Minimalism. What does it mean to you? Does it say white walls, wooden floors and wide-open French windows? Does it look like block sofas, strong architecture, muted colours and patterning? Minimalism doesn’t have to mean choosing simple, boring or inexpensive furniture and accessories. Simply meaning ‘less is more’, minimalism can help focus your room on your desired mood or theme. Paint it pretty, with a row of pink couches set upon a white floor. Make it dramatic, with a striking beige and white line halving your room in two. Find substance in simplicity, with our top 40 gorgeous looks for minimalist living rooms and interiors.
White, eggshell and wood need not be boring. Making frames on the balcony and bookcase beyond, wood lets in light both from the outside world and LEDs within. Dining cubby chairs mirror their lines with their legs, while simple futon sofas provide a place to rest. See more of this interior here.
Want a little more contrast? These beige futon sofas, ottomans and chairs provide warmth beside a gramophone, baskets and log bench in darker shades. An electric fire brightens the atmosphere.
Let a line of LEDs do the talking. Bathed in moody charcoal, the feature wall, modern sofa and wide-span rug of this interior are centred on a below-TV line of lights. The rug’s geometric patterning ties in the look. The room truly sells the sparse look. No decorative bowls, books or vases in sight!
Halve your interior. This platform-raised design features pure white on one side, a room in mushroom on the other. Simple block furniture and comma-shaped cushions make colouring the hero.
Subtle texturing can make your lounge come alive. Alternating wood grains in the cabinets and floor mix with a spindly metal modern coffee table and plush sofa seating, creating areas that differ only ever so slightly. A stack of books adds a finishing touch.
Take your living room up a level. The architectural lines of this black, white and grey interior ensure the eye is distracted while the hues remain simple. Exposed brick walls, a cotton couch and wooden flooring create difference with texture. See the complete interior here.
Not sure how to house your kitchen and lounge? Take a cue from this shared space. Using light grey flooring to connect the two, the lounge remains white, bright and rectangular; the kitchen bathed in concrete grey. Under-cabinet LEDs keep the kitchen’s light breathing, while a black dining table set harks to the lounge with a vase of white florals.
Want to introduce more colour? This minimalist space ties white, black, grey and taupe together for an ultra-modern look. A light-infused balcony brings brightness to the home, while lines of ceiling lights and faux deer head wall decor add character.
Play with shape and form. The rectangular lines of this lounge’s sofa, rug and cabinets meet three nesting coffee tables spheres and Chinese lantern lights. Teardrop shapes shine through in glowing lightbulbs and sprig-bearing vases.
Designing for an apartment? Minimalist hues can add the illusion of space. These light greys, whites and woods are framed by lines between wall cabinets, ceiling contours and wooden floor panelling. Black joins the party in a flat screen TV and sliding door frames, as an Eames Bird replica keeps watch.
Create more room by hollowing out furniture. This minimalist living room does it well, with lifted sofas and cabinets, a white circle chandelier, and an opposing mirror reflecting the view. Muted colouring allows space for potted greenery. The comfy looking modern chair is a great piece to add to the mix.
Make your living room dramatic. This décor dominates with striking black camera lights, a TV, filigree light pendants and a rock-star leather couch. See more of this film-set style interior here.
Want a space that’s purely monochrome? The stark black wall, suede L-sofa and stencilled coffee table of this bachelor pad look less moody beside large panels of white. Two unique floor lamps provide height beside an artwork. The contrast the white floating tv stand provides agains the black wall produces a great effect.
Worried your black and white living room might look too extreme? Mix black with navy ceilings, rugs and curtains, as per this interesting interior. Paired with black hover lights, joinery and artwork, the room’s dark panels are brightened beside walls in white and a burst of green fernery.
Make scenery a key part of your interior. The wide open windows and sheer chiffon curtaining of this monochrome space open up a wall of hanging creepers and manicured hedges. Metallics in circular pendants and a sofa add flair, while a tiled floor in marble lines it with luxury.
Stick to your building blocks. Based on a concrete floor, the only feature of this minimalist living room is a TV in black.
Black and white photographs can make the minimalist human. Set on a stark white wall and painted floor, three captured faces gesture amidst a ruffled rug, reclined seating and unique coffee tables. Matching floor and table lamps keep everything in sync.
Try something more Scandinavian. A light wooden floor, muted seating and tables afford visual space for hipster monochrome prints and some jazzy lime cushions.
Looking for more character? This funky lounge is a great example of pop art minimalism. Surrounded by white walls and simple wooden floors, a retro cartoon, 50’s swing back and bright turquoise couch provide visual stimuli.
Think along finer lines. A myriad of small white cubby holes meet a stencil living room chandelier and thin-framed artworks, creating patterns that coalesce, not clash. A white fluffy rug and luscious-leaved tree provide a bit more substance.
Designing for men? Think more texturing, less colour. Co