I never thought I would actually say this but, I’m really enjoying the bare walls of our new apartment. After the stress and chaos of moving our family across the country, I’ve noticed that bare walls allow me space to think. We’re constantly bombarded with information, and some of it we create ourselves. It’s all much more than I can comfortably handle.
Somehow bare walls give me peace along with not decorating around the flat screen tv we sold before we moved.
As a work-from-home mom of a toddler, there isn’t much time for being entertained anyway. Instead I’m on my feet much of the day unless I’m sitting down to eat or write. By donating and selling 95% of our possessions before we moved, we’ve created the task of replacing the important items upon arrival. That alone has kept me busy.
There are times where I think adding at least one large piece of wall art to our living area would be a good idea. Art adds an important element of personal style. Yet I haven’t decided what art, if any. I’m actually more interested on creating a beautiful minimalist home around bare walls. I’ve noticed that bare walls make your place appear even larger and more spaceous.
To decorate around bare walls, I’m finding that keeping things streamlined while considering pieces with texture like wood, ceramics, knits, linen, and plants are the key.
I’m in awe of the amazing finds at the many thrift stores in Raleigh, but I haven’t gone overboard by any means. Although we’ve bought new items, I’ve focused on buying natural/organic items as much as possible along with secondhand finds. Thrifting saves money, and can help to create a truly unique space. I found the little white chair pictured for my son for $2. We also found a $50 couch in fantastic condition which we dressed with a slipcover.
I’ve been purchasing incredible baskets secondhand to easily add texture into our home which are also amazing for organizing my son’s toys.
I have the new mindset to become much more frugal than I’ve ever been before after this move. It’s so easy to find many pieces both new and secondhand to make your home cozy and reflect your personal style. I’m hoping to find my own balance with this. These bare walls are definitely keeping me in perspective.
I feel that we can easily overconsume with decorating as we do with clothing.
There is definitely an art to decorating a home around bare walls. I hope that I’m able to master this art with enough texture and interest, even if it is only by my own standards. Otherwise I hope to find or create the perfect piece of wall art.
What do you think about bare walls in a space?
(Image by Dawn Michelle)
Angelica says
Dawn Michelle –
Congratulations on your move! So lovely to hear from you. I’ve followed you for years – dipping in and out with the ongoings of Life. But as a first-time commenter, just wished to send waves of appreciation your way for your blog and sharings of all your transformations…dating back to your earliest posts.
As an Angeleno, I must say I felt a small “pang” of loss to hear you were leaving us for a different locale. You are are close to the coast I left to come to LA some years into blog.
Nevertheless, Raleigh is fortunate to have gained a new resident replete with her family from California!
In regards to bare walls, I adore them! Your thoughts of using texture and materials (colours/accents/etc) are deeply resonant with aesthetics I have experienced: a factory loft with high ceilings in Perth was one of my favourite homes. It had a single wall colour-painted while all other walls/floors/trim were neutral.
Living artfully is something I choose to experience. And being mindful of everything I interact with as art both elevates and distills experience into a living tableau. Bare walls provide a backdrop to mindfully choose what I prefer to highlight. These accents are not only physical objects but also non-physical; peace, intuition and my connection to things immanent seemed to flow more smoothly without many decorative distractions.
Thank you for your photo and looking forward to seeing and hearing further of your adventures!
Best wishes!
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Angelica,
Thank you so much for saying hello amd for your well wishes! Our new place has high ceilings or at least higher than our previous apartment. The apartment you described in Perth sounds lovely. I loved what you said about living artfully. I will be keeping that in mind as our new apartment continues to unfold. Best wishes to you and please don’t be a stranger.
M says
Hi Dawn, thank you for the article! I was wondering, are you going to do an apartment tour of your new place, just like you did with your old apartment in Cali?
Dawn Michelle says
Hi M,
I was certainly thinking of doing an apartment tour, but we are far from that at this point. I haven’t started from scratch like this since leaving college.
nofixedstars says
i have found that bare walls are soothing and spacious feeling also. personally, i crave more minimal surroundings whenever i am ill or in transition. i have two opposite aesthetics which struggle within me; i love both very minimal, zen spaces and very colourful, object-filled ones. which makes it (ahem) challenging to make decorating decisions… my answer has been to keep collections/displays circumscribed; in a glass cabinet, on a wall shelf unit. i rotate them occasionally, which keeps things fresh or seasonal. this does mean allocating storage space for treasured items, of course. another way i have dealt with my schizophrenic decor tendencies is to keep main rooms relatively bare and neutral, and confining colourful items to themed rooms used mostly by guests. we have a “japanese” bedroom where i display some of my porcelain, lacquer, and kimono, and a “bohemian” bedroom which is reminiscent of the interior of a romany caravan. the room where i teach yoga and do reiki is very open, and the main objects in it apart from a wall of bookcases are cushions/mats, and a table with a small collection of brass hindu and buddhist sculptures, and plants. but our living area and kitchen are quite neutral, and our bedroom is filled with various shades of off-white and creams from linen and wool as well as wall paint.
i so agree with your observations about texture. natural fibre textiles and baskets bring much visual interest, even in just the undyed tones. allowing colour to come mainly from natural materials—wood or stone flooring, wood furniture, leather upholstery, wool rugs and throws, linen curtains—creates a space that is comforting, visually and tactilely rich, but never overwhelming. keeping wall colours fairly neutral and subdued feels peaceful, and allows the light to change over the course of a day in soothing, interesting ways.
and i think there is value in living in a new space for some time before making decorating decisions. it helps to become familiar with the light, with the spaces, when they are bare. that way, we know how we feel in the spaces. it takes a little time to learn how best to live in a new place; like becoming friends with a person, we come to know a house gradually and authentically this way, rather than imposing on it our preconceptions.
enjoy the process of making your new home uniquely yours.
Dawn Michelle says
Hi nofixedstars,
I agree it does take time to get to know your new space. I am looking forward to everything unfolding and I’m emjoying the process. There is still so many things I’d like to do especially with plants, but for now I am mainly preparing for our first winter. I’ve been gathering what all of us need since I haven’t experienced a real winter in so many years, and my husband and son never have. Thank God for thrift stores!
Rebecca says
Not quite ready to go bare yet. Only because none of my furniture is tall ( or vertical) enough with 10 ft. ceilings. There is only one item hanging on my walls per room.
My sister said it’s so sparse, but hey I like it that way. It’s easier to breath.
Much love to you and yours
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Rebecca,
I like how you have one piece of art per room. That’s a really good balance of art and open space. Sparse does give you that space to breath as you said. We have 10ft ceilings in our new apartment and the extra height does change things. No artwork came with us during our move. Everything that we owned fit in the trunk of one car which we transported as well as our carryons for the flight. I do enjoy art very much, so time will tell. Much love to you and thanks so much for sharing.