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How to do a minimalist interior that doesn't feel cold
“There’s a counterpart to maximalism, and it tends to be for quieter people, who want a calm space, a quiet space,” reveals architect William Smalley. What exactly is the counterpart, then? That would be minimalist interior design.
“Minimalism” is a loaded term, as anyone who has ever walked into another person’s home and felt as though they’re in an operating theatre can attest. The word conjures up images of stark white spaces with little more than a simple, sleek chair and perhaps small table topped with a vase holding one singular flower (and let’s be clear: minimalism shouldn’t be reduced to this, but it is nonetheless). Minimal rooms such as these can often feel sterile or cold. However, even if you are a devout and committed minimalist, it doesn’t mean your space must be bereft of warmth, nor uninviting. Minimalism can, and should, be comfortable and visually engaging.
When decorating an interior that stays loyal to minimalist ideals, it is essential to keep in mind all of the details one can highlight to make the most of a space without adding unnecessary things and objects. Counterintuitively, it’s harder to make spaces with less in them work well, although when they do, they can have a more calming effect than those which are jam-packed with stuff. “Spaces that have got too much stuff in them make me feel physically uncomfortable,” says William. “I find it visually and physically intrusive; there’s nothing worse than having to remove cushions from a bed or a sofa before you can sit down.”
We couldn’t agree more; so, drawing on the extensive House & Garden archive, we’ve collected our best ideas and inspiration from interiors including those by Smalley himself and the undisputed queen of minimalism, Rose Uniacke. They range from the use of warm lighting as decoration to using natural materials to soften a pared-back space, and incorporating architectural detail to enliven simple spaces – all to help you to make your attempts at minimalist interior design triumphant, without ever feeling cold or unloved.
Paul Massey1/36Add character through architectural details
Finding a compromise between the minimalist tastes of its owner and her love of tactile fabrics and pattern, Rita Konig has subtly enhanced the airy interiors of this Manhattan house. Though the colour palette is pale and pattern is almost entirely absent, the painted panelling detail on the wall helps prevent this room from feeling stark.
Jake Curtis2/36The centrepiece of designer Georgie Stogdon’s London flat is a spectacular twisting staircase, which is nonetheless very visually simple in light oak and with slim bannisters. The simplicity and relatively minimalist design of the rest of the flat allowed Georgie to splash a large part of her budget on the new staircase.
Lucas Allen3/36Rose Uniacke is surely the queen of luxuriously understated interiors, and this 17th-century house is a marvellous demonstration of her talents. Traditional panelling, antique-style lighting and broad wooden floorboards all bring tons of character to this space, though it remains minimal and spare in atmosphere.
Dean Hearne4/36A decorative plaster plaque is used at Anna Phillips’s Sussex cottage to provide a punctuating detail on a sitting room wall. Monochrome plaster detailing can be a useful and creative way to introduce architectural detailing inton otherwise minimalist space – this example is proof it doesn’t have to be built into the fabric of the house, either.
Michael Sinclair5/36Although the walls in the bedroom in designer Pallas Kalamotusis' apartment are as white as white can be (Dulux's Absolute White is the shade), the spectacular dividing wall between bedroom and bathroom adds visual interest and a sense of depth to the space. Meanwhile the beautiful wall hanging by Arran Rahimian is evocative of the traditional palette of the Greek islands - a brilliant minimalist reference to copy.
Paul Massey6/36The bedroom at Ochre director Solenne de la Fouchardière's London house is a minimal and monochrome space, yet she hasn't been afraid to make the most of the existing architecture, incorporating this worn and textured chimneypiece into the scheme.
Paul Massey7/36Create a sense of the past
Architectural details can be hugely helpful in bringing character to a house because they give a sense of its history; so too can the judicious use of antiques, though you may be tempted to go for modern furniture. A truly beautiful antique piece, however, will look right anywhere. Try Arts & Crafts pieces for a naturally minimal aesthetic: in this Arts & Crafts house in Hampstead, Ben Pentreath has used rush matting and a ‘Sussex’ bench by William Morris against panelling painted in Farrow & Ball’s ‘Shaded White’.
Mark Anthony Fox8/36This Spitalfields house belonging to the owners of Jamb is filled with beautiful antique pieces, yet it retains a sense of spareness and elegance that feels very modern. Pale grey-white walls form a unified backdrop throughout, and a mix of pieces from different periods ensure a timeless feel.
Owen Gale9/36At The Flint House in West Sussex, owners Sam Palmer and Adam Weir pulled up the linoleum floor – which they discovered had never been fixed down past the edges in the first place – and uncovered the original, dark wood floor of the Victorian kitchen.
Jake Curtis10/36Though it is undoubtedly contemporary and minimal in style, this London house by Jessica Summer is warmed up by a custom pink paint and a clever use of antiques. An antique butcher’s block, sourced from Gallery BR in Tetbury, provides an interesting textural contrast with the sleek Carrara marble worktops and contemporary flat-fronted units painted in ‘Clay Pale’ from Little Greene. The symbol paintings by Manolo Ballesteros, resting on the top shelves, are also from Gallery BR.
Line T Klein11/36Use natural materials
With its stripped-down pinewood flooring and simple, soft-coloured palette, Michael Dansk's apartment in Copenhagen employs natural, earthy materials and draws from natural colour ways to create such an inviting, minimalist space.
Alexander James12/36Architect and interior designer William Smalley has given this Edwardian villa in London a minimal makeover, but has used plentiful oak panelling and flooring throughout; though it is plain and simple, the warm tone and grain of the wood helps to make the house feel warm and textured.
Owen Gale13/36In Laura Logan’s Leytonstone house, a once-cramped kitchen has been turned into an open, bright space whose stark limewashed surfaces are offset by warm wooden tones in the ceiling, sideboard and a vintage refectory table.
Magnus Mårding14/36Interior designer and furniture dealer Marie-Louise Sjögren's apartment in Stockholm showcases her beloved early 20th-century Scandinavian design. The minimalist kitchen combines natural materials from the marble island and wooden flooring with chrome finishes. The walls, a soft blueish-white colour, contrast the floor and pair well with the marble.
Jake Curtis15/36Warm up your colour palette
A minimal interior doesn't have to be all white; earth tones of brown and deep red feel like a very modern take on the style. In her basement flat in west London, interior designer Thea Speke has created a masterclass in lightening and brightening a potentially gloomy space. In the sitting area, a sofa, made to a design by Thea’s friend and former colleague Jessica Summer, two reupholstered Victorian armchairs and two leather chairs cluster around a vintage table all come together to create a monochromatic colour palette that sings, without being too ‘busy’.
Joachim Wichmann16/36Interior designer Pernille Lind's Victorian terrace in Stoke Newington is minimal in its overall aesthetic but undoubtedly warm and inviting. For the cabinets in her deVOL kitchen she has used Farrow & Ball's ‘Cord’, while gold tones in the metal finishes help to create a glow: a pair of vintage French flower wall lights in gold and brass are mounted either side of the cooker.
Owen Gale17/36Known for his artful way with bold hues, Top 100 interior architect Hugh Leslie has turned his talents to every aspect of this picture-perfect London flat, designing much of the furniture and using eye-catching displays of paintings and objets to create a sophisticated yet practical home. The mix of calming brown-beiges and off-whites come together to create a harmonious, monochromatic colour palette that still leaves the bathroom inviting.
Paul Massey18/36Use colour to decorate your walls
The brief for this London maisonette was twofold: to serve as an efficient yet appealing crash pad during the week and as a family base in the holidays. Henri Fitzwilliam-Lay has exceeded every expectation with a transformation that marries easy elegance with practicality. In the hallway, an eye-catching abstract artwork creates a focal point on the wall above the new staircase.
Mark Fox19/36In the bedroom in Alfred Bramsen's Art Deco flat in Hackney, a wall hanging from Norlha Atelier adds a pop of colour that is picked up in the Asafo flag draped on the bed. The ceiling lampshade and lamp by the window are both Hay, while the other is a Noguchi piece.
Kasia Gatkowska20/36For Dutch textile designer Jackie Villevoye, this 17th-century townhouse on the Netherlands’ Zeeland coast offered the perfect place for a fresh start and an ideal showcase for her own work, together with the treasured artworks that she and her husband had collected on their travels. The portrait by Brian Calvin was the starting point for the colour scheme in the minimalist living room, which has walls in a custom sand-coloured lime distemper.
Paul Massey21/36Make use of varied textures and textiles
Kerry Franses has opened up the dark and claustrophobic layout of her mother’s London house to create a calm and light-filled setting for eye-catching collections of fine art and antiques. The living room is a minimalist masterpiece yet still maintains a cosy air by mixing different textures and textiles. The forked wooden ladder by the Dogon people of Mali and a dark antique Aymara wool textile from Bolivia provide a striking backdrop for an eighteenth century wing chair.
Owen Gale22/36The duo behind food blog Our Food Stories, photographer Laura Muthesius and her wife, stylist Nora Eisermann, have deployed natural tones throughout their country house in Germany. The sitting room is a great example of how different textures have helped to warm it up. Bouclé on the sofa, velvet on the armchair, a wool rug, marble coffee table, and fluted wood panelling all come together harmoniously.
Erik Lefvander23/36In this Belle Epoque apartment in Stockholm’s Östermalm, Studio Ramson maintained a warmth and sense of soft comfort while keeping – mostly to a restricted palette. A blend of textures gives a sense of vibrancy and tactility.
Paul Massey24/36Minimalism needn't solely subscribe to all-white spaces devoid of decoration. The well-dressed bedroom in Fiona Golfar's house in Cornwall is minimalist, uncrowded but still full of life through the multiple textures found throughout the space.
Tom Griffiths25/36Try a warming shade of white
If you want to use white paint for a minimal effect, the options for how to choose it are unlimited. Avoid builder's white and go for something a little warmer instead. The kitchen in Victoria Barker's Cotswolds cottage is from British Standard, painted in Farrow & Ball's ‘Pointing’. With a colour-palette of mostly off-white (save for the muted teal colour of the antique herb cabinet), the space is able to maintain a minimalist air without even a hint of sterility.
Alicia Taylor26/36An Arts & Crafts house in Surrey with interiors designed by Todhunter Earle took two sheepskin-covered ‘Tired Man Armchairs’ by Flemming Lassen from Twentytwentyone and framed them under an architectural arch. The scheme relies heavily on white but isn’t too stark thanks to a combination of textures, architecture and curtains in ‘Ombre Alpaca Linen’ by Rosemary Hallgarten from Holland & Sherry.
Christoper Horwood27/36Digital creative and brand consultant Lucy Williams has tackled her first renovation with confidence and flair, filling the Victorian terrace with bold colour and considered pieces. However, this small nook comprised of warming white and beige tones is full of minimalist comfort. Sourced via Instagram, both the chair and floor lamp are vintage. Above, a print by Hormazd Narielvalla for King & McGaw hangs.
Ollie Tomlinson28/36With it's cream coloured walls and soft-toned browns, the living room of this Regency house in Marylebone tows the line of creating an inviting, quiet space primed for either reflective solitude or company.
Mark Fox29/36Incorporate meaningful objects and personal touches
For illustrator and homeware designer Alfred Bramsen, home is much more than a place to relax and the decoration of his Hackney flat is an expression of his creative pursuits. By using meaningful objects and added personal touches, the entryway is deceptively minimalist. The vintage red kimono that greets you as you enter the flat belonged to Alfred's grandmother, while the open shelving holds the couple's eclectic library of books. The crates at the bottom are from Hay, while the basket is an antique from Japan.
Tim Lenz30/36In the entrance hall of Augusta Hoffman’s elegant beach house in Long Island’s East Hampton, an imported vintage English settee replete with turned arms and leg struts. Despite the room’s otherwise fairly minimal setting of clapboard, simple shapes and brown-and-cream colour palette, the settee provides just enough visual variety to offset and enhance the minimalism.
Mark Anthony Fox31/36It's an oft-quoted maxim that ‘books do furnish a room’, and even in a fairly austere interior, shelves and shelves of books add bags of personality. In the artist Haidee Becker's London house, her study is lined with simple bookshelves, and the large blue canvas of spring flowers, painted by Haidee, grounds the space.
Sarah Griggs32/36Opt for statement colours
For this couple with a young child, it was a priority to live in a house that lent itself to family life as much as to entertaining. With the help of Tiffany Duggan, the small terrace is now a space that thrills as much as it functions. The living room perfectly walks the fine line of minimalism: the colourful travertine-legged armchair from Collector Group sits happily with a 1970's coffee table made of marble; the room's walls complement the space.
Jake Curtis33/36As far as statement colours go, this is hardly an in-your-face one, but in her London flat, interior designer Georgie Stogdon has painted the ceiling in ‘Adoration Rose’ by Francesca’s Paints, which offsets the lighter tadelakt plaster walls and the otherwise minimal room. An antique fireclay bath on a mudstone base were found in a Devon reclamation yard; they, too, provide a counterpoint to the minimalism of the rest of the flat.
Line Klein34/36With its red door and well harmonised curation of objects, the entrance and kitchen to musician Josephine Hoffmeyer's flat offer a warm, but minimalist welcome: House of Finn Juhl chairs; Knoll Saarinen Tulip table; Vitra Akari lamp; Le Klint lamp in the window seat; lava stone cutting boards on the table and wall by File Under Pop and Helle Mardahl leopard lamp (bottom right).
Taran Wilkhu35/36Make use of warm lighting
By using concealed LED light strips, a lighting specialist was able to ‘decorate’ with light – adding to this minimalist snug without adding objects.
Taran Wilkhu36/36In another corner of the same snug, warm, soft lighting cascades down from a mid-century light fixture, illuminating the space and creating a welcoming ambiance.
