Add Personality to Your Minimalist Themed Decor | Articulate
An Article minimalist sofa is in a living room with a piece of geometric art and a blanket ladder.
How To / October 28, 2020

Add Personality to Your Minimalist Themed Decor

You’ve finally gotten around to decluttering when you notice something’s just a little bit off. Was that… a tumbleweed? Is it… mocking your newly empty space? Have you gone too minimalist? 

While a streamlined, clutter-free space can feel light and refreshing, it’s all too easy to get carried away and suddenly find yourself in a house that lacks your (wonderful) personality. Like pumpkin without the spice, minimalist spaces benefit from that necessary dose of flavor. 

But, how can you create a space that follows minimalist design principles — while also reflecting exactly who you are? Let us show you. 

A minimalist home from blogger A Merry Mishap
Jennifer of A Merry Mishap creates a serene minimalist space with the Solae Sectional.

Arts and craft

As minimalist decor relies on a “less is more” philosophy, every item you bring into your space must be carefully curated. Starting with a pared-down look, bring in art, collectibles, and other personal items to add a touch of personality to every space. 

“Collectables? Aren’t those the definition of ‘clutter’?” you may ask. When we refer to collectables and modern decorative items in the context of a minimalist space, think more like an otherwise empty wall featuring a single, large-scale piece of art, or a mid century sideboard with a single plant and small grouping of tasteful souvenirs from a recent voyage. You’re not covering every surface with these items but rather picking and strategically choosing exactly what goes where. 

Whether it’s a custom painting of your pooch you commissioned from a local artist, or a set of hand-painted vases you picked up at a flea market in Spain,  these seemingly small items can have a big impact when it comes to adding personality to your space.

Blogger Ave Styles minimalist nursery features the Embrace Rocking Chair.
Nurseries can be minimalist too! While Alex of AVE Styles keeps this space pared down, the cozy Embrace Rocking Chair and small, personal touches add warmth.

Texture, texture, read all about it

When it comes to a minimal space, there’s a fine line between calm and curated and “this is a museum please don’t touch anything.” To ensure your space leans more towards the former, add inviting textures wherever possible. 

Take liberty with layering textiles like leathers, wools, and velvets along with natural grainy woods, and metals. When you keep these unique textures and materials within the same neutral color palette, you’re able to add variety and interest without breaking up your minimalist look. 

For example, perhaps your main sofa is a soothing gray fabric with classic minimalist lines like the Lappi. Adding a nubby, woven wool pillow like the Ren instantly adds a layer of coziness — and reflects your welcoming personality. 

Article's Lappi Sectional in a light gray sits next to a yellow ottoman and black and white print.
When you keep the core pieces of a space simple, like the Lappi Sectional here, you can add visual interest with textured pieces like the velvet Macca Ottoman and pink Bocco Sheepskin Pillow.

Again, this is another area you can bring in pieces you’ve gathered while on memorable trips. Maybe you brought an artisanal authentic wool blanket back from your Irish holiday last year and have been looking for a spot to put it. Voilà. Now… if only you had an equally beautiful spot for that “Kiss me I’m Irish” leprechaun magnet. 

Color your minimalist world

When you search for examples of minimalist spaces on Pinterest you’ll see a lot of white on white on white. While there’s absolutely nothing wrong with this, these types of spaces can easily feel cold and sterile without very strategic design choices. 

It may seem counterintuitive, but adding a refined touch of color to a minimalist space can do wonders when it comes to adding personality. Think about your favorite colors and look at small-scale ways you can incorporate these into your design. 

Perhaps the warmth of golden-yellow tones remind you of a sunset you saw while vacationing in Santorini but you’re unsure of how to bring that into your minimalist, all-gray living room. Enter: the Embrace Heirloom Gold Chair. When the rest of the space is pared down and a foundation of neutral tones, the addition of color has a huge impact. 

A minimalist living room is shown with Article's Embrace Chair in Heirloom Gold.
When your space has a foundation of neutral tones, adding in a pop of color, like this Embrace Chair in Heirloom Gold, instantly boosts the personality factor — while the simple silhouette keeps things minimal.

Maybe you grew up in the Pacific Northwest and want to bring some of that “forest bathing” life to your home. When you’re trying to stick to a nature-inspired palette, a piece like the Burrard Forest Green Sofa is just what you’re looking for. 

The key to incorporating colorful pieces into a minimalist home is to do so with purpose. Add your main pop of color, and choose a few carefully selected decor accents in a similar palette to tie the space together. 

Blogger Travis Collins' minimalist living room features a light sofa, fiddle leaf fig, leather chair, and marble coffee table.
Strategic design decisions — like adding texture, greenery, and personal touches — keeps Travis Collins’ minimal living space from looking sparse. The Burrard Sofa, Mara Coffee Table, and Lento Chair ground the space, while thoughtful decor accents add coziness and extra personality.

Minimalist spaces get a bad rap for often being devoid of personality, but we just know there’s no way that would happen in your home. A piece of meaningful art here, a cozy modern throw, and a pop of color to round it out ensures that your minimalist space perfectly reflects the best part of any space in your home — you. 

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