Would living with very little be wonderful for you? Are you a fan of minimalism in decoration? Do you want to sort out and then invest your interior differently? If you answer yes to at least one of these three questions, you probably want a refined decoration. So how to achieve this style of decoration? How do you ensure that there is only a fruit basket and the salt and pepper shaker, perfectly displayed on your kitchen worktop and nothing else? Refined decoration does not mean lifeless but on the contrary beautiful, comfortable and warm.
1 – Bet on sober colors
To reduce the material to a minimum, the elements should blend into the decor. To do this, choose them in restrained tones. Forget too bright colors and prefer beige, white, gray, etc. Subdued colors are less eye-catching.
2 – Opt for furniture with clean lines
A refined decoration does not make waves and can be forgotten. Certainly, you can have centerpieces that will catch the eye. But the rest of your decoration is minimalist. Your furniture should be unadorned.
3 – Leave nothing lying around thanks to discreet storage
Opt for functional furniture that is preferably closed. Multiply drawers, niches, storage that cannot be seen. Submit a few key elements to view, and place the rest in closed furniture so that it does not catch the eye.
4 – Favor a beautiful imposing element rather than multiple insignificants
If you are a fan of refined decoration, it is because you know how to appreciate empty spaces. Everyone must find their own balance in this matter. Of course, nothing should seem either too cold or too impersonal to you. The idea would simply be to replace many small things with a few big ones. If you have three chairs, why not replace them with a bench? If you accumulate small potted plants, why not move them away in favor of a large palm tree? The room filling effect is the same, but the scattering feeling is less. The eye focuses on the essential elements. Quite simply, visually the four legs of a bench will clutter your eyes less than the twelve legs of your chairs.
5 – Decorate with beautiful objects that have a soul
Maybe it’s because your decoration has become too standard that you have accumulated the elements? Have you thought that with lots of accessories, you could make a space more pleasant and warm? It can work of course, but if you want a clean decoration, find other ways. In particular that of choosing truly “charismatic” decorative pieces. Forget artificial materials, prefer the authentic and the natural. For example, choose solid wood over chipboard furniture. Or retype a piece of furniture that has a story. Forget synthetic fabrics, and treat yourself only to linen, wool or cotton.
6 – Think about green plants
What if you replace half of your decoration with a green plant? You can use vegetation as an alternative to traditional decoration. What if during the Christmas holidays, you left your classic decoration in the closet to decorate your interior only with natural elements such as branches?
7 – Decorate certain free spaces with images
Decorate places that seem too empty with a picture. It’s a good alternative to a bombastic decoration, because hanging a picture on the wall doesn’t require a lot of work. And then a frame doesn’t collect so much dust, you don’t really need to clean it, it doesn’t move. And then it can replace a lot of small items. And as said in point 4, favor a single frame rather than several small ones. Similarly, opt for a poster, photo or painting rather than a shelf that you are going to fill.
8 – Think functionality
If you want to limit your number of decorative pieces, what is very practical is to have pretty everyday objects to look at. Then you can display them on a few open shelves and achieve a simple effect. Without accumulating vases or candles, etc. Hang a linen apron and a nice brush on hooks attached to a kitchen sideboard: these will attract all eyes.
9 – Own the essentials
There is something grandiloquent about this: possessing the essential. Find out what is important to you. Shop smarter. Because it’s obvious, if you want to live with as few things as possible, what you own must be extremely practical, aesthetic and of high quality. A few examples: choose the absolute candle holder, the one that will replace a myriad of candle holders. Or opt for beautiful, high-quality bed linen instead of an armada of cushions.
10 – Re-arrange faster
It sounds basic: if you have fewer decorative pieces, then these are faster to move. Which means that the day you want to arrange your furniture and accessories differently, you can do it easily. If you only have a few hand-picked items, it’s easier to bring a breath of fresh air into your home.