![]() And German architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe advocated extreme simplicity with his German Pavilion created in 1929 for the International Exposition in Barcelona and cuboid Tugendhat House in the Czech Republic, built in 1930. Comprising intersecting vertical and horizontal rectangular planes, its interiors were open-plan and devoid of ornament. A seminal example is Dutch architect and designer Gerrit Rietveld's Schröder House of 1924. Technological advances in reinforced concrete and steel frames obviated the need for internal load-bearing walls, resulting in spacious, open-plan interiors. The 1990s vogue for radically minimalist interiors sprung from early 20th-Century modernism and a zero tolerance, among some of its exponents, for extraneous elements. "People now want a simpler life partly because they're more conscious of sustainability," says Betsy Smith, an interiors stylist and colour consultant for Graphenstone Paints, who dubs her taste "relaxed minimalism". She tells BBC Culture: "As we're becoming more informed about what we buy, our interiors are becoming more considered. We're using fewer elements to curate a comfortable, practical, stylish home." A perception of maximalism as excessive and wasteful in the light of growing environmental concerns might have also sparked a trend for more clean-lined homes. Perhaps lockdowns, which reawakened an interest in nature, helped foster this taste for a palette inspired by the great outdoors. One indication of this is paint colours, which are moving away from maximalism's dramatic, even oppressive hues, such as navy or bottle green, to paler, earthier mid-tones like sandy beige and sage green that arguably make rooms feel more spacious. We're now witnessing a return to more restrained, uncluttered interiors – but with a more relaxed, comfortable feel. Five ways to be calm and why it mattersīut there's a happy medium to be found between these two extremes. Floral wallpapers and rich, intense colours became popular in interiors crammed with contrasting textures and an eclectic mix of furniture, artworks and curios. In recent years, some designers have even gone to the other extreme, cultivating maximalism, welcomed by many as a joyful, exuberant antidote to uptight minimalism. Even ardent design fans associate it with soulless interiors and a humourless reverence for design that prioritises aesthetics over comfort, or simply regard it as impractical, given all the stuff many of us inevitably accumulate. From the 1990s, it has been used by many as a derogatory term. ![]() Here are some of the most beautiful and most intriguing.The word "minimalist" elicits mixed reactions. Or as Buddha said, 'The less you have, the less you have to worry about'." Many modern minimalist homes in Japan are influenced by shrines and temples as a result. "A simplified explanation is that nothing should be treated poorly, and therefore it is better to have nothing. In the book, Iida explains how these ideas aligned with Japan's existing religion, Shintoism, "a nature religion that does not worship a central figure but rather considers all things – man-made and natural – to possess a spiritual essence." Interpretations of this vary, she explains. "Minimalism has a long history in Japan," explains author Iida, "rooted in the teachings of Zen Buddhism that came to our country via China, and found a foothold beginning around the 12th Century." The vintage French style resonating nowĪlongside the homes' proximity to nature is the pared-back simplicity for which Japanese design has become known. The world's 10 most ingenious buildings From urban apartments to mountain and seaside escapes, the spaces featured in the book all share this idea of what home interiors mean in Japan, and how they are informed by a sense of harmony and balance with their surrounding environment. "The home – before it is a place of beauty – is a place for safety, and assessed according to its alignment with its natural surroundings," says Mihoko Iida, whose new book Japanese Interiors takes a look inside some of Japan's most interesting private homes.
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