Minimalism has become a huge thing these days with books, television shows, social media and businesses extolling its virtues. There’s a division in the design world with little room in the middle. Either you’re a minimalist, living a pure clean life in an all white aesthetic, or a maximalist, who lives one step away from being labelled a hoarder. And here lies the problem with minimalism. It isn’t just a holistic philosophy anymore, it’s become a huge trend that isn’t the best for our wellbeing.
Meet Vince, a wonderful keepsake my clients brought back from Venice. When doing the redesign of their condo, Vince was top of mind as he needed to be in a place of honour. Souvenirs have the power to transport us across time and space, back to the original experience (Morgan & Pritchard, 2005). Just seeing glimpses of Vince on a daily basis will give my clients a release of those important feel good chemicals.
At its core, minimalism offers some good nuggets. It encourages us to be mindful, use what we have and value simplicity. It’s a great antidote to a world driven by consumerism and over consumption. As with any movement that shifts to becoming a lifestyle trend, there are considerable downsides. Have you noticed the businesses that have sprung up to support a minimalistic lifestyle? We now can purchase minimalist decor and minimalist experiences, turning a noble philosophy into just another form of consumerism.
A lifetime interest in art has led to a beautiful collection for my client. When renovating her home she decided that every piece of art should be on display for her enjoyment. We selected furniture and fabrics that would complement her collection. It’s not surprising the joy she gets from having original pieces on the wall. A neurological study commissioned by the Mauritshuis Museum in The Hague, the Netherlands, found that viewing artworks in person elicited an emotional response 10 times stronger than viewing those same works in reproduction.
Minimalist design first emerged at the beginning of the 20th century as a rejection of the over decoration of the Victorian era. The Bauhaus School, founded by Walter Gropius in 1919, emphasized function and mass production, with an emphasis on simple artistic geometric shapes. Architecture soon adopted this minimalist design aesthetic and became known as Modernism. LeCorbusier developed his ‘Five Points of Architecture’ and who can forget Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, and his now ubiquitous phrase, ‘less is more.’
Beautiful surroundings make us feel better. According to author and architect Don Ruggles, there is a path forward for architects and designers to cut stress and improve people’s health while building a more beautiful world. In his book, Beauty, Neuroscience & Architecture, he explores what beauty is and proposes that there are patterns in our perception of beauty and its emotional content.
Architect and researcher Ann Sussman is not a fan of modernism in architecture and design. She explains how the movement’s three founding members’ work is a direct expression of their conditions. LeCorbusier identified as autistic, while van der Rohe and Gropius, in her opinion, suffered from PTSD, a result of horrific combat experience in WW1. Due to these conditions in their brain, they sought relief in simplicity and simplification, a hallmark of modern minimalist design, while ignoring humans’ built-in responses to the environment. Backing up her theory with hard evidence gained from eye tracking and other biometric measurements, she proves the human preference for traditional architecture, with all it’s curves, flourishes and symmetry, over the simplicity of modern architecture.
Showing personality and having a clutter-free space can still go hand in hand. I designed this eating area for a busy family who wanted a tidy multi-use space for homework, puzzles, working from home and dining. We kept the lines simple, while injecting personality with wallpaper, fabrics, a light fixture that they loved and space for collectibles The design combines minimalism’s principles with authentic self expression.
Throughout the years minimalism has ebbed and flowed within the creative fields. Think the minimalist designs of Dieter Riems in the 1950’s and Donald Judd during the 1970’s. It’s no surprise that after Y2K (remember that?) whisperings of living intentionally and quietly were being heard. As concerns about the environment and climate change widened, the philosophy of living simply and consciously came to the forefront, resulting in a resurgence of minimalism in design.
The details in design matter. After years of waiting to redo her powder room, my client had two requests. It had to be pretty and it had to be one-of-a-kind special. Handcrafted floor tiles were selected to add warmth and depth. The custom vanity was crafted to specification by a local cabinetmaker and I commissioned a Calgary artist to paint the front panels. Each handcrafted piece tells a unique story and provides a direct connection to the maker. Machine made pieces cannot provide the same sense of uniqueness and belonging.
Marie Kondo’s method of sparking joy exploded and the Danish concept of hygge went international with candles, clothes, organizing vessels and books available for purchase, all in support of a simplistic lifestyle. Minimalism has been marketed as life changing and ‘less is more’ commodified. Rather than a philosophy of ethical living, minimalism has turned into a decor trend that includes white walls, monochromatic colours, lack of pattern, clean simple lines and zero clutter, to the point that homes became depersonalized and lacking self expression. Because we’re social beings and historically our very survival depended on being part of a group, the psychological pull to follow the latest trend is considerable, whether it’s the best path forward or not.
Since prehistoric times, people have had a preference for curved shapes rather than angular ones (Silvia & Barona, 2009). The hall of bulls in the Lascaux cave (approximately 17,000 B.C.E.) show curved lines, waves and spirals. Curves are seen as safer and friendlier. Like most modern day North American dwellings, this family home was very square in design. We added softness with arches, a curved hood fan and semi circle light fixtures. The softening of angular lines calms the brain, making it feel better to inhabit.
As sophisticated mammals, our view of aesthetics is biological, programmed into our DNA over millennia. This is why some spaces just feel good on a very deep physiological level. With the advancement of neuroscience and the emergence of the field of neuroaesthetics, interior design is proving to be a lot more science based than originally thought.
Being in a green space has been shown to lower our stress levels and lift our mood. Patients heal faster when they have a window view to outdoor gardens, and even seeing a photograph of a garden aids a patient in healing quicker (Ulrich, 1984) Further studies have shown that having the colour green on walls and cabinets will also provide some health benefits. My client chose her green kitchen because she liked the colour, and as an added bonus, is now reaping the physiological benefits brought on by the colour green.
Design has the power to create beauty, which is essential to our wellbeing. Material possessions are an important part of this experience as they hold emotional and symbolic significance. They provide comfort and security, as well as being sentimental reminders, showing the world who we are. Throughout history humans have always had a close relationship with their possessions, beginning 2.5 million years ago when the first tools were picked up.
This picture captures several pieces that are very sentimental to me. When I was a little girl my mom gave me a wooden cigar box that she received when she was 5 years old. I have treasured it all my life, first as a box to hold my crayons, and then the perfect place to hold clippings, lines of poetry and other paper treasures. I proudly display it on my grandmother’s buffet, a piece of furniture that has followed me from home to home. Objects help us keep memories alive and strengthen family bonds, creating a sense of continuity and belonging.
Where we get into trouble today is that our hoarder instinct kicks into overdrive. Across the animal kingdom hoarding has evolved as a natural strategy for survival, and we too employ this strategy, as seen during Covid with the stockpiling of toilet paper. In today’s consumer driven world, it’s hard not to want more and more, because it’s so easy to have more. I think we’re universally acknowledging the toll on the environment bought about by fast fashion and cheap decor items, which makes the pursuit of minimalism’s ideals a noble and ethical choice. Following the philosophy, and not the commodification, of minimalism needs to be the goal moving forward.
Inheriting another’s personal effects, no matter how dear they are, can prove a dilemma on what to do with these treasures. I always encourage my clients to find some way to use these pieces and incorporate them into everyday life. A sterling silver creamer is not too precious to use every morning at breakfast, and the weekly polishing is little effort for the daily joy it brings. When another client inherited her grandmother’s watercolour collection, we decided to group it all together, making a strong statement in the stairwell. And remember, there need be no guilt involved and it’s okay to keep only a few cherished pieces.
The key to healthy living is to embrace a balanced approach to possessions. While we actually need very little to survive, we can increase health and wellbeing by surrounding ourselves with beauty and meaningful possessions. In my design practice, I preach quality over quantity, carefully selected personal belongings, and slow design, which allows time to create authentic spaces that contribute to a rich life. This looks different for every person, but the common thread between us is our shared desire for beauty and our emotional attachment to meaningful possessions.
Design Nerds:
If you find the intersection between science and design as fascinating as I do, here are a few books and websites worth checking out:
Beauty, Neuroscience & Architecture
Timeless Patterns & Their Impact on Our Well-Being
Don Ruggles, 2017
Cognitive Architecture
Designing for How We Respond to the Built Environment
Justin B. Hollander & Ann Sussman, 2015
Mind in Architecture, Neuroscience, Embodiment, and the Future of Design
Edited by Sarah Robinson and Juhani Pallasmaa, 2015
Your Brain on Art
How the Arts Transform Us
Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross, 2023
