Minimalism?

[kenny]

Another perfect people vary thread.

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

Minimalist. Think OR without the technical equipment and just my white down sofas.

cheers--Sharon

 

[stracci2000]

It's so funny how people have different taste. I'm afraid my southern style would be a source of anxiety for a lot of you!

I love your style! I zoomed in on your blue and white!

 

[Gussie]

Thanks @eapj , @stracci2000 it's not for everyone but my motto is, "if you love it, you'll find a place for it." I love lots of things! I have been a collector all my life. I'm a hoarder of fine things!

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

Thanks @eapj , @stracci2000 it's not for everyone but my motto is, "if you love it, you'll find a place for it." I love lots of things! I have been a collector all my life. I'm a hoarder of fine things!

I love it (and your style)
I might just have to borrow it ....and you
i need you to pop over and help me hang some pictures and then we'll open a few boxes ...

 

[Gussie]

@Daisys and Diamonds wouldn't that be fun!

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

@Daisys and Diamonds wouldn't that be fun!

I do have a nice guest room (if i move Borris' litter box out of it)
nice new bed, book case, bedside drawers, built in wardrobe....
... china cabinet

 

[lambskin]

It's so funny how people have different taste. I'm afraid my southern style would be a source of anxiety for a lot of you!

I love this style. I just broke a small English Porcelain blue/whiteSt.shire crescent plate that was on my desk for over 50 years and told myself to get over it. Then I saw your porcelain collection... oh well. Beautiful just beautiful.

 

[MeowMeow]

I'm more in the middle. Minimalist-ish? I don't want a lot of stuff around the house. But i do like a little decoration in certain places.. When we lived in the 900 foot 2 bedroom apartment we legit looked like hoarders even though we hardly had anything. Nowhere to put groceries other than fridge and our dining room table in the kitchen. It terrified me when the social worker would visit because I was always afraid she would think we were unclean and take my child away. We could hardly walk from door to the kitchen because what little we had took up so much space in there.

When we got our house suddenly it was the opposite lmao. It's so empty in here. We really only have some clothes, computers and their tables, our bed, dining table and chairs, one nursery chair, and a couch lol. And I guess my daughter's bed and chest.

I love not having too much stuff. I already feel like I struggle with maintaining the 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms in use, the wooden floors in half the rooms, kitchen, dining room, living room and basement we use lol. I hate extra cleaning and moving heavy furniture to clean is hell for me. I think the only decorative stuff I have is on my fireplace and half of it is meant to be on the dining room table. We just keep it on the mantle because we have a grabby child and I don't want to worry about glass breaking yet.

My jewellery box is fairly empty as well. I have more velvet boxes than peices to put in them tbh.

 

[Made in London]

It's so funny how people have different taste. I'm afraid my southern style would be a source of anxiety for a lot of you!

I like your style.Mine is English country house which is similar style to yours

 

[Missy]

That's his dream room. Well that room with that view minus the "clutter" on thé table and minus the rug...

Wow, I just asked my DH and he said he loves this room. Go figure. LOL who is this man I married? Though he did say he likes that rug and the room needs it for sound absorption.
He said the light is what makes this room. It's open and like being outside and that is what resonates with him. And me too. And I love the wide open spaces and zero clutter in this room.

I learned something new about my DH today. I think my style is rubbing off on him. Just like my sense of humor has too. Nice going (on my part)

 

[Lisa Loves Shiny]

It's so funny how people have different taste. I'm afraid my southern style would be a source of anxiety for a lot of you!

I love your style and like Missy I can appreciate every beautiful item. From the gorgeous paintings to the warmth of the leather couch. But as momma says, I would be as anxious as a long tailed cat in a room of rocking chairs if I lived there. My house has made at least one friend nervous. I remember Pat once saying "You need to put some more furniture in here" when sitting in my living room.

 

[stracci2000]

I like all my weird collectibles and I like them out where I can see them and enjoy them. Maybe it's cluttered, but I'm good with it.
I especially love chinoiserie and all things Asian. Especially blue and white pottery, which is scattered all over the house!@Gussie

 

[Gussie]

@Made in London fellow Anglophile here!

@stracci2000 I adore blue and white! So easy to mix in with other colors. Timeless traditional- my favorite!

 

[marymm]

For myself, I would like to have one large-ish room with a big view and minimalist decor, but the next room would be more eclectic in design and include my treasures and books and art, and of course I would like a craft room/pantry/corner with storage/space for my watercolor supplies and crochet/yarn goods ...

 

[MillieLou]

I am a total minimalist and 100% agree with your OP. I love really empty rooms. I find them restful. Clutter and too many possessions drains me.

I find it very freeing to get rid of things and have just a few well-chosen possessions. I enjoy decluttering so much that I have nothing left to declutter!

I have a particular thing for being able to clean under things, so like furniture on legs, bed frames rather than divan beds, that sort of thing.

I adore Marie Kondo and love her tip for dealing with sentimental things that you don't really want to keep but feel bad getting rid of (take a photo and get rid of the item). Genius. Also the idea of sunk costs and the money already being wasted. And the concept of paying to use your house as a storage unit by keeping items that you don't find enjoyable or useful.

My goal would be a completely clear kitchen worktop with absolutely nothing on it - no toaster, kettle, just emptiness. Ahhh. That's not going to happen with a slightly-hoardy husband and kids sadly...

 

[MaisOuiMadame]

Wow, I just asked my DH and he said he loves this room. Go figure. LOL who is this man I married? Though he did say he likes that rug and the room needs it for sound absorption.
He said the light is what makes this room. It's open and like being outside and that is what resonates with him. And me too. And I love the wide open spaces and zero clutter in this room.

I learned something new about my DH today. I think my style is rubbing off on him. Just like my sense of humor has too. Nice going (on my part)

Yes! Happy couples often grow closer in taste with the years!

 

[MaisOuiMadame]

My goal would be a completely clear kitchen worktop with absolutely nothing on it - no toaster, kettle, just emptiness. Ahhh. That's not going to happen with a slightly-hoardy husband and kids sadly...

...working on this ATM... We switched from a built in Fridge to free up cabinet space. Then covid lockdown happened and now all carpenters loooong wait lists and have doubled their prices ....
Essentially we just need a few custom drawers. Luckily I had already planned it on the other side for Nespresso machine and toaster and mixer and thus had multiple electrical outlets put in the wall...


I did receive two carpenters for quotes (masked and distanced, window open) and I am waiting for my quote to come in...

 

[mrs-b]

I'm somewhere in the middle. Space, room to move, but not greige. Or plain white. Or neutrals, for more than background. My office downstairs is all off white - including the ceiling and carpet - but the furniture is bright yellow and there's a bunch of artworks on the walls. Everything I have, I use and if I don't use it, out it goes.

I like a soft, welcoming feel, but not cosy as such, or cluttered. I love pastels for wall color, and decorative accents. I like things on walls - but not every inch covered. I've had houses in magazines and on TV, but - honestly - I didn't enjoy the feel of having to get dressed up, just to fit in with one's own home. So now we look for pretty, homey (homey - not 'homely'!), soft, very well maintained, clean and neat, functional, comfortable, tasteful - but not spectacular or stunningly beautiful. My home is a backdrop for the people who live here, not visa versa.

I get a LOT out of my home and love spending time here. it's restful here, and expectation-free.

Having said all of that, tho....if I don't get a pool soon, I will die.

(I'm just putting that out there on the off chance my DH reads PriceScope....)

 

[ringbling17]

I think I am a bit of both.
I like minimalist in certain rooms like the bathrooms and esp. the kitchen. I don’t like seeing things all over the bathroom counters like makeup stuff or cleaning products or decorations. In the kitchen I don’t like anything out unless it is being used. I want the counters wiped down and food, plates, boxes, the mail, everything put away. Once something is finished being used, get rid of it.
I hate clutter and I am a neat freak.
On the other hand and with this new house, I have found I’ve been buying more wall decor and table decor than in my old house. In the old house I never put anything on my coffee table but in this house I have stuff on it. Currently I have some Christmas decor but in the old house I would never decorate the tables for Christmas.
Maybe it’s because I have a need to spend money and BC we didn’t buy new furniture I feel I have to dress up the rooms in another way?
I definitely don’t like clutter though or too many things all over the place. It drives me crazy. But I also don’t want a barren room.
When we moved here I donated so many things. Clothes, furniture, wall art, etc. yet I still feel like I have so much in this house.

 

[Laila619]

I am a minimalist. I do not like to collect things and I do not like owning too many possessions. Clutter and stuff everywhere gives me anxiety! Whenever I sell or donate or toss something, I feel an odd sense of relief.

 

[LLJsmom]

That's his dream room. Well that room with that view minus the "clutter" on thé table and minus the rug...

my dream room too...

 

[LLJsmom]

I am a total minimalist and 100% agree with your OP. I love really empty rooms. I find them restful. Clutter and too many possessions drains me.

I find it very freeing to get rid of things and have just a few well-chosen possessions. I enjoy decluttering so much that I have nothing left to declutter!

I have a particular thing for being able to clean under things, so like furniture on legs, bed frames rather than divan beds, that sort of thing.

I adore Marie Kondo and love her tip for dealing with sentimental things that you don't really want to keep but feel bad getting rid of (take a photo and get rid of the item). Genius. Also the idea of sunk costs and the money already being wasted. And the concept of paying to use your house as a storage unit by keeping items that you don't find enjoyable or useful.

My goal would be a completely clear kitchen worktop with absolutely nothing on it - no toaster, kettle, just emptiness. Ahhh. That's not going to happen with a slightly-hoardy husband and kids sadly...

I want to BE you. I want to get rid of clutter, and really try my best to. Then I wonder, what if I need that? And then I keep way way way more than I need.

 

[caf]

I'm somewhere in the middle. Space, room to move, but not greige. Or plain white. Or neutrals, for more than background. My office downstairs is all off white - including the ceiling and carpet - but the furniture is bright yellow and there's a bunch of artworks on the walls. Everything I have, I use and if I don't use it, out it goes.

I like a soft, welcoming feel, but not cosy as such, or cluttered. I love pastels for wall color, and decorative accents. I like things on walls - but not every inch covered. I've had houses in magazines and on TV, but - honestly - I didn't enjoy the feel of having to get dressed up, just to fit in with one's own home. So now we look for pretty, homey (homey - not 'homely'!), soft, very well maintained, clean and neat, functional, comfortable, tasteful - but not spectacular or stunningly beautiful. My home is a backdrop for the people who live here, not visa versa.

I get a LOT out of my home and love spending time here. it's restful here, and expectation-free.

Having said all of that, tho....if I don't get a pool soon, I will die.

(I'm just putting that out there on the off chance my DH reads PriceScope....)

I do want a pool too. Just one nice lap lane! But sadly I doubt it’s happening for me. I think my city yard is too small unless I remove a several hundred year cottonwood. I don’t think I could cut down the tree.

 

[LLJsmom]

A lot of people would look at my family room where I work and think I have too much clutter. But believe it or not, since the pandemic, I have decluttered about 50% of my total possessions, and probably 60% of my parents' stuff. This is such a difficult subject for me because I want to have LESS. I don't want to SEE so much stuff. But I worry about needing something, and having had it, but thrown it away. I have the mentality of "not enough" when in reality I have "too much". I grew up around parents who kept everything because we were so poor, we were recycling before it was a thing, plastic and glass bottles, paper bags, plastic containers. Buy a plastic bag? Why would you ever do that when there are so many from the grocery store? I am not like that, but I keep clothes, that are in pristine condition, but out of style. Because in 15 years, they may be back. What am I thinking? I hoard my children's clothes, have huge bags of them neatly folded and packed away safely, for when my children have children. I kid you not. I hoard their toys, sets of Legos, with the instructions, organized by zip lock, set after set of Calico Critters, Thomas train sets, and hundreds of his friends. It's crazy that I can't let go of these things. Stuffed animals from my own childhood that now my daughter likes. Now I have her hoarding. I just try to keep things from getting to messy and try to hide it all away. I'm a mess.

 

[123ducklings]

I’m in the middle. For daily clothes/jewelry wardrobe I trend more minimalist. For home decor I trend more maximalist. I like things to feel personal but not cluttered.

I used to have a hard time getting rid of things that still had use/value (lots of perfectly good clothes/shoes sitting in the closet that I rarely reached for), but spending so much time at home this year gave me the time and motivation to organize and purge the house top to bottom. Feels good to pass things along to people who will use them!

 

[mrs-b]

I do want a pool too. Just one nice lap lane! But sadly I doubt it’s happening for me. I think my city yard is too small unless I remove a several hundred year cottonwood. I don’t think I could cut down the tree.

I'm with you on this, @caf. Trees trump pools, every time.

 

[MillieLou]

I want to BE you. I want to get rid of clutter, and really try my best to. Then I wonder, what if I need that? And then I keep way way way more than I need.

Haha, not sure I am something to aspire to There's no right or wrong about this. It's like introversion / extraversion. Some people are energised by lots of possessions, some people are drained by them, some aren't affected either way (like my DH).

I would say, don't be afraid of getting rid of something you need. You will find a way to manage, whether that's improvising with another item, borrowing, renting, or even - worst case scenario - buying it again as needed. Yes, there are a couple of things I have regretted getting rid of and even re-purchased. However it's worth it to me to do that and not have the 99.9% of things I haven't regretted cluttering up my life.

Don't declutter the locking wheel nuts in your car though. That was a genuine mistake

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

I love this style. I just broke a small English Porcelain blue/whiteSt.shire crescent plate that was on my desk for over 50 years and told myself to get over it. Then I saw your porcelain collection... oh well. Beautiful just beautiful.

Oh dear
That's sad

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

I used to play that PC game the Sims
just to build and furnish the houses
Gary always said they were too cluttered (i admit sometimes i would make my Sims family unproductive and unhappy with too much stuff and not enough space)
He often goes into the spair room (with the china cabinet) and says the Sims live here