“Less is more” is the famous quote from Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, the influential german american architect and last director of the Bauhaus School in Weimar, Germany.
But what does it mean?
Why does a space filled with lots of small items and too much stuff feel cluttered? These spaces can feel busy and uncomfortable because they seem to lack space and light.
Regardless of how big or small your space is, the key is having fewer but larger pieces in your home whether it be furniture, artwork or accessories. According to Pinterest, saves for large scale artwork are up by 637 % (saves for “big wall art” + 637 %) Pinterest: Top Trends to try in 2018 Blog.
Don’t be afraid to go big!
During one project, we had to incorporate a large, roughly two meter high ficus tree in a beautiful, pre war Berlin office. As the ceilings were over four meters high, an oversized, one m tall plant container was specified. The client could not imagine using such a large container until it was in place. The oversized container raised the tree adding height, depth and a sculptural element that complemented the space.
It’s not just about furniture and accessories. When choosing materials in a renovation or for a new home, take the opportunity to go big. Incorporating large, plank wood flooring, tall baseboards, oversize tiles or an oversize wallpaper pattern will add design impact to any space.
It’s important to use the whole space including above your head! If you are lucky enough to have high ceilings, you have an opportunity to fill the space above with large scale light fixtures. Oversized lights take advantage of ceiling height and add visual interest to the normally empty space above furniture.
Go big or go home!
