Minimalism isn’t for everyone, says Kristen Hennie, owner of Ducy Design in Westlake. She gives us the 411 on who wants it and why, along with how she makes it work for each homeowner.
The Clients
Hennie says minimalists are generally younger singles or empty nesters looking to simplify their lives. She recalls a client’s remark after she and her husband returned to their large Cleveland-area home after a stay in their Florida condominium: “We don’t need all this. We have four coffee mugs there, and it is just fine. Why do we have 36 falling out of our cabinets?”
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The Appeal
Some of it is sheer practicality. “People are seeking a way to design spaces in a way that they can hide the clutter [and necessities],” Hennie says. In the kitchen, for example, countertops are cleared by pulling coffeemakers, toasters and blenders into appliance garages built into the cabinetry, stashing knives in knife blocks integrated into drawers and even concealing cooktops under counters. Shedding belongings and the effort of maintaining them can also mean shedding emotional baggage, she adds. “Living abundantly doesn’t mean more stuff.”
The Design
“[Minimalism] is a lot of monochromatic colors, neutrals and some metal tones,” Hennie says. “There’s not a lot of big, flashy colors. It’s simple.” Rift white oak is the wood of choice for its subtle linear grain. Oversized tile and porcelain slabs are used to minimize grout lines. Hennie adds visual interest by layering and juxtaposing textures, perhaps upholstering a sofa or chair in a nubby boucle with a leather welt. Natural stone countertops can add a measured dose of color in kitchens and baths. She suggests clients inject personality by investing in wall-hung art. “With artwork, almost anything goes,” she says.
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The House
“I try to tie in the exterior architectural design with the interior design,” Hennie says. A true minimalist interior in a thoroughly traditional home, like an early 20th-century Tudor, “is going to feel off.” “But at the end of the day,” she adds, “that’s probably not the house [the minimalist] is seeking.”
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