY ARNAL

Infusing the fun, playfulness of color into your home is important with new minimalism. This design style doesn’t stick to stiff whites and monochrome palettes but explores the color wheel. It’s especially important to use color if you gather joy from it. When you find yourself drawn to certain palettes in particular, then take inspiration from them and incorporate them into your style! For instance, if you love pale yellows, you can use this shade as an accent and upholster your furniture in soft velvet yellow while also installing bronze and gold elements that bring out rich undertones in this warm hue.

Create a Story with Your Environment

Design by HIBOU DESIGN + CO  Photography by DREW HADLEY

Perhaps one of the best parts about new minimalism is that it is design with a narrative arc. Remember that everything you own and the objects that you choose to put in your space say something about you. Be intentional with each room you have no matter how big or small. This might mean turning that space under the stairs into a home office or expanding your kitchen to include a breakfast nook for family conversation and meals. Whatever your design may be, let it be guided by your passions and needs for the space. Not everyone’s needs are the same and where one might put a family game room another might create a music study.

Use Natural Materials 

Designed by TRISHA ISABEY  Photography by TREVOR COOPER

Sustainability is at the heart of new minimalism with the goal being to create a home that will last. This takes on a multitude of meanings from using vintage furniture passed down through the generations to carefully selecting hand-crafted dining chairs or buying responsibly sourced organic wool area rugs. These things were made to last as opposed to the disposable goods that have risen to the forefront of modern home furnishings. And while finding good quality flooring and handcrafted furnishings might take a bit more time, it will cost less in the long run as you’ll have created a space that can withstand the test of time. 

Wherever your design tastes lead you, let new minimalism guide you towards a space that you want to live in. Wondering what floors might go well with your new minimalist look? Find inspiration in our latest blog on the Top Flooring Trends for 2022.