Here’s Why the “Minimalist Aesthetic” Is So Much More Than Styling With White

If there’s one bedroom in the house that commonly gets touted as embodying a “minimalist vibe” it’s the bedroom. And, rightly so. As a space that needs to ooze with zen vibes—the goal is to get to sleep ASAP, right?—playing it safe with floor-to-ceiling white makes perfect sense.

However, while the world has readily adopted Scandi-inspired interiors in the name of minimalism, when it comes to attaining this popular aesthetic, incorporating colour, texture, and intentional styling to your bedroom has the potential to be more calming than styling with just white, by bringing out the contrast of the white elements you use in the space.

When looking at the styling principles that define Scandi-styling, geometric shapes, simple materials, and repetition are all used to create a sense of order. And, on closer inspection (read: a serious deep-dive on Pinterest) many of the most popular Scandi-inspired bedrooms use white hues as a base tone and build on from there. A new Scandi-trend that many people around the world have also been adopting is “lagom”, the idea of using “just the right amount” in all elements of life. Which is a perfect notion when it comes to styling if you ask us.

Below, we give you four ideas to help you nail a minimalist bedroom, while also experimenting away from white.

Refine your colour palette

While white instantly provides a sense of tranquility, so too does pastel tones and dark cooling shades reminiscent of nature. But before you go wild with colour, start by assessing the colours that you love most and pairing them together. By choosing two to three hues you can work with, you’ve instantly created a palette that will help you refine all of your styling choices for your bedroom.

If you’re not sure where to begin, start by daydreaming of places that inspire you. The Amalfi Coast, Italy? Milford Sound, New Zealand? Or even, your favourite local cafe. From there, you will start to find patterns of colours that you are drawn to. In your palette, you can also add one bold colour for elements like a statement cushion for added juxtaposition.  

Play with a handful of textures and patterns

Another way to incorporate focal points in your bedroom is through the use of texture. Much like colour, texture helps bring out the personality of your space. If you would like to keep colour to a minimum, this is a great way to diversify your aesthetic. This season, popular elements like rattan furniture, woven rugs, and velvet upholstery are all creative and low-commitment elements you can add to your space. Plus, with vintage nods to varying eras, they are not fast-trends that are going to disappear anytime soon.

Stick to similar wood tones

One trick that helps make your space feel less chaotic (particularly in small spaces) is to try and choose a dominant wood undertone that you stick to when buying furniture. While finding an exact match for every piece is near impossible, finding pieces that have warmer undertones, or cooler undertones will help your space feel not only bigger, but unified. For a more beachy coastal nod, cooler, light wood tones will help you achieve this look. However, if you’re a devout mid-century modern follower, warm, dark tones will have you feeling like you’re on the set of Mad Men.

Style with intention

Arguably, the queen of minimalism is author Marie Kondo. In her book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, she believes that every item in your home should have a place and intention. She says, “the objects you decide to keep, the ones that gave you the spark of joy? Treasure them from now on. When you put things away, you can actually audibly say, 'Hey, thank you for the good work today...' By doing so, it becomes easier for you to put the objects away and treasure them, which prolongs the spark of joy environment.”

While colour and texture play a significant role in shaping how you feel in your bedroom, so too does the amount of furniture and smaller items you have in it. While shopping for the latest trending pieces are guaranteed to provide you with a thrill, making sure that every element has a clear intention, or serves a purpose for the space will minimise a cluttered feeling.

Inspired? Here’s five easy ways you can declutter your bedroom.