Minimalism in Interior Design was always known to be a fad. People who called themselves minimalists were seen more on Instagram and Facebook feeds than on the earth. Minimalistic Spaces – the very few that got made – were more spaces for exhibit and show than real places to live or do business in. But then came the Pandemic.
If the number of conversations I have had this last one month with customers wanting their home to be done in minimalistic design is an indicator, then it does seem that Minimalism is here to roost. And it is not for the Instagram pages this time – it is more because the kaam wali baai has suddenly become dispensable – something that young families no longer want to depend on.
With the Pandemic forcing families into a self-help mode and cleaning robots and machines having a field day in the home, young couples seem to be confident of dumping the dependence for good, not wanting to return to the earlier normal. The young ones are asking for their homes to be designed with LESS – less furniture, less clutter, less storage – just enough to get by the daily routine, while at the same time optimized for automation to ensure the machines and robots can roam free and the daily chore can be done with LESS involvement. This is not the Minimalism as understood and studied by designers of the yesteryears but its new Avatar, I prefer to call it called MinimAtion (Minimalism + Automation) and it is causing Interior Designers to rework not just their designs but also their skills and abilities.
Signing off
Nandita
