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Warm minimalist living room9/9/2023 ![]() It was still going strong even then, but my parents decided to give it away. ![]() I had a white metal lacquered IKEA bed from the time I was four years old until I went off to college. If you are discerning about what you purchase from IKEA, it can last for many years. When I was starting out, all of my items were either hand-me-downs or IKEA. Speaking of, IKEA is such a great option for so many things, especially if you are on a tighter budget. Even IKEA has actual designers behind each of their pieces. ![]() As an ex-architect, I have a deep appreciation for the time it takes to develop a quality design with good details. In my experience, these items are cheap quality, don’t last, and are actually overpriced for what you’re getting. One of my non-negotiables is to never purchase furniture from places like Wayfair or Amazon, or any kind of knock off-designs (some of you may disagree with me here, but that’s okay!). If you fill a space with a lot of pieces you feel “whatever” about, it’s never going to feel warm or minimal. There are so many options in the home furnishings market these days, so it helps to have a list of “non-negotiables”-standards you measure potential purchases against. Keep your standards high to limit purchases Rather than saying “This space is too cluttered.”, one might say “This space doesn’t have enough ma.” To learn more, check out “MA - The Japanese Concept of Space and Time”. The Japanese have a term called “ma”, which values the negative space between things as much if not more than the objects themselves. She would always notice me tweak something in our dorm room, then step back to view it from various angles and assess whether it was an improvement. My roommate in college called this “surveying”, which still makes me chuckle to this day. ![]() If something feels wrong, I will remove one or two things at a time, then step back and assess the changes. I think human nature is to add more to a space if something feels off-more pillows, more artwork, more tchotchkes. “One can furnish a room very luxuriously by taking out furniture rather than putting it in.” - Francis Jourdain I also did a Creative Mornings talk about how each belonging is an opportunity to spark joy in our daily lives: “Living Intentional Moments Through Minimalism”. For additional guidance on this subject, reference my other Minima Journal post, “Beyond Sparking Joy: How to Decide What to Keep or Discard”. Most people don’t opt for as minimal a home as mine (minimalism and design is part of my life’s work after all), but being intentional about the things we own makes a huge impact on the feel of a home. There’s no way to appreciate a beautiful home design if your belongings don’t have a place to live. This one seems obvious, but it has to be said. ![]()
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