You love the clean lines and simplicity of a minimalist space. But so many of them feel cold and impersonal. All white, flat, and empty. Let’s learn how to add warmth and life to a minimalist home.
You can make a minimalist home feel warm with just a few changes. Try warm paint colors, soft textiles, and the addition of beautiful and functional items.
Let’s dive into each of these concepts and see how you can achieve that warm minimalist interior you’re looking for.
Be careful with cooler tones
Picture your stereotypical minimalism space: white walls, metal gray tables, absolutely no clutter, and maybe a plant with one spiky leaf. This is the cold minimalist aesthetic that most of us imagine. And if that’s what you’re going for, great!
But if you’re going for minimalist (yay!) and warm (yay!), you can’t combine cool colors with a spare, uncluttered environment. It’s just too cold.
If you’re going for that ultra-simple look but you want to keep it warm, use a neutral color palette or something with warmth to it. Now don’t go trying to fool yourself with phrases like “warm gray”. No blue walls, no gray walls. Pick something else.
If you love cooler-toned materials like grayish marble and blue accents, that is totally fine! But balance it with warmer tones too.
Use soft layers(when it makes sense)
Alright, my friends. We are going for minimal, which means we don’t want a lot of decorative items, right? Right. But we absolutely can warm up your home with functional items. Some things to try:
- Put pillows on your couch where you would actually want to lay your head down. No pillows that have to be moved to sit down.
- Layer a light blanket on top of your bed and then fold a quilt at the bottom for chilly nights.
- Place light-filtering curtains on windows, even if they have blinds
- Use tablecloths on your dinner table and switch them out after every meal. Let them be functional.
The point is, don’t buy soft and fuzzy stuff because you’re trying to bring warmth to your spaces. Add things like layered bedding and beautiful drapery because you need them for their intended purpose.
Make your everyday items beautiful
Every single thing in your home is the decor in some way or another. Paintings and little figurines? Sure, they are decor. But so are the books, the wooden spoons, and the pots of herbs in your windowsill. It doesn’t have to come from the “decor” section to be part of your interior design.
And when you’re looking for that blend of clutter-free and cozy, the best thing to do is make everything in your home beautiful and functional.
William Morris said, “If you want a golden rule that will fit everything, this is it: Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” Let’s go a step further and demand that in warm minimalism, the items in your home should be both.
Some ideas that are pretty and practical:
- A pretty watering left out on the porch to water herbs
- Wooden spoons and rolling pins that are used every day
- Wooden brushes
- Hardcover books
- Mirrors with beautiful frames by each door
Now, of course, your idea of beauty is very personal. But if you’re looking to add warmth to your minimalist home, focus on natural elements, wood, and texture.
Living things for added warmth
Nothing adds life to a house more than…life! The more people in your space, the more personality it has. You might find that as your family grows, you love minimalist style more and more. Your home still feels inviting because it is busy and happy.
But what if you don’t have a big family? No problem, you can still create that life-filled quality in other ways:
- Pets! A cozy cat curled up is so inviting
- Plants. They don’t have to be weird, modern, or spiky.
- Wooden furniture and accessories
Show action in your home
That was sort of a weird one, right? Bear with me. Living things add life, and so does activity.
Think of model homes. A big, empty house that is supposed to look lived-in. It’s not enough to simply put furniture and wall art up. No, the house has to be staged. This means little scenes are set up to look like someone has just stepped away. They keep doing it because it works.
If you’re adding beautifully functional items to your home, you’re probably showing action without even realizing it. But here are some ways to take it to the next level:
- Put a broom on your back porch
- Keep a glass jar of nice pens and a blank notepad in a spot where they are needed
- Set up a reading corner with a small end table that holds the books you’re reading right now.
- Keep a gardening basket in your mudroom with gloves and pruners
Again, these things can’t be for decoration. They have to be used, or they are just clutter.
Make it personal
This can be tough because the most cluttered, messy spaces are also personal. Personal is not always good. When you want to create a warm but calm space, you’re walking a fine line.
But don’t go out and buy a bunch of furniture or art that fits your new “warm minimalist” style. That is missing the point entirely.
Pick things that you love, that have a purpose, that are not clutter. And you will find that mix of warmth and calm that you’re searching for.
Good luck!
