Ask a designer:
Hans Blomquist
on cozy minimalism
The minimalist movement is getting more and more popular,
and it’s all about simplifying your life, buying less,
and just collecting the things that are needed in your home.
This is a home I designed for a young couple with a newborn baby,
and I’ve tried to keep the minimalist look throughout the entire house, even with a newborn baby
Warm and welcoming
A minimalist and pared down home,
we normally know them as being quite white and pale,
and, in my opinion, rather uninteresting!
So I have tried to create a completely different look that is warmer and more welcoming.
The wall colour throughout the entire flat is the same: a dark tobacco colour.
My thought behind that was to tie the whole space together
and make the look more cohesive throughout.
Mindful materials
It’s also really important to choose furniture and accessories that are long lasting in really good quality.
We have worked a lot with natural wood, which will look better year after year,
so you can have them for a long, long time and won’t need to update or change them.
What works for you
Simplifying your life can be easier in some areas than in others.
It depends where your passions lie.
For this couple, art and books were really important, which they collect and have on show.
Clothes for them aren’t as important, so they have a much smaller space to store their clothing.
Use more sustainable materials
Keep only the things that you love
Choose quality pieces that will last
In short, it’s all about conscious about what you buy,
surround yourself with things that you love and that you feel you’ll keep for a long, long, long time.