A large number of people, when creating home comfort, always install a fireplace. A fireplace allows you to create a special atmosphere inside a particular room, which will allow you to relax, unwind and think about serious issues. Modern designers today help you fit the fireplace into the interior you created in an original way.
For example, today there are different styles of fireplaces that you can install in your home. Thanks to this, your fireplace will look original in the overall picture. In fact, there are quite a few styles. In this article we will tell you only about a few areas that will be of interest to you. We are confident that you will definitely find an option that will suit you harmoniously.
Distinctive features
Like any style, minimalism has characteristic features that make it recognizable. One of the main differences is simple geometric shapes. The interior is dominated by strict lines, neutral shades, and spaciousness. This design is ideally embodied in large rooms with high ceilings, but even in a small apartment you can create a unique and stylish interior. In standard apartments, they usually connect the living room with the kitchen, increasing the space that is not enough to implement all the ideas. If the layout allows, you can combine the living room with a corridor or another room.
Living room in minimalist style: main features
What is minimalism characterized by? First of all, the extreme simplicity of the forms, the severity of the lines, the neutrality of tones, the presence of boundless space in which balance and harmony reign. Such interiors are best achieved in large rooms with high ceilings, where there is always enough open space. In other cases, in order to create a minimalist living room, you will need to get rid of the interior partitions.
An excellent approach would be to combine the modest area of this room with the kitchen. Somewhat less common are design solutions in which the living room is connected to a bedroom, hall or even hallway. In any of these options, the main goal will be achieved - increasing space, and at the same time useful space.
black and white living room color in minimalist style
You can add freedom to the space by resorting to glazing the walls and the panoramic view behind them, the correct selection of background decoration and luxurious furniture with clear shapes.
Color selection
Despite the fact that the choice of colors is limited to light shades, making a choice is extremely difficult.
Preferred colors for a minimalist interior are white, beige, cream, light gray, black. In rare cases, the living room is decorated in brown or brick. The shade should be muted and not draw attention to itself, and if you want to add color, complement the interior with contrasting decor. As decoration you can use pillows on the sofa, paintings, vases and other decorative elements. The decor should not be too bright; neon colors are not allowed. Blue, light blue, red and purple colors harmonize with a light interior.
Another characteristic feature is the use of natural materials, so in minimalism it is almost impossible to find plastic products. Preference is given to wood, glass and metal (in small quantities).
Design features
The space of a minimalist living room should be decorated using a meager number of initial elements, which, nevertheless, should form a real compositional unity. Such an interior should not be stuffed with decorative delights. The advantage remains with low and clean lines, a completely monochrome color scheme for floors, walls and ceilings, as well as highly functional furniture.
Now let's look at this concept in more detail.
panoramic window in the living room in a minimalist style
About the ceiling
Finishing work is carried out from top to bottom, so the ceiling surface will be the first sign in creating a minimalist interior. Since the style is chic and laconic, the ceiling should be decorated accordingly. Tensile and suspended structures are acceptable here. A multi-level option with built-in lighting or with surface decorations in the form of monochrome printing will be perceived stylishly.
About the walls
These surfaces in the living room, decorated in the style of true minimalism, are always plain . Wallpaper is used extremely rarely for their decoration. In cases where you can’t do without them, buy not paper versions with prints, but liquid wallpaper or types of wallpaper intended for painting. It is permissible to decorate the walls with relief plaster.
brick false wall in a minimalist living room
You can add color to the living room with wall panels:
- From a traffic jam.
- Plastic.
- Tree.
An incredibly fashionable interior will be achieved if the door leaf, partitions, walls and ceilings are decorated with a dark wood layout.
About floors
Laminate flooring is most suitable for minimalist flooring. Sometimes parquet boards can be used, but artistic parquet has nothing to do with such an interior. Porcelain tiles are perceived well. In some cases, linoleum can be used as a floor covering. With the advancement of technology, self-leveling floors have come to minimalist interiors. They are also made in neutral tones and only occasionally, when some special notes should be heard in the atmosphere, do designers allow themselves to use the minimalism of 3D images in decorating the living room floors.
Self-leveling flooring in minimalist interior design
Color twists and turns
The choice of colors for minimalist decor is very limited. Since you absolutely cannot overdo it with colors here, the main shades for this style are:
- White.
- Cream.
- Beige.
- Ashen.
- Black.
Very rarely, but you can find brick and brown colors in the decoration. The background palette is always muted and limited to a couple of basic colors. An additional contrasting color may appear to create an accent. In the design of the room, natural materials are mainly used, although glass and mirrors also have a place in it. As for metal, it can be introduced into the environment in minimal quantities. But the designers turned on the red light for plastic.
living room in a minimalist style in beige
The most preferred color in the design of a living room designed in a minimalist style is white . The dazzling background is complemented by accents of black or green. The feeling of comfort in such an interior comes from decorating the walls with wood. It’s a good idea to dilute the sterile background with touches of red, blue, and sometimes orange. Color games are, of course, good, but the true highlight of the living room will be a fireplace lined with raw bricks.
Fireplaces in minimalism
It’s generally worth talking about fireplaces in minimalist interiors separately. The presence of this element of furniture will allow an almost ascetic living room to look incredibly attractive and literally envelop those present in comfort. In such interiors, modern fireplace models with appropriate minimalist decor are used. The decoration of the living room in the minimalist style will be not only the portal of the hearth itself, but also the picture hanging above it, and a special storage room equipped for firewood, and a chaise longue frozen in a bizarre form of cosmic breakdown, moved towards the heat source.
fireplace in a minimalist living room design
When choosing a fireplace model, place special emphasis on the laconicism of its finishing. It should have a minimum of decor. The main bet should be placed on unusual material or the original shape of the product. For example, a design in a metal frame with heat-resistant glass will fit perfectly into a simple living room.
If in private houses it is possible to use fireplaces with open fireboxes, then in city apartments you can’t fool around with this, so preference should be given to models with gas or electric heating. By the way, in the living room you don’t have to worry about the practicality of the fireplace at all, but use its imitation solely for the purpose of decorating the decor. This approach will save you from certain inconveniences that are always present when operating an existing device. The false fireplace portal is decorated in a minimalist spirit, and its interior is filled with vases, candles, and logs, which can be either decorative or natural.
electric fireplace in the interior design of the living room in the style of minimalism
Fireplaces in the interior
An electric fireplace is a universal element that fits into any interior, adding an element of sophistication and at the same time homely warmth to the decor.
Having a fireplace in the living room is an aesthetic experience for the eyes, as it is pleasant to watch, captivating with its flames, relaxing and soothing. Since minimalism does not like an abundance of decor, we suggest choosing modern fireplace models with a 3D flame effect without a frame. The fireplace is installed in a special niche and covered with glass. A decorative firewood storage unit or a picture hanging above the fireplace would look good as an addition.
An eclectic hearth is an ideal solution for a living room because it is easy to install and does not require significant investment, unlike a classic fireplace with a firebox. It is environmentally friendly because it does not emit smoke or other chemicals during operation. You won't need to be afraid that a spark from the fire will burn through the floor, because there simply aren't any.
Minimalist lighting
“During the daytime, a living room decorated in a minimalist style should be literally flooded with natural light.”
Lighting can easily be called the main tool in creating interiors in a minimalist spirit. Here a complex system of side, floor, and cornice lights is created, which is complemented by tubular lamps and rotating models that allow you to adjust the light flows. To emphasize certain interior elements, the warm light of halogen lamps is used. But LED strips have only a decorative role.
During the daytime, the living room, decorated in a minimalist style, should be literally flooded with natural light. This is possible if there are glazed roof areas and wide windows decorated with translucent blinds.
But let's return to artificial light. Lamps in minimalism are also decorative elements. Since the main principle of the style is a lot of light and space, spherical lamps will come in very handy, which will serve as the main lighting. In tandem with them will be built-in spotlights.
A laconic solution would also be where the main source would be a surface-mounted lamp located in a special reflective frame that hides the spotlights inside. In principle, any frame can be made, but often it is given a rectangular shape, because in this case, with its help, the spatial perception of the room is corrected, which is lengthened.
floor lamp as an additional lighting fixture in a minimalist living room
Interior options
A living room in a minimalist style can be decorated in different ways.
White furniture and white walls look quite impressive against the background of a dark wood floor. The black lampshade of the floor lamp is intended to give complete harmony to the composition. The design of the room will be very warm if wood is used in abundance in its decoration. You need to fill such a living room with furniture in a variety of gray tones. Black floor vases will add expressiveness to this composition.
Cubic armchairs standing near a coffee table on a square carpet look stylish. Here you can play on the contrast of dark brown and white colors, and add red accessories as the finishing touch. Local lighting will successfully highlight the TV, and a barely noticeable image of a branch located above the same TV will help emphasize the strict harmony of the linear decor.
a yellow pouf dilutes the sterile minimalist interior of the living room
Conclusion
A living room in the minimalist style is laconic, geometric and the complete absence of any pomp. Here is the realm of utilitarian and functional objects. But at the same time, the interior does not look lifeless and cheap, it is always chic and modern.
Zoning
If you have a living room that serves multiple purposes, you should consider dividing the space.
This is best done using sliding partitions made of glass or light fabric. It would also be appropriate to use small screens. The main thing is that the partitions are combined with the overall design and do not stand out. The main advantage of this method is mobility. If not needed, the partitions can be quickly removed and just as quickly put back in place. Sometimes designers use more complex zoning - with color. Part of the room stands out with a different shade of walls or floor. This method is more complex and less practical.
Living room zoning
If you have a studio-type living room, you cannot do without zoning its space.
This should be done with light sliding partitions, with glass or fabric doors, screens or blinds. Mobile partitions are valuable because they can be removed from view at any time. There are other options for dividing a living room in a minimalist style into parts. You can do this by combining floor coverings and wall colors in a color scheme, showing talent in ceiling design or creating ceiling structures, playing with light. Lighting in a minimalist living room can be placed everywhere:
- On the ceiling.
- Within the walls.
- On the floor.
zonal division of space in a minimalist living room interior
If the studio living room is the result of a merger with the kitchen, then the bar counter will be an excellent border. You can outline the perimeter of the room with a vertical wooden wall panel, which will be continued in a volumetric structure on the ceiling.
Furniture
When choosing furniture for your living room, follow the golden rule: “Less is better.”
Sideboards, bulky cabinets, massive bedside tables make the space heavier. While glass shelves and console furniture, which seem to “grow” out of the walls, look more advantageous in this design. If you cannot do without a closet, choose sliding wardrobes with mirrored doors; they will visually increase the space and will not overload the room. Opt for a simple but not cheap sofa, armchair, small coffee table and TV stand. It is advisable to hide household appliances rather than display them, as was done before. Modular facades with transparent or mirror doors are ideal for this. The main thing is that they are not decorated with drawings, patina or carvings. Facades must be extremely smooth.
Of course, no wires should be visible. Think about this point in advance at the renovation stage. Nowadays, builders easily hide wires in walls.
Provence style and fireplaces
This style is characterized by simplicity of form, the absence of any frills or pomposity. To create such a fireplace, you need to think through and take into account every detail.
- The only color allowed is white, sometimes light yellow or light green tones can be used.
- Natural materials are used for cladding. It can be natural wood or ceramics.
- Decorated with forged compositions.
- Preference is given to artificial aging.
The firebox in such a fireplace is always open, which makes it resemble an ordinary stove. The firebox is covered with forged grates or screens. Such stylish fireplaces look elegant. This is necessary not only to protect against sparks, but also serves as the final finishing touch to the design.
Lighting
Minimalism loves light, the more light the better.
During the daytime, the living room should be flooded with sun, so avoid thick curtains and blinds. If there is not enough natural light, install lamps in the room that can be turned in any direction. This will make it easier for you to create the lighting you need. Remember that lamps in the interior are also decor, which means they must fit into the interior. In the living room, original spherical lamps and a lamp with a rectangular frame are usually installed.
Materials
Materials are also considered key in creating a minimalist interior. A lot has already been said about the tree. It is present here in the furniture, on the walls and in the flooring, but what else can appear in the decor of a living room interpreted in the style of minimalism? Undoubtedly this is:
- Smooth cement.
- Steel wire.
- Glass.
- Mirrors.
- Stone.
- Large volumes of polished surfaces.
sun-shaped mirror in minimalist style
Minimalism never skimps on materials. The emphasis here is only on the highest quality and, as a result, expensive components.
Variety of interior solutions
An interior designed in a minimalist style can be completely different.
The room can be decorated only in light colors, or you can play with contrasts - light walls in combination with a dark floor looks very impressive and stylish. To create a warm design, beige color is suitable in combination with wood and a fireplace with a decorative portal that matches the color and design.
Interiors in cool shades - white, gray in combination with contrasting decor are suitable for any room. Metal, glass and mirrors look great in such rooms.
Who should choose an English fireplace?
True connoisseurs of exquisite solutions will certainly be surprised by the impeccability and practicality of fireplaces made in the English style. Most of the parts are designed by hand. This makes the product look more expensive. This is the best choice for wealthy people, real aristocrats - those who are accustomed to using the best solutions from global manufacturers.
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