If you’ve ever looked at your apartment and wondered what to do with all the stuff, minimalism is what you need—a clutter-free home.

More stuff doesn’t mean more fun. In fact, it could be the opposite. By embracing minimalism and decluttering your space, you will lead a happier and healthier life.

And no, minimalism doesn’t mean having blank walls and empty shelves? It also doesn’t have to be cold and boring.

Stick around. We’ll show you how to adopt a minimalist design in your home without looking boring. Disclosure: We picked up some of these ideas from these furnished apartments.

The Main Principles of Minimalism

Before you indulge in a minimalist apartment design, the following are a few key principles to guide you:

Quality

Since the items will be limited in number, they need to be high-quality because they will be easily visible. And yes, you can buy cheap ones as long as they are of quality.

Simplicity

Keeping it simple is the ultimate rule. Lines have to be clear. Avoid complicated decorations.

Balance

Don’t use big items in a small apartment and avoid using small items that are barely noticeable in a big room.

Limited palette

Many people use black, white, and gray, but you can use any colors as long as they are neutral.

Clean lines

Furniture and other decorative items should not have protruding details. Sleek, clean lines are the basics of minimalism.

Open space

Minimalism embraces bare walls and floors. Just accentuate with a few items.

Here’s What to Do to Achieve a Minimalist Design

Keep only what you need

Don’t keep something because you might need it someday. Most of the time, that day never comes and you’ll likely throw the item anyway.

Donate or give away what you don’t need. Be ruthless with yourself and keep a decluttering checklist to track your progress. You’ll be surprised to find out you can be comfortable with very few items.

Select multi-purpose furniture

When you embrace minimalism, it’s recommended to have a few furniture pieces that can serve another purpose.

Take the following items, for example:

• An ottoman with a lid doubles up as a table and storage area for throw blankets
• A console table is slim and won’t occupy much space. It also doubles up as a desk
• Baskets and wicker chests can be used as decorative items and for storing extra items
• A bed with storage drawers or a raised bed that leaves storage room under
• A bookcase with a table that can be folded up and down
• A convertible chair that can be used as a guest bed

Use warm colors

Since minimalism is about stripping to the bare minimum, an apartment looks lifeless if proper color is not applied. Although a monochromatic look is essential to attaining a minimalist look, avoid too much of it by combining different color shades and textures.

Avoid cool materials like marble and nickel and use warm ones like limestone and brass.

You can also use rugs of various colors and add wooden furniture to warm up a cold-looking floor. Finally, include floor pillows and drapery to add warmth.

Use simple artwork and decoration

Don’t overwhelm your walls with decorations if you want a minimalist look. Hang a few large paintings or pictures rather than many tiny ones that clutter your space.

Having too many items may begin to compete for attention; only use a couple of focal points. For example, you can use a flower vase or uniquely designed mirrors as the focal point in the room.

As you continue adding more artwork and decoration pieces, ensure the new pieces complement the older ones.

Use light to your advantage

Light is important in a minimalist home as it creates more space and makes a room feel more welcoming. Besides, light can help with decoration.

For starters, you can install window treatments as a form of decoration. The idea is to have these treatments cast different patterns when light passes through them.

If you are using bulbs to create a certain look, use:

• Minimalist pendant lighting
• Minimalist chandeliers
• Minimalist floor lamps
• Minimalist table lamps

You can also maximize natural light by opening windows at full capacity.

Conclusion

Everything in your home should serve a functional, aesthetic, or emotional purpose. If it doesn’t serve any of these, let it go.

A minimalist apartment design relies on design principles such as quality, simplicity, open space, clean lines, and pallets.

Good ways to achieve the minimalist apartment design include purchasing multipurpose furniture, using the right lighting, and using artwork and decorations.