Minimalist Designs That Prove Simplicity Is Beautiful

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Consumerism is everywhere. The idea that people need to continuously buy the latest and greatest junk to be happy is omnipresent, and sometimes, people can lose sight of the simple things in life.

Other times, though, new designs can be a stunning reminder of why there truly is beauty in simplicity. From interior design to tattoos, a minimalist approach is where it’s at. Here are some minimalist designs to inspire your next project.

A Touch of Nature

When people think of minimalism, especially when it comes to interior design and living spaces, they automatically assume that it must be clean, crisp and boring. However, a minimalist look doesn’t have to be vanilla.

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This minimalist living room combines natural tones and a sense of airiness created by glass and open spaces. The browns and blacks paired with the plants make this modern space feel natural at the same time. It’s easy to envision a quiet night with friends and wine in this room.

Nothing Extra

This minimalist living room gives off a professional vibe. It’s easy to imagine that a businessperson lives here and comes home after a long day of smashing goals at the office to relax in this, elegantly styled space.

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With the TV mounted on the wall, there is no need for any clunky entertainment stand or overly extravagant wall art. The combination of sleek black couches, touches of wood throughout the room and sparse decor make this room feel sleek and modern without being cold.

A Pop of Red

Whoever said minimalism couldn’t be beautiful was misinformed. The all-white everything that makes up the bedspread, walls, decor and even the carpet of this cozy bedroom gives this room a sense of unity without sacrificing comfort.

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What makes this room pop is the red and black accents. The bright red typewriter and notebook on the understated desk as well as the bedframe and chair give the room a fun splash of color and contrast that brings this austere room from simple to simply elegant in the best way possible.

Industrial Chic

The industrial loft is the must-have apartment of the future. It doesn’t have to adhere to the rules of traditional bedroom design, and so it is free to pursue minimalism to the fullest extent.

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The bold cement wall and the gray carpet play off each other perfectly, while the bed frame and side tables add function without clutter or distraction. The furniture, wall design, and subtle light coming in from the window make this bedroom an enviable contender on the best-of list of minimalist design.

Clean Cut

Nothing says “you want to cook here” like a fresh countertop and built-in stove. The combination of the white and black give the room some much-needed contrast that doesn’t break up the design in the same way as some black and white interiors.

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The simplicity of this kitchen, with its silver faucet and handle-less drawers, gives the room the illusion that it’s bigger than it really is. The silver wall sconces add a touch of something different that bridges the gap between darkness and light.

A Red Room

People often imagine minimalist designs in grayscale, but this red kitchen combines vibrant colors and sleek design for a look that’s simple but definitely not boring. The handleless cabinets keep the clean design throughout, and the black appliances blend in perfectly with the countertops.

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The simple touch of green in the form of a plant and the understated light fixture centered just beyond the counter round out the kitchen nicely. Considering its functionality and ample storage, this kitchen is certainly many chefs’ dream workspace.

The Boss Will See You Now

This office that looks like it belongs on the top floor is easy on the eyes, to say the least. The bright, open window design and sprawling city view play off the simple white furniture perfectly, and the extra seating is functional without cluttering the small space.

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The combination of gray, white and wood accents make this office a beautiful space worthy of any successful businessperson. Whoever said office spaces had to be stuffy must have never seen this one!

Clutter-Free

The home office is another great space to use minimalist design to make putting in the man-hours at home that much more appealing. This particular design combines a black built-in bookshelf and white cabinets with a sleek, black desk to make the design flow through the room effortlessly.

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The scarcity of accents on the bookshelf and lack of desk items give the stunning industrial-style lamp the attention it deserves. For simple pops of color without throwing off the entire beautiful look, a couple of plants and a pencil holder are thrown into the room in perfect placement.

Pages of Elegance

Getting the clutter out of your mind and down onto the page has never been more visually appealing. These minimalist journals achieve their look by using a basic, symmetrical design.

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The square pattern of the light brown notebook can calm even the most neurotic viewer, and there’s always an elegant beauty when it comes to pink and polka dots. The inside of the notebook uses a simple, light line for getting those ideas down on paper without any visual distractions or loud cover art.

Pretty in Pink

Another set of beautiful notebooks created by Plush Design Studio takes a subtle approach by imprinting the word ‘journal’ across the front without using any heavy inks or wild colors to make it stand out from the blank cover it sits on.

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The second notebook has a marble design, which has become increasingly popular in recent years when it comes to stationery supplies. The hard lines create a minimalist notebook that is truly beautiful to look at when you’re brainstorming your next and greatest idea.

All White

Book covers are generally designed to grab the attention of the reader from across the room, so much so that the cover art is often the first thing that makes a potential reader pick up the book in the first place.

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This book cover of Salt Water by Brianna West takes publishing design norms and throws them out the window to create something truly beautiful. The crisp white cover has the title and author’s name and leaves much to the imagination.

Strictly Minimal

This book cover takes things in the entirely opposite direction with its coal cover and basic font. The size and color of the lettering stand out perfectly against the contrasted backdrop, and the stark design gives off a sense of mystery when it comes to the book’s content.

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When it comes to grabbing a person’s attention, this design might not turn heads at first. Still, once appreciated, it becomes a truly beautiful example of when minimalist design gets things right. Who wouldn’t be interested in the story when the cover leaves so much to the imagination?

Welcome Home

When it comes to architecture, humanity has truly accomplished some marvelous feats. From the Sistine Chapel to the Taj Mahal, there are no limits to the designs people can impose on the buildings of the world. This particular style of stacked blocks makes up a home that is truly minimalist and truly amazing.

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The floor-to-ceiling windows give the illusion of open space, while the placement of the cube-like structures provides unity and differentiation between the respective rooms at the same time.

Glass to the Sky

A staircase made of what appears to be all glass might not seem like a good idea, but these visually appealing stairways to heaven manage to make it work. With nothing but glass paneling, these steps are far more fun to look at than the typical fire escape.

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The stairs blend in perfectly with the rest of the building, yet the opaque steps and handrails allow the walker some sense of security without compromising the view of people on the street below.

Eye-Catching

Sometimes business cards can get a little busy. After all, businesses have to put a whole bunch of information on there so that new and prospective clients know what it is they do and how to get a hold of them.

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A lot of businesses wouldn’t be able to pull off the minimalist look when it comes to advertising design, but Neon Brand is not one of those businesses. The clever layout is a perfect example of a business card you’d want to keep in your wallet just because it looks cool.

Happy Planting

There is something to be said for having plants in the home. They’re supposed to help with air quality and also introduce a bit of greenery no matter where you live. Even if you reside in a condo in a concrete jungle, having plants can get you back to nature.

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For the minimalist plant lover, this clear and simple vase is perfect for housing those smaller houseplants that are meant to adorn an open window and not just be tucked away to grow behind a couch.

Home Gardens

For the minimalist who wants to bring a sense of the entire garden indoors, these elegant yet conservatively-styled potter plants are the perfect go-to choice. They come in a variety of sizes for any plant, and their matching style goes perfectly with the lush green color of houseplants.

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For a good mix, mixing the dark steel and transparent potters together gives the illusion that there are more plants than there actually are. This minimalist style encourages you to keep your indoor garden completely clutter-free.

Hungry for More

There’s almost nothing worse than going into a restaurant only to be given a novel of a menu to flip through while starving for something to eat. Too many options on a menu can be overwhelming, and when the menu design is cluttered with pictures and small, differing fonts, it gets even worse.

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Enter the menu for the minimalist. This simple menu is straight to the point and easy on the eyes, making choosing dinner never easier on both the mind, stomach and eyes. The cursive is also a nice touch.

Eat Your Heart Out

This particular menu is from a wedding, but that doesn’t make it any less appealing to the true minimalist. The style is sweet and simple, and it doesn’t waste too much paper with it’s slimmed-down, vertical design.

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When it comes to menus, many places overcrowd them. When designing one for your own big day, it’s easy to fly off the rails into something more complicated. Keeping it simple will show your guests the unassuming affluence that any elegant affair should have.

Musically Inclined

One of the coolest ways to express yourself is to get a tattoo. Some people like full sleeves or impressive back pieces, but not all tattoos have to be large and intricately detailed to stand out from the rest. Small tattoos that aren’t all that complicated are seriously beautiful in their own right.

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This guitar tattoo is a little on the detailed side, but that doesn’t make it any less impressive or subtle. For the person who loves music, or maybe even plays in a band of their own, this subtle tattoo is a simple way to make a stunning statement.

Barely There

For the person looking to hide their tattoo in plain sight, this type of minimal tattoo can go a long way. The placement on the finger means this tattoo flits in and out of visibility based on the owner’s whim.

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The fountain pen nib design is so small that it’s barely noticeable unless pointed out, meaning the own won’t have to explain its significance to every random person but can call attention to it with ease. It’s perfect for writers, artists or anyone else with a story in their heart. Speaking of which …

Heart on Your Sleeve

The giant tattoos of the past still look great when done well, but the tattoo of the future is the finely lined minimalist tattoo. From abstract shapes to words across the spine, line-only tattoos have a flare that doesn’t grow old.

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This particular heart tattoo is so small and dainty that its subtly becomes part of its allure. It’s plain but it’s pretty, and the good thing is that with a design this simple, it’s hard to get a bad tattoo that you’ll regret for the rest of your life.

Graceful Leaves

Not all minimalist tattoos have to be small and dainty, and this perfectly placed leaf tattoo is a great example of how less can be more without being tiny. From the placement around the wrist to the fine lines that create the leaves, this is one handsome tattoo.

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For those that want to go minimalist without having to sacrifice what they truly want, the style of this simple tattoo is a great example of how any design can be subtle, even if it is highly visible.

Faith in Hand

Getting back to true fundamentalist basics, this small but fierce cross tattoo gives the minimalist look a whole new meaning. The meaning of the tattoo is no doubt a big part of the wearer’s life, but the tattoo itself is extremely small.

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The placement on the hand also shows off the tattoo in the perfect way without it being right up in your face. The basic design of this cross tattoo is a perfect example of minimalism in body art and the expression of religious faith.

Hand in Hand

Watches have become a somewhat dated part of one’s fashion repertoire because of the availability of smartphones and other devices. However, that very attribute imbues them with a certain sense of classic style.

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Many watch wearers opt for flashy and bedazzled designs, but there’s something to be said for minimalist timepieces. These his and her designs are sleek, simple and sophisticated with their plain watch faces and straight-line number design.

Keeping Up With the Times

The watch is a versatile piece of jewelry and has the ability to take any outfit from casual to casual-chic if it’s the right piece and style. When it comes down to the basics, this modernistic watch is a great example of when minimalist design works better than the flash.

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This watch tells you what you need to know at a glance while demonstrating a true flare for fashion. The numbers are just tiny ticks around the face of the watch, making it that much more tasteful.

Classic Timepiece

This watch is almost the exact inverse of the previous one in terms of its coloration, yet it maintains the same style. The black background has an elegant appearance yet also draws the eye to the numbers on the watch’s face.

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The beauty of such a simple design is that it goes with anything. Whether you’re wearing a tuxedo to a ball or jeans and a dress shirt to a party, this watch can add something extra to any outfit.

Golden Hoops

Golden hoops have always made for a fetching, Gretchen Wieners-approved look, but something has to be said about this stunning pair of earrings. They come in a smaller size which keeps the style understated, while the gold wrap is perfect for the low-key fashionista in all of us.

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While some earrings are all about flash and glam, these take elegance and old-school style and bring them to the forefront of any basic outfit. They are also beautiful to look at, even just while laying on a jewelry tray, so that’s something, too.

Two Hearts Become One

A necklace can be a tasteful part of a special outfit or subtle addition to everyday clothes. In this case, the wearer has some flexibility. The two hearts aren’t so bold as to be overpowering, yet the diamonds and contrast between the two hearts make for an elegant touch nonetheless.

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The silver heart is clean-cut and simple, and the thin chain hangs down with ease. Sometimes the best piece of jewelry is one that doesn’t instantly grab the eye’s attention, and this minimalist heart design is one of those perfect pieces that anybody could pull off.

Subtle in Silver

Last but not least is the ring, the most elegant piece of jewelry one can wear. The ring often symbolizes many things, most notably being in love and marriage, but wearing a ring has become a fashion statement all its own.

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In this case, the combination of the thin band and the subtle gemstone on the index finger plays perfectly off the rings on the other two fingers — which are also thin, silver and perfectly understated. Together, they’re a picture of minimalist beauty.