Can cozy minimalism for one can be a thing or..?
June 4, 2022 5:53 AM Subscribe
I've moved. I'm continuing to unbox and declutter as I go along, but would appreciate some insights and tips from the hive mind about making this apartment feel like home.
I think, before this, I've always approached all home setup and decor as to be for guests, if that makes sense. Over the years I've realized that I actually don't even like having most people over, and the ones I do like don't care at all about how the house looks. I do. I want it looking warmly lit and comfortable with piles of books and fun wall art and comfy sir down spots and boxes of cat toys for my little gremlins and a well-stocked kitchen and bar.
But at the same time, I am thinking of an aesthetic that does this without clutter or adding a lot of new stuff - moving made me realise it suuuucks to do it solo (with two excitable cats who are only now beginning to settle down) and i would like to pare down my possessions rather than add more. This is a tricky thing to balance as the new space is huge and it would be very easy to fill it up more to avoid it looking bare.
How does one do this? How does one create a nest-y feel for one person in a house that's truly not built for one, without it feeling squashy with items or depressingly bare?
Other throwaway questions if you want to answer -
Where do I look up design/furniture inspo (minimalism or not, I need a Serious Bookshelf and some other odds and ends for storage)?
How do I optimize small closet space usage without clothes tumbling over each other? Storage boxes?
What kind of curtains/blinds should I be looking for if i want a wispy-ish feel but also a double layer that's more opaque? The new apt has killer views so I want that to be as visible as possible, except when I don't want it of course.
Any other tips or tricks that have proved to be useful for you are also welcome. Many thanks in advance.
I think, before this, I've always approached all home setup and decor as to be for guests, if that makes sense. Over the years I've realized that I actually don't even like having most people over, and the ones I do like don't care at all about how the house looks. I do. I want it looking warmly lit and comfortable with piles of books and fun wall art and comfy sir down spots and boxes of cat toys for my little gremlins and a well-stocked kitchen and bar.
But at the same time, I am thinking of an aesthetic that does this without clutter or adding a lot of new stuff - moving made me realise it suuuucks to do it solo (with two excitable cats who are only now beginning to settle down) and i would like to pare down my possessions rather than add more. This is a tricky thing to balance as the new space is huge and it would be very easy to fill it up more to avoid it looking bare.
How does one do this? How does one create a nest-y feel for one person in a house that's truly not built for one, without it feeling squashy with items or depressingly bare?
Other throwaway questions if you want to answer -
Where do I look up design/furniture inspo (minimalism or not, I need a Serious Bookshelf and some other odds and ends for storage)?
How do I optimize small closet space usage without clothes tumbling over each other? Storage boxes?
What kind of curtains/blinds should I be looking for if i want a wispy-ish feel but also a double layer that's more opaque? The new apt has killer views so I want that to be as visible as possible, except when I don't want it of course.
Any other tips or tricks that have proved to be useful for you are also welcome. Many thanks in advance.
Maybe this site will provide some inspiration. There is also her book, Cozy Minimalist Home.
I agree with ficbot about having fewer pieces of little furniture. The random tables, bookshelves, and little chairs create visual clutter, when one bigger piece will do. Closed cabinets and covered boxes go a long way to contributing to your peaceful haven while keeping all your goodies close at hand.
Enjoy your new space!
posted by XtineHutch at 6:36 AM on June 4, 2022 [4 favorites]
I agree with ficbot about having fewer pieces of little furniture. The random tables, bookshelves, and little chairs create visual clutter, when one bigger piece will do. Closed cabinets and covered boxes go a long way to contributing to your peaceful haven while keeping all your goodies close at hand.
Enjoy your new space!
posted by XtineHutch at 6:36 AM on June 4, 2022 [4 favorites]
I would say focus on pieces or spots that make you happy and build those intentionally - instead of a large shelf covered in collectibles you can have a couple of specific items on display that give you joy, and you'll be able to see them and enjoy them more because they will stand out. Build your cozy book nook but don't absentmindedly convert every corner into one just because you can.
posted by Lady Li at 8:15 AM on June 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Lady Li at 8:15 AM on June 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
For all small space dwellers, I recommend checking out the Apartment Therapy website for ideas.
posted by TimHare at 10:43 AM on June 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by TimHare at 10:43 AM on June 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
I converted a small bedroom into a dressing room and I'm never going back. Ran a clothing rod along a wall with dressers under, a curtain in front if you want, full length mirror, and a bench to sit on.
My other suggestion is to avoid too much furniture like mentioned above, but also to group it in clusters so it looks composed rather than spaced out and empty.
posted by sepviva at 7:41 PM on June 5, 2022
My other suggestion is to avoid too much furniture like mentioned above, but also to group it in clusters so it looks composed rather than spaced out and empty.
posted by sepviva at 7:41 PM on June 5, 2022
For windows, you have a few different options. You could have sheer curtains and an opaque or blackout roller blind (which is unobtrusive), you could have a double curtain pole and get sheer curtains and regular curtains, I've seen double shades somewhere, you could get expensive (ie with a robust mechanism) horizontal wooden blinds.
I think it helps to give each room/space a purpose or name. If you have more rooms/spaces than you are really going to use, then close them off. When I live on my own, I personally like to have a bedroom, a WFH room with a door that closes, and a living space large enough for a sofa and a dining table.
posted by plonkee at 3:06 AM on June 6, 2022
I think it helps to give each room/space a purpose or name. If you have more rooms/spaces than you are really going to use, then close them off. When I live on my own, I personally like to have a bedroom, a WFH room with a door that closes, and a living space large enough for a sofa and a dining table.
posted by plonkee at 3:06 AM on June 6, 2022
Some closet thoughts:
I have a narrow but deep and tall closet with a few features that have helped: a double set of shelves above the clothes bar, several sets of hooks along the walls (if I owned the place, I'd probably do more shelving, but the hooks are a decent compromise), a small rolling set of drawers for socks and underwear that sits in the middle unless I need to get to the less accessible shelves. I have to swap clothes seasonally, so half my wardrobe is in under-bed storage boxes at any given time.
My partner has tall, shallow closets and gets a lot of mileage out of the organizer system the previous owners installed.
Like sepviva, a friend has done the dressing room thing with an underused bedroom and loves it. She has a standalone wardrobe rack and large dresser (and the guest bed). I think a shoe organizer would be a nice addition.
Suggestion from that friend's house - color and pattern can go a long way toward a cozy feel without adding loads of stuff. She's played with a lot of strong wall colors and rug and curtain patterns over the years with good effect. I wouldn't call her place huge, but if it was all light-colored walls and basic floor and window treatments, it would feel much more like she was rattling around in it. But each room has a distinct personality and its own sense of place. Kind of like plonkee's sense of purpose - you know each space has a different use and there's variety as you move through them.
posted by EvaDestruction at 10:47 AM on June 6, 2022
I have a narrow but deep and tall closet with a few features that have helped: a double set of shelves above the clothes bar, several sets of hooks along the walls (if I owned the place, I'd probably do more shelving, but the hooks are a decent compromise), a small rolling set of drawers for socks and underwear that sits in the middle unless I need to get to the less accessible shelves. I have to swap clothes seasonally, so half my wardrobe is in under-bed storage boxes at any given time.
My partner has tall, shallow closets and gets a lot of mileage out of the organizer system the previous owners installed.
Like sepviva, a friend has done the dressing room thing with an underused bedroom and loves it. She has a standalone wardrobe rack and large dresser (and the guest bed). I think a shoe organizer would be a nice addition.
Suggestion from that friend's house - color and pattern can go a long way toward a cozy feel without adding loads of stuff. She's played with a lot of strong wall colors and rug and curtain patterns over the years with good effect. I wouldn't call her place huge, but if it was all light-colored walls and basic floor and window treatments, it would feel much more like she was rattling around in it. But each room has a distinct personality and its own sense of place. Kind of like plonkee's sense of purpose - you know each space has a different use and there's variety as you move through them.
posted by EvaDestruction at 10:47 AM on June 6, 2022
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1) The number one contributor to clutter in my space was too much furniture. I had little bookshelves and side tables and things like this which I inherited from relatives and it was free so why not, amirite. I realized these added so much clutter and it was better, aesthetically, to have one big bookshelf instead of 17 tiny ones. I got one of those big TV units with built-in shelves, put it all on one wall of the living room and put all my stuff in there. It does dominate that one wall, but it makes the rest of the space flow so much better.
2) Similarly, I got real about what I wanted to use the space for. I thought I coveted a home office space, and then actually did have to work from home and wound up just pulling my laptop onto the kitchen table. So before I moved in, I had a handyman come and do some painting, minor repairs etc. and also install an outlet in my walk-in closet. I left one side to hang clothes and put a dresser and on the other side, put a giant cube shelf which covers the whole wall. Clothes, office stuff, printer, storage, everything goes there. If you get the Ikea Kallax shelves for your cubes, they can fit big bins of stuff but you can also buy a divider for them which cutd the cube in half so you can fit more bins and subdivide your smaller things.
3) A little bit of matchy coordination goes a long way. I have a desk which is a family heirloom and is dark wood and I had mixed feelings about just plopping it into the corner of my bedroom. But then I needed a side table for a lamp beside the window. I got one which features the same colour wood as the desk and now it makes that side of the room look like a little area. I love spending time there now.
4) I had a lot of random inherited stuff like art posters and tchochkes. I got rid of most of it. I have accepted that I will live with bare walls for now. I really want to find things I value and care about to put there, even if it takes time to collect it. I don't want to put stuff up just to fill the space. I am being more mindful and intentional this time. That might work for you also.
Good luck and have fun!
posted by ficbot at 6:15 AM on June 4, 2022 [3 favorites]