How to Avoid Overdoing Minimalism in Design

Minimalism, the trend which captured the 1960s, was invented to simplify things and return them to their fundamental state. Everyone from the design world, including interior designers, architects and product designers embraced it to make their designs elegant. It continued its influence to the modern world, so one of the examples of minimalism’s influence on design are current trends involved in the design process. Simplicity is highlighted which uses little to no visual elements like gradients, shadows, and textures, that results with clear user experience.

The question is, at what point does your minimalistic design become too simple?

Let’s find out the danger of minimalist design and how to prevent it.

What are the signs of minimalist design gone bad?

Users have trouble with navigation

If your users have to guess where to find something to get to essential information, no matter if it is in interior design or UX then you probably exaggerated with minimalist web design. Keep in mind that navigation should be intuitive, and don’t be stingy with including more navigation elements because there are other places where you can do that. Removing too much text, buttons or guidance can make users feel frustrated rather than focused. In graphic design, this could mean oversimplified posters that don’t communicate their message.

The design is boring and lacks personality

Just because there is less of something, doesn’t mean it should be boring and without personality. This can happen in fashion (regular, uninspiring clothing that lacks individuality), branding (logos that are too generic), or even home décor (spaces that feel cold and uninviting), unless that is something you want. However if you want your space or website to leave better impressions then try to mix it up a bit and add more color or something unique.

Functionality is compromised

Minimalist design should improve usability. This can happen if there is too much whitespace, unclear icons and in product design, this could be furniture that looks elegant but it is uncomfortable. Also, a good example is the modern car interface, where we sometimes have only a few buttons. 

The car user interface however offers hundreds of options, and the only way you could go through them is through these two buttons. That means clicking through various submenus to enter various other submenus, all while driving. Sounds safe? Maybe for the distinguished minimalists among us that also have got the itch for adrenaline, but for most people… Maybe not so much. That is why you see many car brands reverting back to the good old, tactically sound, clicky, clunky physical buttons.

White in design: When Less Becomes Too Much

White color is the leader of minimalist design representing symbol of clarity and cleanliness, used by designers all over the world. However, overusing it can create negative effects across various design fields. In graphic and web design too much space between paragraphs and other elements can make content feel disconnected, and additionally it could affect readability.

How too much whitespace can affect design.

In interior design, luxury modern minimal design is always an interesting option, however too much white can create a cold and uninviting atmosphere in your home or workplace. Furthermore, white surfaces highlight stains and this can be especially tricky if you have toddlers wandering around, leaving their chocolate handprints on your walls.
In product and packaging design, excessive white can feel generic, unfinished and this can affect branding making it forgettable.

Tips for achieving balance

Introduce Focal Points

Focal points in design means to create elements that naturally draw the viewer’s attention and provide better guidance. In web design, the focal point can be:

• bold or oversized text 
• place an image or an icon in some strategic place
• animations or hover effects to guide the user

Test and Iterate

Before starting anything you first consult with your client what minimalist design means for him/her, or you can do the first version and then ask for feedback so that you don’t go in the wrong direction. After that, iterate and make more versions and suggestions, you can even try out A/B testing if applicable.

Warm It Up with Lighting

To avoid sterile look, use warmer lightning color to make space more welcoming. You can also try applying different types of lighting in different areas, and highlight focal points for clarity.

Pay Attention to Proportions

Playing with different proportions in design could help you achieve that minimalist style without exaggerating, so in digital design you can mix small and large elements together. Also, in interior design placing one large furniture piece could make the space look impactful but without clutter.

Limit Color, But Don’t Eliminate It

Colors help us create beautiful designs, therefore, feel free to use them in minimalism, however, to achieve that look, you can apply neutral palettes or perhaps use an accent color where needed. In design, there is a 60-30-10 Rule which refers to proportions of colors to be used to achieve balanced yet interesting appearance:

• 60% neutral,
• 30% secondary,
•  10% accent

Why do Complexity and Detail Still Matter in Design?

One question remains. For example, if we look at China’s, or Japan’s vibrant and colorful world of design for example, why would we still be convinced that the Western minimalist design approach is the right one? Our brains are very flexible and get used to new things easily, why would we think that we cannot comprehend more than five items at once for example?

We consider the whole extreme cult of minimalism to be a principle gone too far because  without its sister, maximalism on a few details (colours, pattern breaking components, etc.), the world would look monotonous and boring. You wouldn’t like to drive a Lamborghini if it were so minimalistic by its nature. You also wouldn’t have anything to marvel at, from the list of 7 world wonders. The gardens of Versailles would be just a plain field of Versailles, and the Pyramids would be just Blocks of Giza.

Final Thoughts

Minimalism in design is about keeping only what matters, but it should never compromise usability or brand personality. The goal is not to create the simplest design, but the most effective one without making it dull. White is a powerful color used a lot to achieve less but it is important to use it in balance with other elements and keep in mind that sometimes less is not more. You can use white to achieve clarity but still create colorful minimalism web design or interior.

We are not saying that it should be ditched completely, there is a time and place for it. But we are saying, let’s not push that principle where it does not belong. Let’s try to see the world through a happy lens, full of possibilities, not as a limited, focused and strict place where nothing should stray away from the imposed standard. Let’s embrace our natural desire for wonderful details, and put an end to boring places, cars, apps, clothes, interiors and a boring world. Of course, in the right balance. Or not. There is no minimalism police as far as we know.

Have you ever encountered a design that was too minimal? Share your thoughts below!