This week You! talks to Karachi-based interior designer Beena Asim about one of the trendiest design philosophy that has followed us in 2019, and how to incorporate it in your homes...
decor
This week You! talks to Karachi-based interior designer Beena Asim about one of the trendiest design philosophy that has followed us in 2019, and how to incorporate it in your homes...
With the start of New Year, the urge to have some change in your life can be overwhelming. This desire can come from wanting to change the way we look or feel, or the things around us. Making a lifestyle change is challenging, especially when you want to transform many things at once. This time, think of it not as a resolution but as an evolution.
Out of the many lifestyle trends that we saw last year, one that really stood out was the ‘minimalist lifestyle’. In our fast paced life nowadays, many of us are feeling that call - the yearning to have less, to spend less, to do less, to need less. While this particular lifestyle choice may seem like it is not for everyone, there are ways you can incorporate it in your home design and decor.
“In minimalist architecture, design elements strive to convey the message of simplicity. The basic geometric forms, elements without decoration and simple materials represent a sense of order and essential quality. Minimalism in interior design means spacious rooms with minimum furniture and details,” tells Karachi-based interior designer Beena Asim.
While this is not a renowned concept in Pakistan, it may prove to be useful for many who live in compact spaces. “It’s more based on a choice and personal preference. Since, I am a designer and my client wants eco-friendly or minimal interior, we are defiantly there to assist them and cater to whatever their lifestyle and demands are. We give them comfort the way they want it or feel comfortable in. At this point of time as small houses or apartment living is increasing, it would be nice if people keep less things and focus on quality.”
Keeping this design philosophy in mind, it is a challenging task to decorate a small space without making it too cluttered. So, for this design style, there is a lot of attention to shapes, colours and textures to make everything look aesthetically tidy. “In modern minimalism design, accent is made on sharp geometric shapes. Shape prevails over purpose. Furniture must have streamlined shapes, upholstered with neutral coloured fabric or leather. Shiny surfaces and straight lines look amazing in this interior such as details made of stainless steel or chrome. As for the floor, it should be made of materials that are easy to clean and care for like wood or stone tiles,” explains Beena. “It’s necessary to foresee enough space to keep all your stuff. Whatever minimum pieces you own must have some utility too other than just design. For example, if you choose a cocktail table for a lounge, make sure it has some draws. This way you also have enough room for storage as well. Also, planning doesn’t always mean dividing into rooms. Furniture, curtains or glass partitions can also play the role of separators,” she adds.
Another aspect to explore is ‘furniture-less living’. Furniture-free living allows you a lot more space to move around and have less things rather than keeping them for the sake of it.
“Our living room no longer has couches or chairs, but yoga blocks, cushions, and foam rollers. Most people get rid of their dining room table or opt for a low-standing table with some cushions instead of chairs. Reducing or getting rid of your furniture gives your body a chance to squat, kneel, move, and adapt. It keeps your core engaged. And that’s just the top of the list of benefits,” elucidates Beena.
Once you have decided to downsize your interiors or simplify your life, decluttering an entire home is a big job. According to Beena, the best way to tackle this is in stages. Here she shares some pro-tips:
Focus on a single space: Start with one room, one space or even a single zone within a room. Focus on completing that job fully before moving onto the next space. This helps build confidence as you experience visible success at each step.
Completely empty each space: Assess each item and then put it back where it belongs. Next up, remove anything that doesn’t belong or is of no use anymore, and put it away. Discard or donate, it’s your call. This may include books you’ve already finished reading, broken eyeglasses, pens and paper, mail, extra shoes and clothing that you no longer need. Recycle what you can and discard what you can’t. Move onto the lower cabinets, drawers, even the space under the kitchen sink. Finally, concentrate on your countertops and move anything and everything off. The countertops should only have items of daily use.
Reorganise: Once you have cleaned your inner spaces, you would exactly know how much space you require and thus get rid of the extra pieces of furniture and other stuff as well. Decide on permanent storage spaces for commonly used items such as remote controls, magazines and books. Declutter regularly. Keep organising these boxes which would help simplify your job.
