Creating a minimalist interior can be challenging and rewarding. If you are creating a new space, the goal is to pick the few essential items for a room, a few decorative accents to be enjoyed with enough space around them to create the ambiance that you desire. If you are working with an existing space this might mean removing excess clutter of unnecessary furnishings and decorative objects. This process can be a challenge in a home with personal belongings but in a short term rental it is a must as no one wants to rent a space filled with clutter for a weekend. It doesn’t allow for full relaxation and enjoyment. With all of the stimulus that we receive each day, it is important to create spaces that breathe because if we achieve this then we also can breathe in the space.

Let’s take a look at some points to consider when decluttering a short term rental or a home to create a sense of space through minimalist style.

Start with the floor space. There should be nothing on the floor to trip on so that one can easily move around a room without restriction. This also happens to be the primary principle of Feng Shui. The only things that should touch the floor are the feet of furniture or a floor plant. Walk around your space and ask yourself, can I easily and freely move in this space or am I twisting my body and contorting to get around. Am I in danger of stubbing my toe, hitting my hip on the edge of a table or tripping? If so, remove any and all items that cause this kind of “friction” in a space.
Figure out a layout that will breathe. Think of the 3-4 large furniture pieces in your space and figure out the best arrangement to allow the maximum flow and ease in moving around the space. You can do a simple exercise of cutting out some shapes on dark coloured paper and moving them around a page to see what things might look like before you do the heavy lifting, or you can simply play around with the furniture by moving it until you feel that relief of space and breath. You will know it when you get it right. Do not restrict yourself to how you think the furniture should be placed, be bold and be willing to try any combination. Remember you are ONLY looking at the 3-4 pieces and how they form the “composition of the room”

Style/Theme: 

The most enjoyable part comes next. Picking your color scheme and style. This is all so personal and this is the part where you really have a chance to allow your space to grow into its own character. Remember, minimalist does not need to be just black and white or neutral. Think simple, and think of the way you want the room to feel. Picking a “theme to go with the style might help you in choosing your accents and furnishings. Just do not overdo it. Understatement is key. Here is an example: Let's say I wanted to create a minimalist room with dark blue accents and my theme is western. I could look for a blanket to drape over the sofa that is western feeling, paint one accent wall dark blue, and other walls white and clean. Or perhaps I want to choose a beach feel to a minimalist interior. I might find one unusual piece of driftwood to display on a shelf. Be creative and let your ideas flow, just guard against overdoing it! If you have a space with 3-4 pieces of furniture, try limiting your accents to 5-6 accents. These might be necessary items like a blanket or a lamp, or could be simply decorative. Think about placing the accents for the most functional and aesthetically pleasing space for it to be used or enjoyed.

The final piece of your room decor is the wall art or wall decor. In a minimalist interior, in fact in any type of interior one of the worst design mistakes is TOO MUCH WALL ART! It never works out and often people buy cheap art and cheap art is framed small and cluttering up your beautiful interior with small cluttered walls will quickly destroy the look you have tried to create. I want to help you make this simple and easy. Choose 2 -3 pieces of art per room and IF they are on the same wall, hang as a group. I think it is best I show you the examples, so I have put together a visual guide for hanging:

And here are some visual examples of how to get it right!