Minimalism: A journey from design to lifestyle

Minimalism in design needs to religion to followed by a company to deliver only similar furniture design.

New Delhi: It is simple but so exquisite. How many times you have thought, while looking at a design which is simple and wondered, oh! I could have thought of it as a designer or a design enthusiast.

Trust me. The simple-looking designs are complex, as it needs to address, form, and function, together.

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Minimalism is a state of mind in the design, some can create others cannot, and on the other side, the audience also has a strong tilt towards and against minimalism.

“There is a poetic nature to minimalism that is about striking a balance between full and empty” – an American artist Jennie C. Jones quoted. This quote holds because a designer must possess the art of understanding minimalism in its true sense for them to design. While there are numerous definitions of minimalism, the one that resonates with me; is eloquently said by Frank Lloyd Wright – “form and function should be one, joined in a spiritual union”. And I shall add with the minimal form to complete my definition.

The art of minimalism attributed to some of the prominent designers who were both architects and furniture designers; Charles and Eames Ray, Le Corbusier, and Frank Lloyd Wright were the pioneers of their craft. The Eames had designed a series of furniture in the 1960S’, which are just called Eames ( product name, like a chair) and is still chic to own and flaunt.

The term ‘Japandi’ that has found popularity over some time. Interestingly, this term, coined by a combination of minimalist furniture designs from Scandinavia and the ageless elegance of Japan, both focused on functionality in furniture design. This style also has just a few pieces, to further celebrate minimalism.

Minimalism in design needs to religion to followed by a company to deliver only similar furniture design. I would like you to explore, furniture company, MDF Italia from Italy (www.mdfitalia.com/en) and Hanger Design group (www.hangar.it), an Italian design group is focused on minimalist design form across every category of design and their work for Rossato, luxury Italian furniture (www.rossato.it). Rossato’s furniture designs are worth exploring, as it is handcrafted design with gorgeous raw materials.

New York, the birthplace of many art movements, was also the origin of the Minimalistic art movement in 1960, a few years back, it became a lifestyle movement.

Marie Kondo, a Japanese author, a believer, and propagator of minimalism has to her credit four books on minimalism. A revolutionary method in minimalism called KonMari was introduced by her that created ripples of change among people showing them a new way to adapt to minimalism.

In the Indian context, minimalism has picked up as a cult, but not as a mainline lifestyle as its global counterpart. While the concept of minimalism gradually seeps into the fabric of the Indian interior and architecture, it is still a long way to encompass lifestyle.

In a connected world that we live in today, the exposure to multiple global ideas on design has influenced the thoughts of people to introduce the concept of minimalism gracefully. But India has always been a follower in the journey of art and the design, but I am sure we will catch up with the world, sooner than later.

(Sanjay Pareek is the co-founder of BeyondnMore Designs Pvt. Limited)