Crafting a minimalist sanctuary

3 Aug 2020

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Homebuyers who like a spacious-feeling, clean and sophisticated aesthetic may find that a minimalist home is exactly the kind of design they are looking for.

According to Humphrey Homes Director Dean Humphrey, homes with minimalist themes embody reduction, simplification and unification to strip a design down to its fundamental features against a backdrop of calming colour.

The distilled aesthetic is enhanced by characteristics of form, light and space, improved by open-plan designs which maximise natural light and evoke a sense of space and freedom often hampered by walls or dividers.

Mr Humphrey said minimalism was all about crafting a sense of calm and purity.

“Homes by their very nature have extra items in them, so this is a special kind of architecture,” he said.

“Contrary to popular belief, minimalism doesn’t necessarily translate to boring, bland or stark.

“The best minimalist homes start with the architecture, extend to the interior design and then the landscaping for a cohesive look.

“Gardens can be designed as minimalist too – simple succulents, water features or a zen-like environment reminiscent of Japanese landscaping.”

Mr Humphrey said minimalist homes were popular in Perth, with homebuyers largely motivated by liveability.

He said minimalist homes could be difficult to live in if not shaped to the lifestyle of the client, but a well-designed simplistic home would offer a variety of benefits.

Advantages include large volume and proportions, plenty of strategically and beautifully placed storage and easier upkeep due to less clutter.

Additionally, the homes are visually calming and there’s a strong sense of purpose behind every feature in the home, spanning the size, type and colour of the windows right through to the choice of door handles.

Mr Humphrey said because minimalism embodied a very refined, clean look, it was imperative the architectural craftsmanship was of an extremely high standard.

“Minimalist architecture is honest architecture,” he said.

“It purposely has no overdone or decorative features, so nothing is on show for show’s sake.

“It is a pared back design where you can enjoy the home with no fussiness.

“Aesthetically, the design is very clean so the eye will naturally be drawn to any unnecessary embellishments or faults.”

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This story first appeared in The West Australian's New Homes liftout on August 1, 2020.  

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