Minimalissimo

Tiina Ilmavirta Home

architecture

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Tiina Ilmavirta, of the blog Design Wash, is an unofficial expert in interior design. An art director by day, Finland-based Ilmavirta has a passion for home design (particularly in the Scandinavian fashion) and channels it in to her personal residence. Decorated both methodically and effortlessly, Ilmavirta’s home is a lovely example of function meets style.

A true minimalist, Ilmavirta’s home is primarily neutrals: white, grey, and black dominate the decor, with the perfect amount of light wood as an accent. The kitchen features white cabinetry and a jet black table and chairs, while the living room mixes grey rugs and furnishings with black and wood accessories. In the bedroom, a neutral palette provides a peaceful oasis for snoozing. The design of the dwelling is refreshingly simple, yet Ilmavirta’s personality shines through in each piece, whether in a particular light fixture, a dining set, or the bed linens.

I want to create a peaceful atmosphere. For me, it’s important that our home looks good but even more, it has to feel good. The simpler it is the more I enjoy it. I like the lightness that doesn’t have too many colours but lot of neutral tones and matt materials that give a soft feeling to the space. The right kind of contrasts bring a sharp edge.
On her blog, Ilmavirta describes the various rewards and challenges of her personal interior design adventures. Posts on finding the perfect bedroom set, a functional coat rack, and maintaining polished concrete floors provide a sneak peak into her process. Ilmavirta knows design that is both functional and stylish takes time, and that there is beauty in the journey.
I decorate our home over time. I don’t need to get everything done right away. Sometimes I try different ideas and see if they work or not. I find it important that the dimensions are right so that the whole space is balanced, but the details are just as important. I’m trying to make a functional combination of shapes, materials, and shades.
Ilmavirta’s process really is to be admired, and the beautiful ways she shares it with us on her blog and Instagram. After all, interior design is not just something to be admired in photographs, it should be admired day in and day out, as it is in a family home.

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