Title: What Is Minimalist Design?
Headings: What Is Minimalist Design?
What Is Minimalist Design?
Brief History of Minimalist Design
Key Characteristics of Minimalist Design
Famous Quotes About Minimalist Design

Content: The Spruce / Michelle Becker
Brief History of Minimalist Design
Minimalist design emerged in the 20th century as a reaction to and rejection of the highly decorative styles of the past, from frilly Victorian architecture to Abstract Expressionist art. Some design historians trace the origins of minimalism to the simplified forms epitomized by the Dutch De Stijl movement of 1917 to the early 1930s and it is widely acknowledged to have been influenced by the zen simplicity of traditional Japanese gardens and interiors and the clean aesthetics of Scandinavian design. The less is more mantra of minimalist design is a quote from legendary German architect Mies Van Der Rohe, who in post-war Europe and the U.S. was one of the notable architects associated with the Bauhaus and modernism who responded to the availability of new materials such as glass, steel, and concrete combined with the building processes brought about by mass production to create minimalist structures that often look as fresh and of the moment as they did decades ago. Minimalist design shares DNA with Modern Architecture, Bauhaus Architecture, Brutalist Architecture, and mid-century modern design . Minimalist graphic design, art, theater, and fashion came into its own in the 1960s. In the realm of product design, legendary figures like German industrial designer Dieter Rams, whose "less but better" mantra guided the design of everyday objects such as desktop radios, calculators, and lacquerware, ushered in a whole new world of minimalist product design starting in the middle of the 20th century that laid the foundation for the kinds of streamlined objects that we live with today and continue to design for tomorrow, from the iPhone to the driverless car. Today, minimalist interior design and home decor— minimalist bedrooms, minimalist kitchens, minimalist living rooms, minimalist nurseries, and beyond—offers an alternative to the over-accessorized, jam-packed interiors that first became popular in the Victorian era and grew in popularity thanks to 20th-century consumer culture. The Spruce / Michelle Becker
Key Characteristics of Minimalist Design
Less is more
Focus on functionality
Clean, simple lines
Sculptural forms
Lack of superfluous ornamentation and decoration
Monochromatic, limited color palette, with color sometimes used as an accent to create a soothing environment
Use of limited, well chosen materials, such as concrete, steel, glass and wood
Everything has a place and a purpose
Use of space and natural light
Spotlight on craftsmanship
Interior design that is airy and uncluttered, often with open-play layouts and seamless integrated storage
The Spruce / Michelle Becker
Famous Quotes About Minimalist Design
“Less is more” –Mies Van Der Rohe, architect
"Minimalism is not an architecture of self-denial, deprivation, or absence: it is defined not by what is not there, but by the rightness of what is there and by the richness with which this is experienced." – John Pawson, architect
“In pure architecture the smallest detail should have a meaning or serve a purpose.” –