minimalism

On her recent trip to Paris, BellaSugar interviewed Tom Pecheux, the creative makeup director of Estée Lauder, about his new Blue Dahlia makeup collection, which focuses on blue. While discussing the use of bold colors in the new line, Pecheux's conversation extended beyond makeup to include the use of bold colors in interior design, and the concept of "good taste."

In the interview, Pecheaux mused, "Good taste doesn’t mean anything. My personal taste compared to my parents — my mother, she loves to have a lot of flowers everywhere. Me, I’m more minimal. In the past, I made a big mistake, and I hated myself. When I was a young adult, I rushed to my mother and I said, 'We should take this out, put this away, take out the flower, throw that away.' And I bought my apartment in Paris, made it like a white cube — everything was very minimal. I love color, so the only color was a flower bouquet or a painting. It was so opposite of my mother’s world, what she likes. But she walked in and she said, 'Oh my God, your apartment is so amazing.' . . . And I thought, I am such a bitch to tell my mom I have the right taste, and she doesn’t. So, from that moment on I learned that taste doesn’t mean anything because my taste could be — and probably is for a lot of people — very bad taste."

I know that I used to make judgment calls about other people's style or taste, but now I realize that all of us might be accused of having very good or very bad taste, depending on the context. Do you think that taste is subjective, like I do, or do you think that there are some things that are simply good taste?

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Browsing through interior designer couple Lyndsay Caleo and Fitzhugh Karol's Brooklyn home on The Selby, I caught a glimpse of their guest bedroom nightstand and stopped dead in my tracks. It's absolutely the tiniest little thing I've ever seen! Meanwhile, the rest of the room is notably bare, so the mini table seems like it's almost an afterthought. I definitely admire this sort of minimalism — whoever can pull it off deserves a round of applause.

I myself do have a très petite nightstand on one side of my bed, standing as a podium of sorts for my cell phone and earrings. But the other side of my bed boasts a big ol' table with my book collection, a table lamp, and other odds and ends. Do you have a diminutive nightstand? Do you think you could pull one off? Here are a few tiny tables to get you started.

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Are you feeling this look model Kasia Struss wore on the Chloé catwalk? Then minimal-femme you are. Spring will be way more sophisticated if you don a look inspired by the French fashion house's mellow-but-sharp aesthetic. The most important piece you'll need is a cream poncho, followed by khaki pants, a crisp white button-down shirt, strappy sandals, and a burgundy bag. If this isn't your thing, try Adam's sporty-chic look.

Here's a post from CasaSugar Community member Laura Trevey from the Su Casa group:

Are you a Minimalist? According to Wikipedia, minimalism describes a movement where "work is stripped down to its most fundamental features . . . it is rooted in the reductive aspects of Modernism, and is often interpreted as a reaction against abstract impressionism and a bridge to Postmodern art practices." Strip it down to the fundamentals. Hide the clutter. This Japanese-style room is gorgeous and I am a huge fan of plush cushions on the floor.

To see more minimalist rooms and chime in on whether it fits your aesthetic, read more

While minimalism is definitely not my decorating modus operandi, I do envy those who can tightly edit a space to perfection. Such is the case with the Amsterdam apartment of James Webb, a partner, along with Kirstin Gabriëls, in the firm gabriëls webb, a multi-discipline design and architecture office located in Amsterdam.

Although Webb no longer lives in this gorgeous apartment, he writes that having to move out of this space did motivate him to buy his own place, which is, no surprise, lovely as well.


I love the contrasts in Webb's first apartment, from the traditional, wide-planked wood floor with state-of-the-art speakers set upon it to the ornate candelabra set next to an ultra-modern turntable on the mantel. Curious as to what else resides in this modern, minimalist flat? Find out when you read more

Do you think that roses should be relegated to old ladies' perfume bottles and shabby chic pillows? If so, I'd like to change your mind.

You'll be happy to hear that an updated take on the beautiful bloom is easy to find and decorate with. In fact, the rose is making a comeback in hip, modern homes. Take this Je Taime Poster ($40), for example. With a modern font and a blockprinted rose outline, I dare you to find anything fuddy duddy about it.


To find roses that are more modern than the norm, look for designs that utilize abstracted designs and simplified color palettes. See some of my other favorite modern rose finds when you read more