Simple Steps to a Minimalist Kitchen

07 October 2022

Adopting a minimalist style in your kitchen and reducing equipment and utensils you do not need can relieve stress in many areas, not just financially.

Before taking minimalist steps in the kitchen, we would like to address a few important points about simplifying. First, anyone can be a minimalist—anyone who wants a simpler, more organised life! Second, although minimalism is about owning less while making use of what we already have, simplifying is NOT about acquiring the latest appliances and the most expensive furniture. Third, minimalism does not simply mean cold, plain, empty rooms. Beyond these three perceptions, it is about applying the 'less is more' mindset with which Mies van der Rohe defined architectural minimalism to life as a whole, and simplifying consumption too.

Now we can turn to our main subject! Keeping fewer items in your kitchen and cupboards makes cleaning easier and puts everything within reach so it can be used and function as intended. It improves efficiency at home. Clutter and congestion occupy both your mind and your hands. Simplifying the kitchen with the suggestions below can also make a positive difference to your mental and physical wellbeing.

Let in more air and sunlight!

Minimalist kitchens look more appealing when you increase airflow and sunlight. Making your kitchen brighter, airier and breezier brings freshness and energy to a simplified, minimalist space.

A light, simple colour scheme!

Simplicity is good! When it comes to the colours, shades and accents of your kitchen walls, simplicity is always a good idea. This does not mean, however, that a minimal kitchen cannot have bright colours. On the other hand, combining bright colour with patterned surfaces will make the space look busy. It is about finding the right balance between your taste and your wish to simplify. The spaces of Brazilian Luis Barragan, one of minimalism's pioneers, offer powerful evidence of the spiritual harmony possible between strong, bright colours and minimalist interiors. Difficult, but not impossible! Be bold with colour: playing safe by choosing a light colour scheme is one of the quickest and easiest minimalist kitchen decisions.

Only what you need!

If you want an ultra-minimalist kitchen, gather all the extra cooking and serving equipment you rarely use. This does not mean you need to throw it away or donate it yet. Put it out of sight 'for now' as a small experiment to see how this lifestyle feels.Think of extra bowls, a guest china service large enough to cater for a wedding, two of your three lemon squeezers and dozens of things you do not use even once a year. With minimalism, less is more, so try keeping two sets of basic kitchenware for each person in the household. Instead of buying low- to medium-quality knives every year, consider investing once in two different types of quality chef's knife that could last a lifetime.Naturally, what determines whether something stays or goes is how often you actually use it, not how often you might use it. Notice what you miss, and assess how things are going at your own pace.

Get organised!

Organisation is your strongest tool for creating the feeling of a minimalist kitchen. In a simplified space, small irregularities can look like major clutter. Choose stackable modular sets of items such as pots, storage containers, measuring tools and colanders that can be stored on top of one another, both empty and full. Do not leave something you use no more than once a day on the worktop simply because it looks coordinated or makes you feel good.

Keep the worktop clear where possible

Hooks, drawer racks and small organisers can clear most of the items occupying your worktop. Of course, you will still arrange them within easy reach. Focusing on this alone is an effective way to create a minimalist kitchen on a small budget. At its simplest, hang glasses and cups beneath kitchen cupboards or place your knives on a wall-mounted magnetic strip—remember, you now have only two, or perhaps four, knives!

Focus on edible plants

The most delicious and fragrant way to add texture and colour to minimalist spaces is to make room for aromatic herbs in your kitchen. Choosing edible plants that can be used in cooking rather than purely decorative plants fits both the style we want for the kitchen and a simpler way of living: functional, useful, compact and sustainable.

Create more room to move

Minimalism focuses on simplicity and functionality, so your minimalist kitchen should offer both. Widen walkways and movement areas to make getting around easier. Avoid storing items on the floor. In a kitchen where movement is unrestricted, you can work safely, quickly and smoothly, while the space you open up adds volume and light.

Closed cupboards

A simple kitchen appearance can be difficult to achieve with open shelving and storage. Depending on your space, choose storage and shelving systems with doors for a minimalist design. When you feel your kitchen slipping out of control and see clutter returning, closed doors will make life remarkably easier. In these modern times, you know as well as we do how important it is to restore order quickly and store things practically.

Minimalism allows you to remove excess that weighs on you physically, mentally or socially, and simplify life. What we seek is more than a cohesive, uncluttered appearance: you can think of a minimalist kitchen as a step towards a comfortable, peaceful life in which we can live with less.