3 soul-soothing observations of minimalism
Minimalism reached me when I knew nothing about it.
The joy of receiving something and finding value in it came with time. The focus then shifted towards receiving things with gratitude. Positioning things at home helped achieve clarity on what I really wished to keep and vice versa.
With time quality took over quantity.
It went beyond the intimidation of spacious loft houses with three objects and cold white walls. Minimal details helped me harmonize, slowly drifting towards mindfulness where I began to enjoy the process of homebuilding.
With time, observations appeared. Three of them helped me work towards a way of living. Here are some thoughts on them.
Warm minimalism
From a romanticized scarcity, minimalism moved towards an unrivaled sense of freedom from more. It often intimidated me with the use of few objects, living on basics with a sterile, cold feel. Hence, sparks of the opposite needed to be interspersed in.
Warm minimalism gently introduces us to this possibility.
With a soothing palette, we can work with textured fabrics, artisanal accent pieces, earthy textures where design meets function to create a fuzzy feeling. To know how much to subtract is an art. With too many ideas and things, one could meet an “analysis frustration”-hence minimalism.
The production of a warm, personal aesthetic could be a beautiful revelation. As said, “The meaning of minimalism from the art world signifies new beginnings, not necessarily a void of less’.
Aesthete
What essentially began as a need to appreciate “ Art for art’s sake” turned into a way of viewing the world. How does one balance something that is is practical, beautiful, and simple? As an aesthete, deep sensitivity towards nuances of life attaches an emotional experience with it. It makes our life fuller.
As an aesthete, external triggers work less to create sensory joy. It is internal that does the real work. Almost like a spiritual touch, an aesthete takes time to enjoy, ‘ that which is gazed at, listened to, touched, smelled, or brooded upon.’ Understanding that art functions to remove us from our finite existence into a meditative process of infinity can be beautiful.
Carefully selected objects and textiles at home would need that highlight of quality over quantity. For it is said, ‘It is through art, and only art, that we can realize our perfection.’
Appropriateness
Great design helps us to understand the appropriate use of space for a task. Through a decluttered lens, our focus could be on understanding space to optimize a goal. How does something help us to function better?
Appropriation could be understood through a well-defined vestibule of an entrance. It needs to emote a feeling of transition from one zone to the other. This transition marks an important feeling. The transition from one phase to the other could not just be through the change in the size of our home or the quality of clothes alone. It could be through boundaries at home that help define one task from the other.
With clean spaces that inspire us, we can transition areas of our homes into sanctuaries that serve a purpose.
The process continues with the hope that movements such as minimalism do not come with a set of rules but with emotions that help us to function better. To retrospect on what truly matters within.
As a journey, the process can be deeply rewarding.