The White Minimalist Style

The basic principle of Minimalism is to decorate with as little as possible to accentuate the beauty of what is there. Architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe adopted the motto “Less is more” to describe his minimalist approach. The furnishings and few carefully chosen accessories take on more importance as there is little else to attract the eye, and become striking in their simplicity. The simple environment is emphasised by the use of white walls, and the impact of textures and colours is heightened. Patterned cushions, colourful curtains and textured rugs contrast with a white backdrop as a lone bare tree would stand out in an otherwise white snow covered field. Matching white walls with white painted floors or a large white rug can give the minimalist style even more impact.

White Interior Style

The White Contemporary Style

Think contemporary style, and images of elegance and sophistication immediately spring to mind. The Bauhaus School of Design, combining crafts and fine arts stands as one of the most influential currents in Modernist architecture and contemporary design. Pristine white walls work extremely well with the simple angles and planes of contemporary design. The style is not as sparse as minimalism, but again splashes of bold colour and texture are used in accessories for dramatic emphasis. Pay attention to the grouping of furniture and wall art; horizontal lines work extremely well in this design style and the white landscape can be nicely offset with upward reaching accessories.

It emerged they had recently purchased a 3 bedroom penthouse apartment overlooking the sea in West Sussex. The Interior Design was very nearly complete; the only element they were stuck on was the flooring. So when they asked for my assistance, how could I refuse?!!

Their apartment is fairly contemporary in design, and it was important to ensure the flooring complimented the scheme.

I suggested that they bought the timber locally from Covers Timber & Builders Merchants. After much discussion, we settled on 14cm wide tongue and grooved flooring. I asked the salesman at Covers whether it would be possible to bevel the edge of each plank, to give a little groove. He informed me that they had a sawmill as part of their timber operation, which meant it wasn’t a problem which was great news! When the flooring was laid, the grooves ensured that the planks did not just appear pushed together, but had a slightly contemporary feel.

For white painted floors, the very best floor paint to use  is Bradite two part PC76 & TP33. This is a two part paint which dries white, and stays white. There is no oil in this paint – if you were to use an oil based paint, after a time the oil will come to the surface and change the appearance of the paint to a slightly creamy colour, as you may have noticed if you have used brilliant white gloss on the woodwork in your house.

The finished results look absolutely fantastic. The flooring was laid in both the hallway and sitting room, and the spacious rooms look even larger than they already are. The rooms are bright, crisp and timeless.