7 Key Features of a Minimalist Dining Room
Hallmarks Of Minimalism
Neat, organized, and clutter free are important characteristics of the minimalist decor style that is quickly becoming a favorite in many Florida home designs. Minimalist decor doesn't mean you can't surround your home with all the things you love. Rather, it means surrounding yourself with the things that you love the most.
To create a functional, fashionable and on-trend living space, this refreshing decorating style depends on the personality of the homeowner and what is essential to their lifestyle. Here are eight key features of a minimalist dining room:
1. Select Neutral Colors
Selecting everything in neutral tones is a great way to set the stage for a minimalist dining room. This neutral palette should apply to the room’s:
- Wall colors
- Window treatments
- Dining room pictures
- Furniture
- Accessories
Color selections are a key factor in creating a minimalist look. Flooring, mantels, and countertops made of wood, marble, and concrete should also follow this color scheme.
Neutral colors that blend well and complement mostly everything, include shades of:
- White
- Gray
- Brown
- Beige
- Blue
A good rule is to select one shade to be the base color, a coordinating shade for a secondary color, and a third color for accents. Once you’ve selected your three colors, be sure to follow this pattern consistently throughout the room.
2. Accent with Light
Properly lighting your minimalist dining room is key to a well-balanced design. Take advantage of natural light that enters through windows and doors. If possible, eliminate window treatments, but if you must have them for privacy, select ultra light, sheer fabrics. Arrange your luxury dining room furniture away from windows so the light is not blocked from entering the room.
If the room doesn't have any natural light, strategically add decorative light fixtures to create a bright, welcoming space. Sconce lights, pendant light fixtures, ceiling lights, and flexible light fixtures with dimmer switches allow you to enhance the mood of your dining room and adjust it as necessary for different times of the day.
3. De-clutter Your Space
Minimalist decor means removing everything you don't really need from the space. That means removing collections, piles of magazines, and other "things" and storing them away. Clear the floor of any unnecessary items. Select one or two personal items, such as a framed photograph or a special vase, to use as the room’s accents. The rule is to display your decorative elements as accents and remove anything else from view.
Some minimalists live by the add one, remove one theory, meaning that for anything new that is added to the room, something must be taken out and either given to charity or thrown away. This theory keeps the decor true to the minimalist style.
4. Invest in Quality Furniture
Since a minimalist decor style is all about function, furniture with hidden storage will likely become the focal point of the room. The luxury furniture you select will play a very important role in the overall design of your home, so invest in high quality, comfortable pieces. This includes purchasing pieces made to last and ones that are designed exclusively for storage. Natural materials, neutral finishes, and clean lines will enhance the overall minimalist vibe of your home.
5. Experiment with Patterns and Textures
Since neutral tones can be somewhat static and monotone, add some style elements within your color scheme that feature different patterns and textures. This will not only add your personality to the room, but will also infuse dimension and interest.
Some simple accents that create a big visual impact are:
- Hand-knitted placemats
- Beaded accent pillows
- Cozy patterned or plush area rugs
It may take some time to get the perfect balance between textures, but adding them allows you to decorate for different seasons, moods, and even entertaining.
6. Limit Home Accents
In the minimalist world, less is more with home accents. Even though this decor style limits unnecessary items, home accents are important to the success of the overall look.
As opposed to various collections displayed everywhere, select one or two special home accents to add personality to your minimalist Florida home design. For example, for your dining room centerpiece, fill a square clear glass vase with sand, sea shells, and a green succulent, or with water and a few colorful flowers.
7. Accent the Walls
It's important to remember that the walls of your dining room are vital to the overall room balance. Empty wall space is considered an integral part of creating focal points and interaction with other elements of the room.
Visual balance is important and can be accomplished in a variety of ways. For example, a small room can look bigger than it really is if you place a beautifully framed mirror on a wall that receives less natural or artificial light. This is thanks to the reflection of the room, which makes it appear larger. Likewise, any light that does reach the mirror will reflect back into the space, creating the illusion of more depth.
Another way to create visual balance is to place a focal point on one wall. You can do this by hanging large framed art that coordinates with your color scheme. Some minimalists create one point of interest simply by hanging multiple shelves side by side along the same wall.
Perfecting Your Luxury Dining Room Interior Design
It will take some time to create the perfect minimalist look for your personality and style. Before starting your journey to this new decorating lifestyle, it may be helpful to create a vision board of how you would like your room to look. Include a timeline, budget, and to do list so you have a straightforward plan. Seeing your vision on paper will be helpful to streamline the look of your perfect room. If you find yourself stuck, contact one of the top interior designers in your area and see how they can help.