How to Be Minimalist While Still Having a Stylish Home

Minimalism doesn’t need to be boring. Your home can still be warm and stylish while fully embracing the minimalist lifestyle and design style. The trick is to make the things you do keep count. Bold furniture, warm neutrals, texture, muted colors, patterns, artwork, and a mix of materials can add plenty of style without filling your home with stuff.

Key takeaways

• Choose fewer, bolder pieces rather than filling a room with lots of small furniture and decor.
• Add texture with materials such as leather, stone, raw wood, wicker, and chunky textiles.
• Use warm neutrals, including cream, tan, and eggshell, to keep minimalist rooms from feeling cold.
• Don’t be afraid of color. Muted, earthy shades can work well with a minimalist color palette.
• Try colorblocking with neutral shades to make walls more interesting without adding more decor.
• Decorate walls with a few large pieces, such as oversized artwork, mirrors, or a floating shelf.
• Mix furniture and decor from different decades instead of buying everything in the same style.
• Look to Japanese, Japandi, and Scandinavian interiors for minimalist design inspiration.
• Combine different materials to give a simple room more depth and visual interest.
• Use patterns sparingly on rugs, pillows, curtains, throws, or tile to add personality without making the room feel busy.

Look for bold pieces

With minimalism, you typically have fewer things. The trick it, though, to make sure the few things you do have make an impact:

• Instead of a normal ottoman, get a geometric poof. 
• Use furniture with strong, interesting lines and curves. 
• Go big with texture and look for oversized knitted throws, shiny leather, nubby tapestry, fluffy rugs, stone details, rough wood, and wicker with interesting weaves.

Go with warmer neutrals

Minimalism is all about neutral colors. Sometimes, that can leave a room feeling cold. To warm things up, consider adding in some warmer neutrals.  A warm neutral has just a touch of yellow to it, like eggshell, cream, and tan. Think earth tones. These can feel cozier than pure white and stark black.

Don’t swear off anything but neutrals

Minimalism doesn’t mean getting rid of all colors that aren’t neutrals. You can add in other colors, but be sure they are calming, muted, or earthy. For example, a grey-blue, creamy pink, mustard yellow, and rusty reds can all look perfectly cohesive with a minimalist style. 

Just don’t go overboard. Make sure any colors you use look good together and try not to use more than three colors in a room. For example, you can use a handful of different shades of white in a bedroom, then add a slate blue headboard and pillows.

Use color blocking

Instead of painting your walls just one color, think about color blocking in various neutrals. Cream, gray, and brown in various large geometric shapes on the wall add interest without looking too busy.

Remember to add things to the walls

Minimalism doesn’t mean naked walls. Instead of adding a lot of little things, though, go big. Add one large painting with a simple frame. Or two large, elegant mirrors. A floating shelf with a few bold pieces and a few books works, too.

Mix decades

Many people typically think modern, slick furniture when they envision minimalism. The key to super stylish minimalist rooms is to mix in antiques with your modern items. A Mid-Century or Art Deco piece can fit in perfectly with new pieces. 

Don’t overlook some of the more streamlined wood pieces from the 90s. You can find a real deal and then reupholster seats to match your color scheme.

Look for inspiration from other countries

Other countries have been doing their own version of minimalism for a long time. For inspiration, look up Japanese, Japandi, and Scandinavian decor styles.

Mix materials

The more materials you incorporate into your design, the cozier, and more stylish, a room will feel. Consider:

• Bamboo
• Glass
• Raw wood
• Stone
• Shiny and rough ceramics
• Wicker
• Rattan
• Handmade paper
• Textured textiles

Don’t overlook patterns

Patterns can be a charming addition to minimalist style. The key is to keep the colors muted or neutral and to not use more than a couple throughout the room. Here are some places to add a little pattern:

• Throws
• Pillows
• Curtains
• Rugs
• Tiles (a herringbone or checkerboard pattern in different tones of brown and cream are chic)

Minimalist home FAQ

Can a minimalist home still be cozy?

Yes. Texture and warmer colors can make minimalist spaces feel cozier. Try incorporating warm neutrals along with materials such as wood, wicker, rattan, stone, leather, and textured textiles.

Does minimalist decor have to be white?

No. Neutral colors are common in minimalist design, but you aren’t limited to white. Cream, tan, brown, and gray can create a neutral foundation, while muted colors such as slate blue, creamy pink, mustard yellow, and rusty red can add interest.

How do you add personality to a minimalist home?

Choose a few pieces with a strong visual impact. Interesting furniture shapes, oversized artwork, large mirrors, textured fabrics, antiques, patterned rugs, and unusual materials can add personality without requiring a lot of decor.

Can you use patterns in minimalist decor?

Yes. Keep patterns relatively simple and their colors muted or neutral. Try adding pattern through a rug, throw, pillows, curtains, or tile. Limiting the number of patterns in one room can keep the space from looking too busy.

How do you decorate minimalist walls?

Instead of covering a wall with lots of small decorations, consider one large painting, a pair of oversized mirrors, or a floating shelf displaying a few carefully chosen objects and books. You can also use neutral color blocking to turn the wall itself into a design feature.

Can you mix old and new furniture in a minimalist home?

Yes. Mixing decades can keep minimalist interiors from looking like everything came from the same furniture collection. Try pairing contemporary furniture with a streamlined mid-century, Art Deco, antique, or even 1990s piece.

What materials work well in minimalist decor?

Mixing materials can add visual interest without adding clutter. Bamboo, glass, raw wood, stone, ceramics, wicker, rattan, handmade paper, and textured textiles can all work in a minimalist room.

How many colors should you use in a minimalist room?

There’s no required number, but a limited palette can help the room feel cohesive. One approach is to use several shades of the same neutral and add one or two muted accent colors.

What decorating styles work well with minimalism?

Japanese, Japandi, and Scandinavian interiors can provide inspiration for creating minimalist rooms that still feel warm and stylish. You can also bring in pieces from other design periods rather than sticking to one style throughout the room.