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Minimalist Home Design
Alexa Hampton: The Language of Interior Design
- ISBN13: 9780307460530
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Product Description
At an early age, Alexa Hampton learned the language of good design, the vocabulary to speak it, and the elements that define it. As the daughter of interior design legend Mark Hampton, she traveled the world by her father’s side, touring the great architectural landmarks and discovering beauty, training her eye.
Now one of America’s most influential designers herself, Alexa Hampton provides a tour of stunning residences from her own portfolio.
Eighteen classic spaces illustrate in rich detail the elements that govern cultivated design—contrast, proportion, color, and balance. Among the residences are a landmark 1912 McKim, Mead & White restoration on Fifth Avenue in New York City; an eclectic house by the sea layered in textures, patterns, and colors; a contemporary apartment distinguished by simple geometry and clean lines; and Hampton’s own apartment, filled with an exquisite collection of architectural elements.
Hampton a… More >>
Decorating Themes – Kickstart Your Interior Design Inspiration

Do you feel a tad too bored every time you walk into your house? Does it seem like ages since you enjoyed your living space? If you answered yes to all of these queries then it’s high time you got around to refurbishing your home. How will you do this? Well, there are actually a number of ways. Various themes are available for you to pick from depending on your personal taste and preference. Yes, you don’t have to stick to a Retro-inspired room if you always become dizzy from all the geometric patterns the minute you step into it all!
For a homey appeal, a Country interior design scheme oozes comfort and serenity with its rustic glamor. It’s a wonderful choice for people who like living in a space that’s free of all the ruffles and frills. Far from the typical primitive country cabin, this style has evolved to produce a look that’s still undoubtedly country but is sophisticatedly urban at the same time. There are different variations of this theme. You can choose from styles that are ruggedly Tuscan, French-inspired, Victorian, or the regular American Country cottage. All of these styles lend an ambiance that’s relaxing in its stark rural simplicity.
If you gravitate towards a space that exudes elegance and style then the sophistication of a Modern-themed home will suit you the most. This look can be achieved by using tones that blend with the background. Basic colors such as white, black and beige are particularly needed to achieve this effect. So if you are thinking of red, orange or green, then drop that brush! Geometrical patterns star in this theme as opposed to symmetrical ones. If you are a sucker for fancy things, then this minimalist style will be something you have to gradually adapt to.
Western-style homes still connect to home-makers with their Native American influences, but other themes that are slightly more shabby and cowboy-friendly are gaining popularity too. With this type of decor, opt for warm hues of taupe, temperate shades of red and a splash of green on the walls. To polish this look, leather, stone and wooden furnishings are must-buy options. Antlers and other nature-inspired pieces accentuate this theme as well. It’s like living in the wild without the fear of having bears lurking nearby…
If you’re a beach bum who spends more time under the sun rather than indoors, then a nautical theme might probably change your mind! Now you don’t necessarily have to own a lighthouse to pull this off. All it takes is a major color change that celebrates bright white and azure blues that remind you of lazy days by the sea. Decorate using pieces from your sailing trips, exquisite shells, and even ship-inspired items! If the white-blue combo isn’t for you, then be inspired by sandy hues matched with sea green tones that bring back memories of summer!
Do you want to feel like you’re walking through a refreshing rain forest? Now you can. The tropical theme assures you of a space that comes alive with bursts of green, auburn and beige. Add to this several palm tree designs and animal prints and you’ll be surprised at the relaxing effect it radiates. Rattan furniture, along with sturdy wooden pieces, blends with this theme pretty well. Furnishings made of iron can also add to this tropical theme. Throw pillows and plush cushions in various shades of taupe, sage and white will complete your room’s overall tropical vibe. Now all you need are some piña coladas!
Asian-style homes are well-known for their elegant spaces and minimal use of decor. If you’re looking for a quiet retreat after a long day’s work, then this theme is a winner! Its completely calming effect is probably due to its clutter-free approach to style. Emphasis is placed on creating a place for relaxation and meditation. Popular hues revolve around rich blacks, warm reds, refreshing greens and sleek browns. Scented candles in simple holders, screens, mirrors, oriental pillows and an Orchid placed in a nice vase- these are all suitable accessories for this Asian-inspired nook.
Choose a theme that’s tailored for you. Then add signature pieces that give justice to your unique personality. Remember, you can never be too “at home” in your own space – indulge!
Using Art Prints with a Minimalist Home Decor

Most decorators traditionally recommend a minimalist décor
for many spaces, particularly small spaces such as apartments and guest
houses. Unfortunately, many people
believe that this means that the walls should be kept completely bare for a
minimalist décor to work. Aren’t pictures too flashy for a minimalist
décor?
Art
Prints: Perfect Complement to a Minimalist Decor
In a word: no, pictures are not too flashy to use with a
minimalist décor. In a few more words: art prints
are not too flashy for a minimalist décor, as long as you select your prints
carefully. In fact, in rooms with minimalist decor, art
prints
add character and highlight the fact that the decor really is minimalist and not
just neglected.
The trick with choosing art
prints
carefully is just to pick one print, or pick a few prints
on a highly related subject or in a similar style, preferably all by the same
artist. In a room with minimalist décor, the prints
will easily get more attention than anything else in the room, so you want to be
careful that the prints
do not conflict with each other. An obvious example: if you really like
Monet’s paintings of water
lilies, you could get several prints
each of a different Monet
painting of water
lilies.
There is a special concern if your décor is not just
minimalist but strikingly modernist (for instance, lots of simple furniture with
clear angles or curves rather than carved woodwork). In a room with a
particularly modernist décor, prints
that are from an earlier era might seem out of place. Go with prints
that were created more or less in the era in which your furniture was designed,
or in which your furniture’s design was most popular.
Obviously, there is a lot of room for personal judgment as to
what goes with what, since modernist anything always was designed not to look as
though it belonged to a particular period of time. It can be even more
confusing if your modernist-looking furniture was really just designed to look
spare in a general way rather than to hark to a particular school of
design. In those cases, just try to go for something that looks like it
matches, sticking to prints
of artworks that are modern but that are not immediately recognizable as
belonging to a specific decade.
If your furniture leans toward the 1950s and 60s style of
modernism (the kind of playful curves that would be at home in a room with a
sunburst clock on the wall), try prints
of the work of a period artist such as Jackson Pollack. If your décor’s
modernism leans toward the seventies or eighties (e.g., glass-topped coffee
tables and very spare design, you might be better off with Jasper Johns than
Jackson Pollack.
Choosing Art
Prints
for Rooms with Multiple Colors
- Minimal does not necessarily mean subdued. Just look at the vibrant paintings of modern artist Mondrian, such as “Broadway Boogie Woogie”, composed entirely of interlocking rectangles, square, triangles, and circles. If you’d like to keep your décor simple even with a striking color scheme, art prints can actually help. Here’s why:
- Art prints pull together disparate colors in a room. A print gallery or website will be able to recommend the best art print based on the colors in your room. Some sites even have search engines that match a room’s color scheme with appropriate art prints.
- When the furnishings in a room attract attention art prints make sure the walls provide visual interest, too, so the eye is not pulled relentlessly downward toward the furniture or rugs. Of course, you have to be careful not to give people a headache. As a rule of thumb, the more riotous the play of colors on the ground, the more orderly the play of colors on the walls should be. If the vibrant colors of your furnishings tend to swirl together, lend the room calm with artwork that takes those colors and presents them in neat lines and blocks.
- Art prints make it clear that your colorful décor is a well-rhymed composition, not just a loud burst of color. Visitors to your pad who see a blue couch, red end tables, and yellow lamps might well wonder what you were thinking–until they see a print of “Broadway Boogie Woogie,” or other artwork that shows how these disparate colors really do belong together.
- In the end, there is beauty in the simplicity of a room with a minimalist interior design, and there is beauty in the art that takes the same simple approach. If you keep that fact in mind when choosing artwork for your minimalist room, you can make sure your décor is more than minimally beautiful.
The Different Types of Home Design
When moving into your first home or apartment after college it can be a daunting task when it comes to deciding how you are going to decorate your home. The reason it can be very challenging is that most people, when decorating their first home or apartment, want to show off their unique style and taste and it can be difficult deciding what your personal taste is. Also, it can be difficult to decide whether to stick with one theme or combine different interior design styles together. The three most popular types of interior design styles are Modern/Contemporary, which includes modern furniture and modern design furniture, Romantic, and French. Most people like to choose one or a combination of two or all three of these styles for their home decoration.
The Modern/Contemporary style is marked by a minimalist approach to design. Most people who prefer the Contemporary look prefer to have a home that appears to have no clutter and therefore very little furniture. The look also uses clean lines and very defined pieces of furniture in its style. The colors that are usually associated with this kind of style are black and white, however, nowadays it seems that bright, bold colors can also be part of the contemporary design, and a bright yellow would be an example.
The French style is all about the rustic, country look. A lot of the French style has bright, detailed furniture that also looks antique. Distressed furniture pieces are also a part of the French style. It is all about a natural look. The colors that are normally associated with this kind of style are light and soft colors, like a taupe or a light green color. Also, the flooring in the French style is often wood or tile that looks like it has been worn.
The Romantic style is all about deep colors, big comfortable furniture, and rooms that feel cozy and intimate. This kind of design also encourages less lighting in all of the rooms for a more intimate feel in each room. Also, the fabrics used in the Romantic style need to be bold in color or design. As far as colors, the Romantic look is supposed to look like it sounds, passionate with deep tones like reds, oranges, and purple. Finally, many who prefer the Romantic style also prefer to have carpet in as many rooms as possible to give the home a more intimate and cozy feeling.
It is important to remember that these are just the three major types of interior design styles. There are plenty of other options that are available to you. And, if you are not planning on redoing your entire house from top to bottom, it is possible to still have these styles in your home without painting all of the walls and putting in all new floors. It is also important to remember that it is your home and your kind of style that will make the home truly yours, so don’t be afraid to experiment or pair different styles together.
Modern Home Plans – Having a New Home Designed
Modern home plans are available for those looking to purchase a new home that reflects the latest in architectural house designs. There are many companies that can work with you to help design a modern home based on contemporary styles and layouts. Many firms offer pre designed plans that can be changed to accommodate individual tastes and preferences. There is a huge range of plans available online and from architectural companies – your task is sorting through all the various elements until you can narrow down a list of crucial components to be incorporated into your plan.
A few questions you will need to answer will include: how many bedrooms, whether or not to have a family room, if a separate study room is valuable, and if internal garage access will be important. Plans come in both 2D and 3D versions for you to review before building begins. You will want to go over these with a fine toothed comb, as changes are much easier to make on the blue prints then once actually constructed on the ground.
The building site also needs to be taken into consideration for school districts, noise levels, and neighbours. Different sites will also require different types of permits at different prices. Planning a new home can be challenging as it is a big investment, so the new home should meet all of your specifications. Depending on what stage of life you are at may also indicate the style of design you need to consider. If you are looking at building a family home for example, then storage space for recreational gear such as bikes, boats and tents should be considered, as should backyard space for outdoor activities.
It is wise to speak to your architect about potential roadblocks in the project and about any other extras that are likely to be added to your bottom line figure. You may also want to discuss anything that your architect may think is a better design choice. Given their professional experience in house designing, it can be helpful to hear why certain elements will and will not work as you may envision. Your architect will be able to show you 3D walk through plans too. This can be useful exercise to examine sun patterns at different times of day and get a feel for the scale of your future modern home.
Modern home plans vary greatly, but tend to lean towards a more minimalist feel. Many people feel that contemporary modern homes are more aesthetically pleasing than traditional styles. New house designers today tend to make use of large glass windows for lots of natural light, open floor plans, and living areas that flow into one another. Having a new house designed is certainly an exciting time; ensure you view a wide range of styles and designer plans before you commit to print your future home.
dsigna Concepts is a professional architectural design and draughting services company based in New Plymouth, Taranaki on the west coast of New Zealand’s North Island. We deliver services from architectural design to council permit drawings. With the use of computer-aided design programs, we not only offer 2D drawings, but also computer generated 3D images. As well as servicing our local market with custom architectural house design services, we also offer a searchable online database of architecturally designed modern home plans, available to anyone in New Zealand.
Seven Ways to Modernize Your Home
Modern design, with clean lines and a good connection to the outdoors, will be the leading housing trend for the next few years. In response to a more complex world, home buyers respond to spaces that are simple, light, and soothing. They watch home makeovers on television, get décor catalogs in the mail, and have a wealth of online resources. Home buyers today are aware of current design trends, and they love the clean lines of modern homes.
Simplify & De-clutter
A minimalist interior is the first step toward the modern style that today’s buyers love. Smaller spaces can be overwhelmed with stuff. Fewer things are easier to display and keep the focus on the architecture. Mid century modern furniture, with clean lines and functional design, is very popular. It is a perfect combination with a light, open interior. Sparse décor, hard surface floors, white walls, and lots of glass give a cleaner, simpler look.
Space for Living & Working
The downturn in the economy and the trend toward green living has led to more efficient use of space in homes. There is an interest in livability, rather than showiness. Bathrooms are smaller and more sensible, but closets are still generous. Formal living, media, or exercise rooms that are unconnected to other core areas tend to not be used. These spaces may be converted to studies or home offices. Buyers who work on line are growing in number, and they need work space at home.
New Countertops
In the recent past, to upgrade a house was to “granitize” it. Today, granite is moving aside in favor of new choices. Recycled glass and engineered stones are growing in popularity, in line with the green trend. Soapstone, long used in labs, is in demand. The organic look of limestone, concrete, and marble have a following. Stainless steel is a good fit with modern styles.
Retro Is Back
Updated mid-century modern homes are very much in demand. Geometric patterns and big flower designs from the 1950′s and 60′s are in. Marimekko, Danish modern, IKEA, Eames, and early modern furniture are a perfect fit with today’s styles. Older traditional homes can be updated with sleek finishes, such as industrial light fixtures, flat cabinet doors, hard surface floors, and exposed windows. Open shelving in kitchens are a good fit. Today’s flat screens fit in easily, and the trend is to have more of them in places like kitchens or baths. Modern design with a retro feel will be the leading edge in the next five years.
Grey is the new Neutral
Red and gold are out. Thick texture on walls is out. Heavy faux is out. White and off whites are in. Pastels are in. Taupe and grey are combined with white for a sophisticated look. Add a splash of deep color – turquoise, chocolate brown, plum – and you have today’s look. A soft organic pallet, such as cream, sisal, and raw wool is in. On wood, both the natural bare look and dark stains are used.
Hard Surface Floors
Hard surface floors are a part of the green trend. Carpets hold dirt, dust mites and other allergens. Concrete, stone, cork, natural linoleum, bamboo, and wood are popular floors today. Bamboo, which grows a foot per day, is attractive and sustainable. Ceramic tile continues to be a good fit for baths, and is being explored for kitchen counters. Large ceramic pieces set tightly together offers a new look with lots of new colors.
Outside is In
More than ever, buyers want to experience the outdoors. Large, sliding glass doors and screened porches have made a comeback. On tight urban lots, glass walls open the interior to a private yard. Backyard gardens, covered patios with outdoor kitchens, and pools are all desirable to today’s buyers.
Creating a Modern-Style Home
Although the Modern design movement encompasses a whole plethora of aesthetics, there’s a simple rule to designing the Modern home: function first, form follows. That means that the functionality of any item you use should be the main priority when choosing design elements. Even if it looks strange or lacks details, the look will still pull itself together in the end. While it does tend to look generic and sterile, the right minimalist perspective and design touches will make it look no less than home.
If you think about it, getting this look for your home is fairly straightforward. Each item has to be chosen because it serves a certain function; anything superfluous or unnecessary is removed. All your furniture pieces are clean lines at every inch, all your accessories are minimalist and your color palette is kept to a minimum. With concrete, steel and glass as the primary Modern materials, it’s easy to end up with clean, polished look. Modern designs work best if you leave lots of space throughout the room.
Color schemes are mostly restricted to a monochromatic or neutral palette. Beiges, blacks and whites are the stars of the Modern design color show. That doesn’t mean, however, that the colors have to be dull and boring. Apply different finishings to the same black paint to get glossy or matte effects, giving the impression of entirely different colors. If the color isn’t necessary, don’t use it!
Flooring is almost always made of concrete or wood, and rarely is there anything unusual here if you’re trying to go for the Modern aesthetic. Although you have about the same color choices for the floor as the walls, you’ll have an easier time handling a light-colored floor because it’ll be easier to get furniture and accent pieces for it.
Area rugs enjoy many exceptions to the rules of the Modern style. It’s one of the few items where you have a wide range of choices in terms of texture and color. An area rug gives you the chance to add a homier feel to a sterile space, so make the most out of it. Unusually shaped, brightly-colored and richly textured rugs are the best for the Modern look – the more it stands out, the better!
Modern styles, although they avoid accessories and other accents, don’t cut those out altogether. Every Modern-style space could use a few room accents here and there. Just be sure to make each piece very unique and interesting on its own. Steel artworks and glass sculptures are some of the typical choices for accents in a Modern-themed space. Just like with the rugs, this is another place where you can put in some of your own personality. Play with colors and shapes, but remember to keep things minimal.
Initially, the Modern style could easily look very impersonal, cold and uninviting. With the right design touches, however, a Modern-themed space could look about as welcoming and cozy as any other. It’s all just a matter of knowing the basic beliefs of Modern design, and putting in a few balanced touches along the way.
Organizing Interior of Your Minimalist Home
Decorating your home will be a great investment for your entire family’s comfort and convenience. Especially when you decor your home in a minimalist design, you should get the best decoration so you will bring the real minimalist touch into your home. Since the minimalist design is one most favorites design today, this kind of house will be the answer for the needs of the community who wanted a house that is simple but can be maximized.
This design will be the best solution for your limited land and space especially when you live in metropolitan city. You should get the right deal of its interior and exterior design to get the large touch. If you deal with these conditions, you can start by avoiding the permanent divider for your room. This permanent divider will give a narrow touch to your room. You can start to use the divider that is characterized as temporary and accessories. You can choose the one that is clean, firm, without a profile, and minimal geometric shapes.
In addition, if you do not want to use the divider, you can organize your home with carpet. You can choose the one that has a solid color that makes your room looks large and fresh. Instead of carpet you can also add with some additional accessories such as accessories, for example painting. You can choose the frame that has compositions and simple shape without carving or profile. You also need to be aware of your furniture choice. It is highly recommended that you select the furniture that is simple with no profile and carvings with dark colors, like dark chocolate.
Here are some simple steps that you can do if you want to get a minimalist decoration nowadays. Decorating your interior design in modern and minimalist house needs to be done very carefully indeed because the limitation of existing space brings a narrow sense.
Minimalist Interior Design – Below the Surface
Minimalism
Minimalist interior design came about as a direct result of the Minimalist art movement which first surfaced in the 1950s in New York and dominated the art world through the 1950s and 1960s. The art movement came from the overarching movement of the time, Modernism. This is why the terms Modernism and Minimalism are often used almost interchangeably when discussing design. While it is accurate to say that a minimal approach is a modern one, the reverse is not always true.
Minimalist art is self-contained art; external references and emotion are avoided. Interior designers who work with minimalism tend to broadly follow this ideal. The approach to minimalism in interior design is less rigorous than it is in the art world. This is to be expected as a building’s interior has to serve a function beyond the aesthetic–it has to be conducive to the act and to the art of living.
There are several distinct objectives within minimalist interior design and the task of the designer is to make these rationales come together as seamlessly as possible. This is no easy task and involves a lot more than knocking down a couple of non-supporting walls and painting everything white.
The Spiritual
The first objective is the spiritual. Minimalist interiors are designed to facilitate a sense of calm and peace. People’s surroundings have a huge impact on the way that they feel and consequently act. To this end colors tend to be extremely pale or white so as not to induce an emotional response. The use of whites and pastels on walls also maximizes the reflection of light giving a soft, diffuse illumination that is not harsh or uncomfortable. The minimalist interior designer uses light to define the forms and the spaces where other designers would use materials and finishes.
Open plan designs are favored as this type of architecture promotes a calm, detached feeling. Patterns and textures are generally not used unless they are essential to an object’s function. An unfinished brick wall could easily be incorporated into minimalist design as the texture is directly related to its function, but wallpaper with an image of bricks would be about as anti-minimalist as it is possible to be.
The Practical
The second objective is the practical. Multi-purpose objects are important in this regard. The floor that is also a radiator, windows arranged for the gathering of heat as well as light, and even the sofa that converts to a bed all follow the minimalist ideal. This multi-purposing ethos also extends to the use of spaces within the home. A committed minimalist will not be happy until every space serves at least two distinct functions.
Energy Efficiency
Thirty years ago this third objective would have been a subset of the practical. The importance of energy conservation in the light of recent discoveries regarding climate change and potential fuel scarcities means that energy efficiency is now an essential part of minimalist design. In fact it could be argued that it is impossible for a home to be considered an example of minimalist design without a serious attempt at energy conservation. At the very least the house should be insulated and all windows double- or triple-glazed. A purist would argue that the minimalist needs to go beyond these standard measures and look at non-fossil fuel options such as geothermal heating or solar panels.
If a designer meets these three objectives, the design produced would undoubtedly be a minimalist one.
Concluding thought
Of course many will slap a coat of white paint on the walls, rip some carpets up, and put a few openings in walls and call it a minimalist design, but for a design to be truly minimalist a bottom-up approach is needed. The functioning of the home, spiritually, practically, and energy-efficiently, will to a very large extent dictate its appearance. This is true minimalism and it comes from below the surface.
Contemporary Lighting Tips on How to Match Your Contemporary Home Design With Modern Lighting
If you want to draw attention to a room, add contemporary lighting to it. The elegance created can cause a person to be mesmerized by the area. Although some people take the lighting for granted, you should never commit the same mistake. Even when you buy the most expensive furniture and home decor accessories, if you put on an inappropriate light, you will end up ruining everything. Because of its importance, you must give extra attention to it. Here are the tips to achieve your desired effect with using contemporary lighting for a maximum effect for your home.
Style
Contemporary lighting is usually minimalist and quite simple. If you want to keep in tune with your theme, choose the designs that are simple yet elegant. For example consider the style with minimal accessories. In the theme you want to portray, the main rule is, the lesser, the better. The feature goes well in houses with limited living space or in smaller apartments. By choosing less intricate designs, you can have more room for movement within the place.
Size
Contemporary lighting mainly focuses on the size of the light fixture. Before buying your lamp, measure the ceiling or the area you want to illuminate to get the proper size. Because you are after the space you can increase, do not overpower your room with too big lighting fixtures. They should not also be too small; otherwise, they will lose their essence. Keep them within the right balanced range to bring out their elegance in the room.
Color
The majority of color types in a contemporary styled home is beige, black and white. These colors are very safe to match with other similar shades that don’t give you a strong glare. When choosing the color to match your room, pick from these shades instead of going ballistic with some strong retro style. When the light strikes to it, it creates roominess in that area of the room. Thus you will easily create an illusion of increased space and also add sophistication to your home as well.
If you do it right, your decorative ideas can turn your room into another masterpiece that your neighbors will envy. By choosing the right contemporary lighting, you can have a fantastic looking house and display the creativity of your mind using the style that you truly love. Your home will not only be more inviting to your guests, but they will look in awe at the way your new illumination gives way to a much better ambient and decor in your home. Don’t be afraid to experiment and let your creativity flow freely while you express yourself with contemporary lighting.


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