i found this forum while researching on the philosophy of minimalism. seems like a good way to get opinions.
im a 3rd year interior design student and im writing a research paper on how minimalism as a design philosophy can enhance the quality of being and improve the experience of living spaces.
any and all comments are welcome. looking forward to your feedback.
Hello!
preamble: would you mind clarifying your definition of minimalism? Minimalism as a design element can be quite different than minimalism as a philosophy. As a design style, it means that you can have truckloads of clutter--as long as it is hidden in storage somehow, somewhere. Design magazines show lots of minimalism by this definition; full-wall, flat-front panels & big closets hide all the clutter. As a philosophy, it is quite different. And there are many degrees of what one deems necessary to survival (extreme minimalism) vs. necessary to live an abundantly full life (just one without extra unnecessary stuff)
so, assuming that there is a happy balance, where one has everything that is needed to function well and happily, with a welcoming, warm, but clutter-free home (this is my ideal), I can answer your question: living an uncluttered life means that things I have and love can be highlighted and stand out, showcased by the space and light around them, and, secondly, the home itself, if it has good bones, can be enjoyed more fully when it does not have to compete with junk. Thirdly, there is room for people and activities in a space that is not cluttered. Fourthly, it is quick & easy to tidy and clean up when there is no clutter, leaving more time and space for living a busy life
ive been looking at minimalism more so as a philosophy. not just living in a clutter free environment but living with just what you need. i completely agree with you... since there are minimal or limited elements in the space itself, one gets to focus on other important things.
what i like about a minimal room as that you begin to notice the space around you in a physical sense and you begin to notice other things like the changing sunlight during the day.
so yes essentially im looking at minimalism as a philosophy, not as a design style publicized by design magazines.
another thing that may further define how im looking at minimalism is this quote by british designer John Pawson:
"the only universal measure is whether the space feels comfortable and right to the people who use it"
looking at minimalism not as an architecture of self-denial or absence defined by what is not there, but the rightness of what is there and by the richness with which it is experienced. its not about just less. its about just right.
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