Minimalism

[gessoo]

A light hearted question from a vaguely frustrated homemaker on a Monday morning.

How on earth can anyone maintain a 'minimalist' house when you have a family with loads of hobbies, pets and just generally enjoy being in your home and 'living'? Is minimalism actually possible for normal human beings!!!?

[gessoo]

I don't have or desire a minimalist house by the way, but this question always comes into my mind when I watch any of the thousands of property programmes on the tele these days!

[heathfield]

Decant the rest of the family to the garden shed or the garage. (Move the car out first!) ;-)

[gessoo]

I would do that, but our garage is full to the brim already with all the clutter from the various hobbies!!! ;o)

[jake-the-peg]

Of course you could just build a minimalist shed in the garden and gaze longingly at it from your real-life house! :c)

The whole minimalist thing is selling a fantasy lifestyle that borders on the pornographic in titilating fantasy desires.

Sometimes architects get pretentions of art and start dictating the way to live in order to fit their "vision" rather than designing buildings to enhance the way their clients already live.

If you were to spend your life trying to achieve some fantasy dreamt up by a bunch of art school graduates it'd end in tears and probably a large psychiatric bill!

[gessoo]

Jake, I do so agree with you. Actually this whole designer culture really hacks me off. Unfortunately, so many people actually take it all in and then feel entirely inadequate. We designed our own house and garden and it has grown over the years and continuously changes. It suits us, who cares what the rest of the world think.

And as for those programmes that suggest making your home minimalist before you try to sell it, well if people don't have the intelligence or perception to see what's under the decor or so-called 'clutter' then I feel very sorry for them.!! Even if I was a multi millionaire I would never employer a home or garden designer!

A home is not just a building.