Make the most of minimalist style.
With an emphasis on sleek shapes, soothing neutrals, and pared-down appeal, minimalist style goes beyond trends. Its intentional and uncluttered approach to design makes it feel timeless.
From streamlined sofas to natural fibers to sculptural lighting, we've created a compilation of ways you can translate minimalist style to your living room. Keep reading below to find 20 minimalist living room ideas that encourage a "less is more" mentality.
Minimalist living rooms often use minimal colors to create a relaxing palette, relying on creamy neutral hues to fill the room with soothing ambience. Think of gray, taupe, and brown as well as black and white to curate your minimalist color palette.
Shop Gray Sectionals
Natural textures like wood, leather, or stone can add an earthy feel to minimalist spaces. These nature-inspired pieces can make the living room feel warm and cozy. In the photo above, the wood coffee table introduces an organic element into the space while maintaining a minimalist sleek shape.
Shop Wood Coffee Tables
Light and airy color palettes give minimalist living rooms a calming aura. A subdued combination of bright whites, muted beige, and light wood feels relaxing and easy on the eyes. To introduce a bit of interest, opt for materials that have subtle texture, such as bouclé upholstery or hand-knotted area rugs.
Shop Bouclé Accent Chairs
If crisp white walls aren't your taste, moodier hues are also a great minimalist living room idea. Rich colors like navy, asphalt gray, or emerald green are sleek and stylish without overwhelming minimalist spaces. Pair darker wood tones and deep upholstery to complement the wall color.
Shop Dark-Wood Console Tables
Because coffee tables are where form meets function, choosing a streamlined coffee table makes sense for a minimalist living room. Pick a style with a simple base, a no-frills material, and storage options that keeps clutter out of sight.
Shop Circular Coffee Tables
Keeping surfaces clutter-free is a key characteristic of minimalist style, so it's important to choose living room furniture that features hidden storage. Look for console tables, coffee tables, and TV stands that have cabinets or drawers for you to stow any living room essentials.
Shop TV Stands With Storage
Transparent furniture follows the clutter-free credo of minimalist living room designs. The see-through silhouettes of glass or acrylic furniture provide function without disrupting sight lines.
Shop Glass Coffee Tables
When choosing furniture for your minimalist living room design, look for elements like clean lines, rounded edges, or organic-inspired shapes. Try to avoid overly ornate features that would feel more at home in traditional-style spaces.
Shop Ultra-Modern Accent Chairs
In minimalist spaces, the way decor is styled should feel intentional. You should approach open surfaces like bookcases, coffee tables, and end tables with a thoughtful eye – balance colors, textures, and scale for a harmonious look.
Shop Neutral Home Accessories
A patterned rug works as a stylish statement piece in an otherwise subdued space. Match the minimalist aesthetic by choosing a rug in a geometric print with angular lines, triangle shapes, or grid patterns. Go for neutral colors to help balance out the boldness of the pattern.
Shop Geometric Area Rugs
Not ready to commit to a dark wall color? Don't fret. Upholstery is an excellent way to bring a bit of color into your minimalist living room design. Think of colors like navy or eggplant to add a regal, trendy feel to your space, or go for black upholstery for something that feels more unexpected.
Shop Black Sofas
Every piece in a minimalist space is chosen with intentionality, and lighting is no exception. Light fixtures are the perfect opportunity to pick pieces that are as practical as they are visually-pleasing.
Shop Ultra-Modern Floor Lamps
Skip the gallery wall and go straight for an oversized piece of wall art to anchor your space. Hanging one painting, print, or photograph above the sofa creates a chic focal point. To really match the minimalist feel, choose wall art that has an abstract design or pared-back color palette.
Shop Oversized Wall Art
Minimalist spaces don't have to feel dull – instead, experiment with bold geometric patterns in neutral tones. Top the sofa with eclectic black-and-white pillows, or anchor the seating area with a high-contrast rug. The angular shapes in the geometric prints build visual interest and pair well with the clean-lined silhouettes.
Shop Geometric-Patterned Throw Pillows
Black-and-white color palettes are ideal for minimalist spaces. The chic combination is simple and elegant, making it an effortless choice that cuts down on visual clutter. Ground the high-contrast colors with soft neutrals, such as a woven jute rug or rattan details.
Black and white photography feels true to the minimalist spirit with its simplicity and timelessness. The lack of color emphasizes the texture and composition of the photos, allowing you to really focus on the mood and emotion that the photo evokes. Plus, black and white prints fit seamlessly into any minimalist color palette.
Sub your wall art for a chic round mirror. Not only does a wall mirror add a decorative element, it can also make your living room feel brighter and more spacious. The thin frame has the right amount of pared-down appeal, and the simple, circular shape softens any straight or angular lines.
Shop Round Wall Mirrors
Leafy houseplants add natural texture and a sense of movement into minimalist living room designs. From trailing pothos plants to hearty succulents to feathery birds of paradise, there are plenty of plants that suit your space (and your gardening skills).
Shop Plants
Tip!
Read our guide The Best Types of Indoor Plants: The Ultimate Guide to Plant Sizes & Care Needs to learn which houseplants could work for you.
Create multiple zones in your minimalist living room design with a stylish room divider. A foldable partition is ideal for separating your seating area from a reading nook, dining space, or home office. Complete your setup with a sleek desk, comfortable chair, and a sculptural task lamp (like in the photo above).
Shop Room Dividers
Shop Office Furniture
Though these spaces often rely on soothing neutrals, a well-placed pop of color is an easy way to brighten minimalist living rooms. Chic, electric hues like chartreuse, cherry red, or cobalt blue add a vivid accent to make your neutral palette more punchy.
Shop Ultra-Modern Throw Pillows
Tip!
Looking for more minimalist inspiration? Read our guide 16 Minimalist Bedroom Ideas to Refresh Your Sleeping Space to find more ways to recreate this style at home.
You Might Also Like
Shop Table Lamps
Shop End Tables
