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Hello everyone! I know I posted the intro post for this series quite a while ago, but life seemed to keep getting in the way and I was unable to get this post finished to my liking until now. Anyways, better late then never. Right? ^^;
For this first post in my Mori Kei and Minimalism series, I want to talk about decorating your home. The standard idea for a minimalist's home is all about living with only what you need. Don't buy unnecessary stuff, don't hold on to clutter, etc. This can be a hard concept for mori folk. I see a lot of mori folk who have large collections of nature things, or lace-y things, and or other things of that nature. The general idea that one thinks of when referring to a "mori home" is one that is filled to the brim with old, homey things, like an old grandmother's cottage, or an eclectic relative's apartment. And while that does fit the mori aesthetic, it is pretty much the opposite of what minimalism is. It's all about extra, instead of less.
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In addition to this cluttered idea of a "mori home" being opposite of minimalism, people also have a lot of ideas about what the decor of a minimalist home should look like. The typical minimalist home, in most people's minds, probably looks something like this:
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Generally, people think of blacks, whites, and grays. Large areas with no decorations are common, and overall it tends to be a more industrial look. So, if this is the "standard minimalist home", does that mean that a mori folk can't have a minimalist home and a mori home at the same time? I don't think so. Because although, typically, a minimalist's home looks one way, it doesn't mean that it always has to be these set colors and styles.
It is important to note that a minimalist's home should reflect their personality. If your personality is attracted to the natural and rustic look, or quaint cottage look, or anything else, your home can still reflect that while being minimalistic. There's a lovely quote from becomingminimalist about this idea, which states, "find a style of minimalism that works for you... that is not cumbersome, but freeing based on your values, desires, passions". So with this definition in mind, I think it is very possible to have a mori kei minimalist home.
For instance, take these pictures here:
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All of these spaces are clean and comfortable, while still portraying a natural feel. They are both mori and minimalist. It's all about purposefully picking pieces for your home that have natural materials, and the homey feel that you are looking for. As long as your space is not cluttered with things, then it can be considered minimalist, no matter what kinds of things are left in the end.
So if you're looking to create a minimalist home, but still love the mori aesthetic, it's entirely possible. Hopefully these pictures here will give you some inspiration on your minimalist journey. And if you need a little help, this guide by Miss Minimalist may be able to help you out a little.
My next mori minimalist post will be talking about a harder topic to tackle; clothing. So it could be a little while before I get it finished. But until then, thanks for reading, and good luck minimalizing!
