What Is Minimalist Design?

Minimalist design is an influential 20th century visual style with an established history in the realms of architecture, interiors, art, graphics, fashion, and virtually every other facet of design. It has grown in popularity throughout the last century, but for every fan there is a maximalist critic who dismisses it as lacking in imagination and heart. While minimalist architecture and product design can be cost-effective, eco-friendly, and accessible, it has also become synonymous with a privileged consumerist quest for the perfect object.

Brief History of Minimalist Design

Minimalist design emerged in the 20th century as a rejection of the highly decorative styles of the past. Some design historians trace its origins to the simplified forms of the Dutch De Stijl movement (1917-30s) and it is widely acknowledged to have been influenced by traditional Japanese gardens and interiors and Scandinavian design. Minimalist design shares DNA with Modern Architecture, Bauhaus Architecture, Brutalist Architecture, and midcentury modern design.

The less-is-more mantra of minimalist design is a quote from German architect Mies Van Der Rohe, who in post-war Europe and the United States was one of the notable architects associated with the Bauhaus and modernism. The availability of new materials such as glass, steel, and concrete combined with the building processes brought about by mass production created minimalist structures that often look as modern as they did decades ago.

Minimalist graphic design, art, theater, and fashion came into its own in the 1960s. German industrial designer Dieter Rams employed a "less but better" mantra for the design of everyday objects such as desktop radios, calculators, and lacquerware. A new world of minimalist product design starting in the middle of the 20th century laid the foundation for the streamlined objects that we live with today and continue to design for tomorrow, from the iPhone to driverless cars.

Today, minimalist interior design and home decor offers an alternative to the jam-packed interiors that first became popular in the Victorian era and grew in popularity thanks to 20th-century consumer culture.

Key Characteristics of Minimalist Design

• Less is more
• Focus on functionality
• Clean, simple lines
• Sculptural forms
• Lack of superfluous ornamentation and decoration
• Monochromatic, limited color palette, with color sometimes used as an accent to create a soothing environment
• Use of limited, well chosen materials, such as concrete, steel, glass and wood
• Everything has a place and a purpose
• Use of space and natural light
• Spotlight on craftsmanship
• Interior design that is airy and uncluttered, often with open-plan layouts and seamless integrated storage

Famous Minimalist Architects

• Mies Van Der Rohe: Mies Van Der Rohe Pavilion (Barcelona), S.R. Crown Hall (Chicago), Edith Farnsworth House (Plano, IL) 
• John Pawson: The Design Museum (London), Nový Dvůr Monastery (Czech Republic), Calvin Klein Flagship Store (New York)
• Frank Lloyd Wright: Fallingwater (Mill Run, PA), The Guggenheim Museum (New York City), The Robie House (Chicago)
• I.M. Pei: The Louvre Pyramid (Paris), Bank of China Tower (Hong Kong), National Gallery of Art East Building (Washington, D.C.)
• Tadao Ando: Church of Light (Osaka), Water Temple (Awaji Island, Japan), Azuma House (Osaka)