MINIMALIST LIVING
A lifetime of clutter can be overwhelming as our homes get smaller and our lives become even busier, clutter can creep in without you noticing. Furniture, excess clothes, objects you have collected over time, and books that have gathered, whatever the clutter is, can weigh you down, affecting how you live and feel about your home. This project aims to encourage minimalism through design and the wonderful things it can do for our health and well-being. We could all agree that clutter is a known stressor, and getting rid of this stress factor promotes overall well-being, and improved well-being directly impacts the overall quality of life. Minimalist Living gives you the time, space, clarity, and freedom to cultivate your true self and fully engage with everyday life which helps with mental illnesses of all kinds.
DESIGN INSPIRATION
Japanese culture and Zen
Scandinavian interior design style
Bauhaus design and architect Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe
Marie kondo’s documentary “Tidying up”
Ryan and Josh’s Netflix documentary “Minimalism”
Minimalist design around the world
Lifestyle
STUDIES AND STATISTICS
The UK dominates the continent when it comes to self-storage as Brits keep hold of belongings, even when their home no longer has space for them.
The UK store more clutter than the rest of Europe
Maybe that’s because 1 in 2 (54%) people admit to holding unto things longer than they should
Or 1 in 3 (36%) people don’t like the idea of getting rid of stuff
Getting rid of clutter would eliminate 40% of housework in the average home.
The average Briton hangs on to 514 pounds worth of unused goods that simply lie dormant gathering dust.
CLUTTER AND ITS EFFECT
Our brain likes order, and constant reminders of disorganization drain our cognitive resources, reducing our ability to focus.
Clutter can make us feel stressed, anxious, and depressed. Research from the united states in 2009 for instance, find the level of a stressed hormone known as cortisol was higher in mothers whose home environment was cluttered
Clutter can affect our physical health, a cluttered space can make you feel chronically tired and drained of energy. It can also create physically dangerous situations such as a staircase filled with obstacles, and debris on the floor that can be tripped over.
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
Maximizing daylight
Open plan space
Exploring neutral color pallet
Clean line furnishing
Textures in different variations
Natural materials such as wood and stones
Aesthetic and strategic use of storage
Little or no ornamentation
BENEFITS OF NATURAL DAYLIGHT
Apart from natural light being a great source of vitamin D, it also has other good benefits such as:
It helps improves focus and productivity
It helps our body keep clock of time. It aligns our body to the natural rhythm they are supposed to keep
It improves psychological wellbeing. A lack of daylight can make us feel down, depressed and anxious and the significance of seasonal Affective disorder (SAD) in the UK speaks volumes about how important daylight is to our mental wellbeing.
It can also improve energy efficiency. Electricity isn't cheap and constantly lighting an interior space can rack up a large bill in a short period of time.
MATERIALITY OF DESIGN
NATURAL MATERIALS
Minimalist design works well with natural materials because they add softness and home atmosphere to minimal forms as well as their sustainability features.
Wood: Without a doubt, wood is the most appreciated natural material used in interior design, it is universal, cozy, and easy to work with, it can take on various colors and textures, and also acts as a good thermal and electrical insulator. While many people agree that wood is visually pleasing, researchers are discovering that wood can contribute to the health and well-being of occupants. Wood works well as a finishing material for floors, furniture, wardrobes, and cabinets.
Stones: I will like to focus on marble as far as this project is concerned. Marble as we know is a natural material with incredible strength and durability as well as its alluring aesthetic features. Comes in different colors, textures, and patterns and can be used on countertops, floors, and walls.
Metals: Metal when skillfully combined with natural material work well in interiors. Can be used as cabinet handles, tap fittings, and lamps.
NEUTRAL COLORS
These are colors without hues and can also be referred to as sanctuary colors known to be calming and relaxing, providing a sense of safety and serenity. Neutrals are timeless and they let you use patterns and texture without becoming a visual headache.
TEXTURE
Texture are items like rugs, throw pillows, cable knits blankets. There's a huge scope of pleasure from texture as a visual and tactile experience and they add life and vigor to an interior space without sacrificing the minimalist look.
CLEAN LINES
A clean line suggests the reduction in decoration and clutter in favor of a sleek functional design. Clean line in furniture rely on excellent craftmanship, it means lines are smooth, crisp, and has little disturbance on the surrounding surfaces and colors.
INITIAL DESIGN CONCEPT
DEVELOPED SKETCHES
FINAL RENDERS
This project tends to focus on the interior part of the home environment, which makes it applicable to every home irrespective of its architectural design. There's also no intended location for this project.
The proposed interior space is considered a family abode with an emphasis on the living room, dining, kitchen area, and bedroom. This is a simple interior design that demonstrates both Scandinavian and Japanese aesthetics in the form of layout and materials used for a sustainable, cost-effective design.
It features an open plan living room, dining, and kitchen area with large windows and floor-ceiling glazed walls creating a visual connection to the outdoors via an extended courtyard. I incorporated natural materials like wood for floors and cabinetry with a marble finish to create a seamless blend within the space.
White walls and oak floors are a strategy to maximize light and slat wood panels are also used for a wall-to-ceiling design for added warmth. The choice of furniture pieces (like sofa, accent chairs, coffee table, dining chairs, and lounge chairs) is based on their simple form revealing authenticity in craftmanship, enhanced by warm texture with the intention of quality over quantity that promises comfort and high functionality for years to come.
Aesthetic and strategic use of storage is also considered. Texture is incorporated as rugs, throw pillows, and cable-knitted blankets. Biophilic design is also implemented by adding plants into the space.
Although there's a notion that minimalist design is often associated with luxury or high-end interior design, this project, therefore, intends to encourage minimalism on every level. The goal is to create a warm space that makes us happy and instantly calms us down as we walk in. Minimalism wants us to see the chicness in clean lines, the sophistication in reserve, the tastefulness in sparseness, and to build a solid base of neutral colors.
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