5 design principles for a modern minimalist living room

1. Select a neutral colour palette

Modern minimalism goes beyond black and white. A case can certainly be made for the classic choice of white on white, which makes any room appear lofty and airy. Yet you can also select from a broad range of neutral hues like taupe, charcoal or icy pink interspersed with white minimalist living room furniture instead. Add pops of an accent colour via textured cushions or cloth-bound books displayed on a shelf to lend visual interest to your room. The richness of berry tones or warmth of metallic gold can tie the living room together as an attractive living space, whether you add colour with a woven rug or work of art.

2. Go with the flow

Clean lines and square shapes are hallmarks of minimalism. When designing your interior space, choose pieces as much for their contours as their colours. Rather than selecting a coffee table with sharp or unusually shaped edges, opt for floating shelving that skirts the natural lines of the room for an uninterrupted visual flow. Every item in the room should ideally contribute to the overall design, with sleek materials like leather and shiny chrome.

3. Keep the space open

When selecting furniture for your modern minimalist living room, keep both space and scale in mind. Rather than filling your living room with several smaller pieces of furniture, you can maximise your floor plan with larger furnishings like a plush L-shaped sofa or upcycled wooden church pews. By keeping space open, you’ll draw the viewer’s attention to your key pieces, inviting them in. You can peruse our living room design blogs for more ways to open up spaces of any size.

4. Make an artistic statement

If your walls are primarily bare, it’s important that the artwork you choose fits into the overall design of your modern minimalist living room. Works from minimalist artists like Donald Judd or Frank Stella are a natural fit with their geometric paintings and space-aware sculptures. Yet playful pop art prints or charcoal sketches can work equally well in this instance. It’s ideal to choose one standout piece rather than a jumble of smaller prints to stay in line with the simplistic philosophy of minimalism.

5. Bring the outside in

One simple way to breathe life into a spare space is with house plants or fresh flowers. Layer your soil in glass jars or an empty fish bowl to create a chic, multi-coloured terrarium, line your windowsill with low-maintenance succulents, or hang spider plants to aerate and brighten up your living room. Select containers that match the room’s minimalist aesthetic, like white ceramic or earthen terracotta.

There are plentiful psychological benefits associated with banishing clutter in the home, from improved concentration to enhanced creativity. By removing all excess objects and thoughtfully arranging your modern minimalist living room furniture, you’ll enjoy spending time in a fresh, calming space.