Back to basics: your checklist for a minimalist interior!

A house filled with natural tones, simplicity, neutral colours and without frills. These are the traits of a minimalist interior. Where some people might find this living trend too boring, others can’t get enough of such a simple interior. Are you a lover of a minimalist style? With this checklist you can turn your home into a simple and minimalist version à la Pinterest. 

1. First things first: Planning
How to go about this fun restyling? With which room should you start? Make a plan of action and decide which part of your house is ready for a minimalist twist and when to start with which room.

2. Clean up!
Rule number one for a minimalist interior is not to have too many little trinkets and knick-knacks. First thing to check is, which items could fit in with your new minimalist living arrangements - and which might need to find a new place. Do you have items that are really no longer useful or don’t combine with your new concept? Give them away, throw them out or sell them. Things you can’t - or want - to throw, but that also don’t match with your new style (think of DVDs, books, papers, etc.): be sure to keep them from view.

3. Find a balance
With a minimalist style comes harmony. It is not necessary for all items to blend seamlessly in with each other, but it works best when your interior has been thought through like a balanced concept, in which most items harmonise together. For instance, by choosing only one or two basic colours.

4. Quality
Minimalism. The name says it all; to keep as few items as possible together in one space. Choose which large pieces of furniture get to stay and then pick (if possible) some beautiful eye-catchers of good quality. Since you will not be overcrowding your interior, it would be a good thing for the items you do own to possess a good or luxurious quality. 

5. Natural tones
Neutral colours are key to a minimalist look. Think of whites, ivory, dark grey and natural earth tones. Then things will easily fit together! 

6. Subtle details
Choose subtle details. Rather select a couple of pretty, delicate accessories than gather a whole bunch of knick-knacks together.

7. Pin ahead
Pinterest is the ideal tool to think out your minimalist style in detail and to visualise it. Go and find beautiful, minimalist inspiration and create a mood board for each room you want to redesign. With the above checklist in mind, this will come together beautifully.

Get inspired by these thought-provoking interiors and check out our favourite, minimalist IXXIs to complete your interior. Creating an IXXI from one of your own (or found) images is also a possibility. What is your favourite?


© Interiorlove81


© Bianca Rijkenbarg


© Laura Zwanenburg




© Mariella Houtsma


© Jess vd Berg




© Sevencouches


© Zusinterieur


© Studio KIK