While minimalism seems to be a new concept for some people, it has been around for years. Being a minimalist is more than clean lines, monochromatic (e.g. white and black) look, and curated furniture. It is about being intentional and mindful in all aspects of your life.
Studies have shown that having a minimalist mindset makes you less stressed and more productive. Decision and mental fatigue are reduced because everything is simpler. And bringing that mindset into your tiny home is one of the first steps to achieve this freedom.
Look at an object, a commitment, a habit.
Joshua Fields Millburn, The Minimalists
Does it bring tranquility or increase your well-being?
If not, let it go!
Having a tiny house kind of forces you to be a minimalist. Because of the limited space, you have to be intentional with everything that you bring in, including decor pieces and furniture. But good news! It does not have to be boring.
Let us help you with your minimalism journey by giving you tips on how to style your tiny space, and a few examples of how we do it in our tiny homes.
Characteristics of a Minimalist Room
Clean Lines
A minimalist home is designed to have clear lines and simple geometric shapes. This can be seen in the furniture and design of the house. Straight horizontal lines make your space look long, while vertical lines make your home look high. Patterns are discouraged if you want to sport a minimalist style.
Furniture and decor pieces with strong lines can be added to achieve that modern look and feel to your space.
Bright and Natural Light
Light, whether natural or artificial, is part of every minimalist home. The objective is to make the room appear bigger and feel lighter. White or neutral-colored walls reflect light, which in turn will make the space brighter.
Neutral/Monochrome Colors
Having a neutral color scheme makes a room feel warm and cozy while a monochrome design makes it look sophisticated and elegant. And it goes without saying that white goes with everything.
You can go for that modern feel by choosing a gray, blue, and even black, color theme.
If these colors are too stark for you, go with neutrals. Partner your white walls with light brown and light gray for that easier, homey feel.
Bare Necessities and Functional Pieces
Simplicity is the core purpose of minimalism. This means only keeping items, furniture, and decor pieces that add value to your life and are functional. Clutter does not have a place in your tiny home.
For small spaces, it is best to invest in furniture that serves multiple purposes. Murphy beds are good additions to any small space especially if you do not have a separate area for your bedroom.
Clutter-free and open spaces
Another feature of minimalism is having a clutter-free, clean space. This means that every item must have a home. Having ample storage solution is the best way to make your home free from any clutter.
Maximize every area available in your home. Kitchen drawers and Under-The-Stairs cabinets are a great use of an otherwise wasted space.
Tiny House Interior Tips and Ideas to Design your Minimalist Room
Tiny Living Room
Start with a bright white or neutral wall color. Adding as much natural light as possible is a great way to make your room appear large. And because of the limited space, only put functional pieces. While a sofa is not an ideal piece of furniture, it is completely ok if you spend a lot of time in your living room.
A coffee table that can also function as an additional sitting area is also good especially if you like entertaining visitors.
Spruce up your living room by adding a perfect accent piece (in here a modern-style chandelier).
You can also opt for a cross-sectional sofa to maximize the space available in your room. To go even further, you can opt to have under the sofa storage built-in into your unit.
Another great way to make more room is to create dual-purpose spaces. Convert a living room into your dining room by adding a removable table in the U-shaped sitting area. Plus the additional space below is good for storage.
Efficient Kitchen and Dining
Since you have a small area to work with, you want to be able to maximize the space that you have. Remove all non-essential appliances and items from the countertop and store all items in your drawers.
To add a bit of color and contrast, go for a darker countertop to match your stainless appliances
However, if you have limited storage space, only keep items that you use on a daily basis.
Utilize walls by adding floating shelves and, in this case, a magnetic knife rack to reduce what you put on your countertop. Add a big window and a bright droplight to your kitchen.
And since this is limited space, convert a “small” island into a dining table/breakfast nook. You can opt for a folding chair and table for storage when not in use.
Minimalist Bedroom
Most people concentrate on their bedroom as this is a place for them to unwind, relax and even spend the whole day in. Having a minimalist bedroom will help give you that sanctuary you needed after a long day of work. Here are some of our tips.
Since you have a limited space, maximize it by getting a frameless or platform bed. This will give you an illusion of a bigger room.
In this minimalist bedroom nook, we added windows and lights to open the room up. We also added limited functional furniture since there isn’t any storage available.
You can also opt for wooden ceilings and accent pieces to make your room cozy and homey.
As storage is a problem in tiny homes, use under-the-bed storage to keep your clothes and valuables.
Small Toilet and Bath
Limit what you store in your bath and toilet. Since this is a small space, clutter is easy to accumulate.
Choose white walls with wooden accents for a simple, clean, and cohesive look. Add a big mirror to reflect light, and if you need a partition, opt for a glass shower door or a light shower curtain.
If you want a more industrial and sleek look, how about making your bath all stainless?
Bonus Tip: Porch as an additional room
A porch is a great way to make additional space in your home. If you have the option, have additional doors to your living room to connect it to the porch. Be sure to add a couple of chairs for extra seating capacity.
You can also have this custom-made
Tips to maintain your minimalist home
The good news about minimalism is you have less stuff to organize. The hard part is maintaining it. It is easy to get caught up in purchasing stuff again only to find out that your small space is full of things you do not need or will ever need. So here are some of our tips to keep your minimalist tiny home clean and clutter-free
All items must have a home
It’s easy to just bring in stuff and worry about where to store it later on. To keep your home as tidy as possible, ensure that all items should have a designated area or storage. If it does not fit, then it’s not meant to be.
Clean as you go
Following the first item above, it goes without saying that to avoid accumulating unwanted clutter, we need to keep things as clean and tidy as possible. Putting things back to where items should be, cleaning the dishes after use, and doing laundry are only a few steps to take to ensure that your home is the way it is meant to be.
Remove duplicates/triplicates
Do you really need two sets of the same knife? How many rugs do you really need? Just having one type per item (or a second one as spare) is all you really need. This will ensure that you maximize the usage of that item and make it your money’s worth.
Be mindful of the usual items that we tend to overstock and places where clutter is inevitable. Food is also one of the items that accumulate fast and is easy to overstock. Always keep your pantry and fridge clutter-free and organized. What we don’t want is wasted food.
Replace, not add
Whenever you introduce a new item into your home, it should be a replacement, not an additional item. If you want to buy a new chair, be ready to get rid of an old chair. Same with kitchen utensils. Buying a new set of knives? Get rid of the old one. New pair of shoes? get rid of an existing pair. This will make sure that all items in your home have designated storage space and will not eat up an available one.
Keep it Simple
We discussed a lot. But the main reason to go the minimalist route is to keep it simple. At the end of the day, it’s not about being aesthetically coordinated, but about keeping what is essential and disposing what is not. Living a simple life is not only good to your house and budget, but also to your well-being. A clutter-free, simple life will give you peace of mind, and time to let you enjoy moments, not stuff. it keeps you from distractions and let you focus on what’s important.
These are just some of the tips we have. Do you have additional ideas on how to have and keep a minimalist room? We at Tru Form Tiny would like to hear about it!
