Minimalism

Minimalism refers to a lack of clutter or unnecessary detail. It has had a widespread influence, ranging from the arts to lifestyle.

As an art movement, minimalism began in post-WWII Western art, and was most prominent in the 1960s through the early 1970s. It is strongly influenced from the reductive aspects associated with some parts of Modernism, including Suprematism, Purism, and De Stijl.

The art movement has had a significant influence on Minimalism as a lifestyle, which is a rejection of consumerist trends with an emphasis on simple living. This lifestyle has become increasingly prominent since 2010, and is commonly associated with The Minimalists.

Visual

Minimalism refers to a lack of clutter. This means that visuals tend to be very simple and remove unnecessary details. Solid colors are very common. Simple patterns may also appear; anything that is complex will not. Colors also tend to be very muted.

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MINIMAL (interior design)
Minimal (fashion)
Minimalism (art)
[minimal]

Artists

Carl Andre
Anthony Caro
Dan Flavin
Al Held
Donald Judd
Ellsworth Kelly
Sol LeWitt
Agnes Martin
John McCracken
Robert Morris
Kenneth Noland
Robert Ryman
David Smith
Tony Smith
Frank Stella
Anne Truit

Fashion

Minimal fashion is simple and quiet and doesn't have bold and bright colours like other aesthetics. Some aspects of the fashion may include:

Solid-color t-shirts (typically white or grey)
Collared shirts
Button-up shirts
Belts
Khaki or black pants
Jeans

Websites & Brands

Media

Film

Less is Now
Minimalism

Youtube

These are Youtubers who frequently talk about minimalism and related topics.

Books

The Joy of Less by Francine Jay
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Mari Kondo
- While not strictly minimalist, her book (and philosophy) have been a gateway to minimalism for many people.
Love People Use Things by Joshua Fields Millburn & Ryan Nicodemus
Everything That Remains by Joshua Fields Millburn & Ryan Nicodemus
Minimalism by Joshua Fields Millburn & Ryan Nicodemus
Essential by Joshua Fields Millburn & Ryan Nicodemus
Goodbye, Things by Fumio Sasaki

Music

Playlists

Podcasts

Millenial Minimalists
Minimal-ish: Realistic Minimalism
The Minimalists
The Sustainable Minimalists

Subgenres

Indie Minimalism

Indie Minimalism is an independent aesthetic that's based on minimalist design, individualism, urban life, music, and the arts. As the name implies, it blends elements of the Indie aesthetic along with the otherwise Minimalist aesthetics.

Colors

The color palette is usually based around white, black, navy, and light gray or blue, with one or two bright accents. Also, the minimalism side is heavily influenced by the bright colors and clean lines of Bauhaus and Modernist design.

Fashion

Indie style means basically just whatever feels right based on your personal aesthetic, and usually involves avoiding mainstream labels. Minimalism is just what it sounds like: a little. This often means a spare, neutral palette, clean lines, and a focus on function and practicality first. So, indie minimalism is a combination of these styles, usually involving basics like a white button-down shirt or jeans outfits with one or two distinctive touches of color. You can get inspiration from urban street-style (as long as you are dressing for yourself rather than to show off to others) or find clothes in thrift shops and vintage stores if you like to shop.

Brands

Activities

Photography
Watching or producing independent films
Listening to indie music (Independently released music is not directly financially dependent on any of the four major labels (WMG, Sony BMG, EMI and Universal. "Indie" does not refer to a style of music; it refers to the financial circumstances of its distribution.)

Resources

A list of external links to help get a better understanding of this aesthetic.

Instagram

Pastel Minimalism

Pastel Minimalism combines pastel colors with small, ordinary subject matter or simple architecture. The most common examples of Pastel Minimalism are in stock photos. This aesthetic's purpose may be to give Minimalism a splash of color.

Resources

A list of external links to help get a better understanding of this aesthetic.

Pinterest Boards

Matcha Minimalism

Matcha Minimalism is a design aesthetic centering around simple, well-designed everyday objects that convey an understated warmth.

It places an emphasis on ritualized experience, sensory attentiveness, and tranquility. It can be described as clean, light, simple, functional, and minimal.

Matcha often employs the use of a single muted color, or a muted color palette, against a white or black backdrop. Common materials include brushed metal, wood, paper, matte plastic, cork, felt, and ceramic.

Matcha design encourages sensory specificity as a means to turning daily experiences into pleasing rituals. Accordingly, it overlaps with some vintage technologies whose daily usage conjures sounds, smells, and textures (eg. vinyl record albums, cassette tapes, mechanical typewriters, and paper stationery).

Typographic elements are carefully crafted in Matcha design, and often feature as part of, rather than simply accessory to, the overall design of an object.

Matcha draws from the simplicity of minimalism, but places an added emphasis on sensory delight. While it shares some elements with Comfy/Cozy, including a ritualized ease in daily activities, it is not confined to a set of behaviors. Similarly, it overlaps with the warmth of Coffee House, but with an added emphasis on the experience of objects in themselves, and not simply as part of a larger environment.

Stores & Brands

Visual Arts

Yoshitomo Nara