How to create a minimalist design scheme for your home: colours, materials and interiors

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The minimalist style derived from modernism and the C20th architectural avant-garde, drawing inspiration from the key principles of the Bauhaus movement.

The central concept of Bauhaus was “less is more”, reflected in an aesthetic that aimed for the perfect balance between form and function, with the aid of simple design with no decorative excesses.

Applied to furnishing, this approach exploits natural daylight to the full, makes rooms appear larger and creates attractive, convenient interiors: with a minimalist style, it’s easy to achieve neat, airy design spaces where every feature is carefully chosen to be both aesthetically appealing and practical.

Let’s take a detailed look at the key principles and the best solutions for transforming every room in the home into a minimalist masterpiece.

What is the minimalist style? The fundamental principles

Minimalist interior design is based on just a few, straightforward principles: simple forms, practicality and a focus on the essential. In fact, minimalist rooms are characterised by clean, geometrical lines, well defined shapes and a spatial layout designed to avoid the superfluous.

As a result, minimalist industrial interior design makes use of unfinished materials and simple surfaces, while the minimalist wood style provides a warm, welcoming touch, perfect for anyone wishing to create a comfortable, attractive room. The minimalist rustic approach strikes a balance between these two, combining natural features with a pared-down aesthetic for a trade-off between modernity and tradition.

Porcelain stoneware is an excellent solution for durable, elegant surfaces that can emphasise the minimalist style with their versatility: in view of the different finishes available, stoneware fits into this style perfectly, guaranteeing an elegant aesthetic and unbeatable convenience.

This versatility also applies to the colour assortment, dominated by neutral shades like white, grey, taupe, beige and black, ideal for enhancing luminosity and creating a sophisticated, relaxing mood. Last but not least, the management of natural daylight is a fundamental feature of this aesthetic: open-plan spaces, large windows and matt or satiny finishes help to distribute light evenly, making the interior even more attractive and appealing.

Materials and surfaces for a minimalist home

Minimalist interior design is based on the use of carefully chosen materials: porcelain stoneware is the undisputed favourite amongst this array of possible solutions, since it can accurately reproduce natural materials and offer a durable, practical yet extremely refined option.

How do you choose the right porcelain stoneware?
In view of the wide range of effects available, this material adapts easily to different contexts, providing continuous surfaces with no superfluous extras.

The following are some of the main applications, depending on the style being aimed for:

  • Wood effect: ideal for a warm minimalist look, where the natural textures and soft colours of wood varieties like pale oak or ash are perfect for maintaining simple lines without sacrificing a touch of comfort;
  • Marble effect: perfect for a refined, contemporary aesthetic. In shades of white, grey or black, it adds to interiors’ radiance and provides an impression of unostentatious luxury;
  • Concrete and resin effect: ideal for anyone choosing an urban, industrial approach, with neutral colours and matt finishes, perfect for minimalist industrial interior design.

As well as on floors and walls, porcelain stoneware can also be applied on kitchen countertops and backsplashes, helping to create a coherent interior design scheme. Thanks to the large slabs in Marazzi’s The Top collection, stoneware becomes a genuine furnishing tool, available for use on tables, counters and bespoke solutions that emphasise the purity of the minimalist style.

So the choice of materials and surfaces is not just a matter of aesthetics: it’s a way of designing functional, durable interiors that meet the needs of contemporary home life.

The perfect colours for minimalist or minimal-chic interior design

The choice of colour is a key factor for defining minimalist interior design, since it helps to create a unique, tasteful mood. White and pale neutral shades are the ideal foundation for an airy, radiant interior, as they make spaces appear larger and reflect natural daylight.

Shades like grey and taupe are also elegant, modern options, able to give interiors depth and personality without detracting from their light, airy feel. In fact, their use on floors, walls and furniture creates a refined, understated visual effect, in line with the minimalist philosophy.

For lovers of contrasts, on the other hand, black can be used sparingly in strategic details, such as door trims, ornaments or matt surfaces, to add a touch of character without disrupting the colour scheme.

Last but not least, the wood effect fits into this aesthetic perfectly, bestowing a warm, welcoming impression without reducing the interior’s visual simplicity. Soft shades like honey, pale oak or delicate walnut combine attractively with neutral hues to create minimal-chic interiors with a strong personality!

Minimalist interior design for every room in the home

Every room can be designed on minimalist principles with the aid of carefully chosen materials and colours. Even the smallest interiors, such as the bathroom, can benefit from this style, becoming airier and more functional thanks to continuous surfaces and light colours.

Let’s take a detailed look at the spaces that can benefit most from the use of minimalist solutions.

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Simple hallways

The interior design of a minimalist hallway is based on clever solutions that maximise both style and function. To achieve an uncluttered, well arranged space, features such as a wall-mounted shelf for oddments from pockets, frameless mirrors to make the interior look larger, and minimalist storage solutions like discreet wall cupboards or simply styled coat stands can be included.

Porcelain stoneware can be used as a covering for floors and walls, creating a uniform surface that enhances the hallway’s air of simplicity.

Minimalist living room

Minimalist interior design for the living room is based on just a few, well chosen features: for example, sofas upholstered in natural fabrics in neutral colours help to create a mood of relaxation. The furnishings must be reduced to the absolute minimum: the TV zone can be designed with wall-mounted units or a simple modular composition to avoid interrupting the visual harmony.

When designing a minimalist lounge, concrete or stone-effect stoneware can be used to add a contemporary touch to the interior, while pale wood details provide warmth to balance these surfaces’ rather chilly impression.

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Minimal chic kitchen

In the kitchen, minimalist interior design is based on smooth surfaces, neutral colours and the impeccable arrangement of spaces, with materials playing a fundamental role: porcelain stoneware is the perfect choice for kitchen countertops and backsplashes, since it’s so easy to clean.

A solution that enhances and makes the most of the space available, where appliances are often built-in or concealed to achieve a neat, uniform overall look.

Minimalist bedroom

Minimalist bedroom interior design is based on features selected with care: the undisputed protagonist is the bed, which should preferably be a model raised above the ground, or have a structure free from excessive ornamentation. The furnishing is completed by wall-mounted nightstands and simple drawer units, while soft lighting – provided by wall-mounted or suspended lamps – emphasises the mood.

For anyone aiming to furnish their bedroom in minimalist style, wood-effect stoneware is the best choice for the floor, since it bestows warmth on the interior without adding heaviness.

Minimalist interior design is a timeless style able to make the most of spaces’ potential: with the aid of innovative materials like porcelain stoneware, elegant, individual rooms can be created without sacrificing convenience.

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Explore the Marazzi collections now: ideal porcelain stoneware solutions for every room in the home.