Minimalism has grown quite popular in recent years, particularly in the world of interior design. This style creates a calming effect and allows those with busier lives to stay organized while still enjoying a pleasant atmosphere in their home!

When it comes to kitchen design, the minimalist aesthetic is especially appealing for homeowners, as the kitchen can often be the least organized room in the house.

You’re likely drawn to a kitchen layout that requires a lighter workload to maintain especially if you lead a busy life. But what is considered ‘essentials’ in a minimalist kitchen? Let’s find out!

Need some kitchen design ideas that follow that minimalist aesthetic? Check out this article by Caesarstone.

What is a ‘minimalist’ kitchen?

Those who embrace the minimalist lifestyle strive to rid their home of clutter and only stock items that are considered necessities. This aesthetic embraces sleek, simple, geometric furniture and hardware, along with a more muted colour palette.

All of these elements are implemented to help homeowners maintain better focus, limit distractions, be more organized, and feel calmer in their surroundings.

So, when it comes to designing a minimalist kitchen, homeowners would avoid stocking multiple plate sets, keeping dishware and utensils only used for special occasions, having an entire cupboard dedicated to colourful coffee mugs, and so on.

Rather, they would only keep items in the kitchen they intended to use on a regular basis.

As well, the furniture and interior would maintain a neutral colour palette, with pops of colour here and there, to allow for a more calming atmosphere.

Minimalist kitchen essentials

Because the minimalist style is focused on simplicity, it may be difficult to figure out how to implement it in your kitchen layout properly.

However, you can easily achieve a minimalist look by including a few key elements in both your design and daily habits. Let’s examine these further below:

1. Culled kitchen utensils and dishware

One of the most important things for new minimalists to do is to rid themselves of clutter! For a kitchen, this starts with purging all of the utensils and dishware they don’t use.

For instance, if you own duplicates of one utensil, such as a can opener, but only use one, toss out the others. If you aren’t going to use it in the near future, it’s only taking up space.

A few great ways to both cull your kitchenware and add to your design layout are to hang your pots, pans, and spatulas on a wall rack, use drawer organizers for your cutlery, or store your dishes on invisible shelves.

2. De-cluttered fridge and cupboards

Maintaining a clean space in your fridge, pantry, and kitchen cupboards is another essential factor of a minimalist kitchen design.

You can better organize these spaces by throwing out half-eaten or old food, condiments, and other food items that aren’t being used.

Another great way to reduce food clutter is to plan your meals for each week so that you only purchase ingredients you intend to eat within a few days.

3. Organized countertops

A minimalist kitchen design embraces open space, so when it comes to your countertops, you’ll want to keep them clear of too many decorative ornaments or appliances.

Instead, opt for storing the majority of your appliances in your cupboard and only place one or two on the counter that you use daily, such as a coffee maker.

When it comes to decorative pieces, placing a simple vase on your table or a fruit basket on the counter is a great way to add more dimension and colour without sacrificing simplicity.

4. A neutral colour scheme

Minimalism favours neutral, bright, and natural colours, such as white, beige, brown, black and grey. Brighter colours like white and beige will make your room feel larger and more spacious, while darker colours add more dimension and balance.

So, when designing your kitchen, try to select elements that fit a more neutral colour scheme, such as installing white quartz countertops. These colours can be integrated into an all-white kitchen, or you can contrast them with brown or black for a more sleek, elegant look.

If you enjoy bolder tones like red or yellow, you can even add an extra pop of colour by purchasing brighter-coloured kitchen chairs or a similar item.

However, be wary of adding too many contrasting colours, as this can reduce the calming effect that a minimalistic design provides.

5. Bright lighting

Another way to make your kitchen feel more spacious is to capitalize on natural lighting. This can be achieved by keeping windows open during the day with minimal coverage.

Or, if your kitchen doesn’t have windows, a great way to reflect more natural light is to install glass cabinets or hang a couple of mirrors on the wall.

Further still, if your kitchen is located in an area where natural light is scarce, installing daylight lightbulbs will help create that illusion and help achieve the spacious atmosphere of a minimalist design.

6. Combine form and function

As we touched on above, there are many ways you can both utilize your kitchen space and add to the overall look of your minimalist design, in turn combining form with function.

For instance, you can store pasta, coffee beans, rice, and similar food items in clear glass jars. These jars can be stored on your countertop or, to further reduce clutter, on invisible shelves.

This method will both free up storage space in your cupboard and also add a more cohesive and sleek look to your design.

7. Defer to space-saving furniture

For a minimalist design, the furniture you purchase for your kitchen should retain a simple, geometric look, similar to the design of Nordic-style furniture. As well, try locating furniture pieces that take up less space in order to maintain a more open feel.

For example, instead of purchasing a kitchen table and chairs, defer to a kitchen island and bar stools. Not only will this type of set-up save space, but an island also acts as a perfect secondary food prep area.

Conclusion

All of the above factors are essential to implement into your minimalist kitchen design. To achieve the right minimalist atmosphere, embrace design elements that save space, prevent clutter, and make the room feel fresh and calming!