Minimalism to the Max

When most of us hear the word “Minimalist”, we think boring, harsh and a general lack of intrigue.  In the design world, Minimalism is generally understood as the philosophy of “less is more” and it’s not hard to imagine how that can be useful in a nursery environment.  Instead of boring, think simplicity.  Instead of uninteresting, think understated elegance. Instead of harsh, think functional.  When you think of it that way, Minimalism sounds pretty great.  Here are some of our favorite ways to use Minimalism in the nursery.

Spot on Square "Roh" Crib

1.  Sleek and chic: Minimalist furniture tends to be lower to the ground, uniform in finish and, well, minimal.  If you feel that you desperately need more pattern or texture, do it with crib bedding, because a beautiful piece of minimalist furniture will never go out of style.

Minimalist artwork by Sol Lewitt available at Art.com

2.  Large and in charge: Instead of hanging 10 small pictures on the wall, why not hang one big one that has major presence.  That way, you’ll achieve simplicity while maintaining color, interest and a focal point in the nursery.

Imagine a Brightly Colored Pillow on this Fab Chair from Evinco Design

3.  Bold Color: Minimalism does not mean you can’t use color.  In fact, minimalist artists and designers were known for using bold and saturated colors, most frequently primaries (red, yellow and blue).  The key is not to use too many colors at once and to keep them separated.  Just because you have a sleek white crib, doesn’t mean you can’t have a giant royal blue wall or even a red rocker.

Colorful, Moveable Lighting - Photo via Creative Home Idea

4.  Storage, storage, storage: The main thing that gets in the way of storage is “stuff”.  Whatever your word, clutter, collections and chotchkies are definitely not part of the minimalist aesthetic.  Make sure you have lots of good storage pieces so you can put things away and keep the nursery clean.  Not the organized type?  Shove it all in the closet – we won’t tell.

Gorgeous Inspiration from Alondra Premium

And, if there’s one thing we’ve learned from countless hours designing nurseries, it’s this: a child’s room should always inspire and should always be a wonderful place.  So, don’t hesitate to add a little “max” to your “minimum”, if it’s what’s called for to make the perfect place for your family!  And, please be sure to share your photos in the Project Nursery gallery.