5 Ways To Create a Modern Minimalist Look in Your Home, According to a Designer

Elevate your home with a thoughtful mix of details to create an interior that feels both calming and cosy

“Less is more”—this maxim by German-American architect Mies van der Rohe has become the calling card for admirers of minimalist design around the world. Originating as an art movement from the late 1960s, minimalism became co-opted into the realm of design. Advocates of this understated approach celebrate the beauty of simplicity while conveying a sense of effortless elegance.

Singapore-based interior designers such as Millihaus are among the homegrown champions of this creative approach, while ensuring that the resulting spaces are cosy, personalised and beautifully functional. The architecturally trained founders, Billy Voon and Desy Kismantono, believe that the modern minimalist scheme need not necessarily appear austere or clinical.

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Above Billy Voon and Desy Kismantono, founders of Millihaus

“As designers, our approach to minimalism [is all about] making it warm and welcoming. Within these simple spaces, interesting materials and statement pieces can be introduced as accents to anchor different zones,” explains Voon. “Coming from an architectural background, we are most attracted to the simplest resolved solutions that carry the beauty of a rigorous design process.”

In fact, the process of creating modern minimalist spaces often involves clever sleight of hand and a keen attention to detail, in order to ensure a sense of order and simplicity. Adds Voon: “One of the key elements of a modern minimalist space is also the celebration of constraints. Crafting a minimalist space is quite often a lot more complex [than it appears] because true simplicity requires careful solutions and details in addressing the homeowner’s lifestyle.”

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Retro Revival

Above Gubi Wonder sofa, from Danish Design Co

The influence of minimalism can be keenly felt in mid-century Scandinavian designs. The Gubi Wonder sofa by Space Copenhagen draws from that storied legacy, taking a cue from lounge furniture produced during the seventies in Denmark. Available at Danish Design Co, the sofa pairs comfort and style in equal measure. “One interesting feature is the ingenious use of hidden magnets in attaching the parts; a modern solution to a classic piece,” says Voon.

Club Access

Above Poliform Le Club armchair, from Space Furniture

The latest production techniques and an elegant design go hand-in-hand in the Poliform Le Club Armchair by Jean-Marie Massaud, available at Space Furniture.

“This deceptively simple armchair is testament to how far the technology of metal framing and polyurethane moulding have come, to allow for this lightweight, minimal design to be realised,” declares Voo

Lovely Bones

Above Baxter Lazybones armchairs, from Space Furniture

Incorporating playful pieces such as the Baxter Lazybones chair by Studiopepe is one of the easy ways to make your modern minimalist home feel cosier; choose from a wide variety of colourful leather upholstery options to customise this design for your home. Voon describes the chair, which is available at Space Furniture, as being “almost tribal, geometric and modern”. “The unexpected three-legged design features a comfortable and welcoming armrest and backrest, offering a contemporary character,” he says.

Into the Woods

Above Poliform Nara bench, from Space Furniture

Minimalist designs typically show a fine appreciation for materials and craftsmanship; this can be seen in the Poliform Nara Bench by Jean-Marie Massaud, which is crafted from solid wood and is inspired by time-tested furniture-making techniques.

“Our studio is constantly inspired by timber furniture that is designed to [be a] candid representation of the qualities of the material itself. This piece exudes the elegance of solid wood, and borrows the elegant language of the art of cabinet-making,” says Voon.

See the Light

Above Bocci 100 series pendant lamps, from Space Furniture

Voon admires the elegant glass lamps from Canadian lighting company Bocci; he draws attention to the brand’s 100 series, available at Space Furniture. “This latest series from Bocci came about as the result of a performative act by multiple glass artists brought together by Bocci. The unpredictable nature of each piece makes it bespoke and adds layers of poetic notes to a space,” he says.

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Topics

modern minimalist decor interior design Millihaus Billy Voon Desy Kismantono modern minimalist

Tatler Asia

Ask a Designer: 5 Ways To Create a Modern Minimalist Look in Your Home

Retro Revival

Club Access

Lovely Bones

Into the Woods

See the Light