A new year brought a new Monthly Mood for January ? minimalism. After the chaos of the holidays, and the last couple of years, scaling back felt like a great place to start for 2022. We turned away from clutter and landed on a stripped back approach, where monochromatic color palettes, warm neutral tones, clean lines, and simplicity, reign. By dialing it back to the essentials, only the most important elements remain, oftentimes resulting in some much-needed serenity. To pair with this month’s features, we created a Spotify playlist ? Chill Minimalism ? that you can play while taking a look back at some minimalist-inspired design.

An Architect Designs His Own Minimalist Home With a Dramatic Lightwell
We checked out the North End of Halifax, Nova Scotia, where architect Omar Gandhi turned a narrow abandoned lot into his own family home. The OG House offers both a minimalist exterior and interior where warm wood and neutral finishes create a modern yet cozy home. Beautiful, unexpected details like an oak-clad lightwell allow natural light to shine throughout.
The Nobuko Shelving System Adapts to the Demands of Your Space
Furniture brand Broste Copenhagen just released a minimalist, modular shelving system that quickly and easily adapts to any space. Nobuko arrives flat packed and consists of only two types of components: shelves and legs. With four different leg heights to choose from, you can customize how large of a unit you want, as well as how many shelves you ne...