“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”

                                                                      ~ Leonardo Da Vinci (1452)

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I am a strong believer of minimalism, an art movement in post-World War II which lent inspiration to a whole new dimension in visual arts, music, design and lifestyle.

From a decor and lifestyle perspective, adopting a minimalist outlook helps reduce clutter, improve space efficiency and promote a sense of peace and zen.

MUJI is a Japanese chain of retail stores selling clothing and household goods with a distinctive emphasis on minimalist design, recycling, a no-logo or “no-brand” policy and the avoidance of waste in production and packaging.

MUJI black porcelain brush holder

Perhaps inspired by an efficient use of space in relatively small Japanese households, this black porcelain brush holder will free up counter top space in your bathroom.

The holder has been cleverly design with a hole at the bottom for water flow and ease of cleaning.

These brush holders come in a variety of colours and are particularly useful in a shower recess.

Mysaucepan prefers grey though I think the black ones are more suited to match the black tapware and black trimmings of our ensuite bathroom.

MUJI wooden finger brush

I find a MUJI wooden finger brush (RM15 / A$3) stylish in its sleek design with black bristles. It is particularly useful for brushing dirt from under the fingernails, especially after my gardening sessions.

MUJI wooden wall beam

Before the major renovations to this house, I decided on a Scandinavian-inspired theme of black against wood as the new decor.

I fell in love immediately when I saw this sleek wooden beam in MUJI’s store at The Galleries in Sydney. MUJI does not specify a particular use though the beam was displaying a book at the store, implying it be used as a display stand for books or small ornaments.

However, I have chosen to use this beam as a clothes hanger in the bedroom.

Measuring 88cm (W) x 4cm (D) x 9cm (H), this beam fits perfectly in the wall space between the wardrobe and door in our master bedroom.

The oak wood grain also matches the solid blackbutt wooden doors of our house and complements the black architraves, black floor skirtings and black wardrobe trimmings.

The beam is made of an oak grain pattern finish and a medium density fibreboard (MDF) interior to minimize weight on the wall. It comes with simple instructions for installation, a wall-print of the beam and two aluminium wall brackets to be mounted onto the wall.

(Note: You will require four small fixing screws as these are not included in the package.)

A chrome silver MUJI clothes hanger (A$16) is lightweight and comes with six white pegs on three horizontal bars and most importantly, a rotatable hook so that it is easily hung anywhere along the wooden beam. This hanger is ideal for daily use – hanging pants and pegging clothing items.

Perhaps my favourite feature about this wooden wall beam apart from its simplicity is the fact that it frees up valuable space which would otherwise be taken up by a garmet or clothing rack that sits on the floor.

MUJI acrylic box

Another of my favourite is the MUJI clear acrylic holder. Again, there is no designated usage for this holder but I have decided to use it for storing sunglasses.

Measuring 17.5cm (W) x 25cm (H) x 9cm (D) when closed, this holder is stylish yet functional.

The holder can also be displayed in an open position.

I bought 3 of these acrylic boxes for Mysaucepan as I know she has been unable to find a suitable organizer that would fit into the wall cabinet of our ensuite bathroom with a depth of only 11.5cm.

The three levels of storage space is suitable for organizing all of her make up accessories – lipsticks, makeup packs, creams and other girlie stuff which I am not familiar with.

There are four sections in the wall cabinet and needless to say, Mysaucepan‘s make up and bathroom accessories take up three and a half sections, leaving me with just one shelf which I suppose is still more than sufficient for my toiletry items – after shave, hair gel and hair brush.

The MUJI acrylic box holds all loose accessories inside the cabinet, thus allowing more than sufficient space for a few of my casual everyday items left in the bottom open shelf.

Even with this minimalist look, Mysaucepan would insist I store away my everyday items so that nothing at all remains in the open shelf for a totally bare look.

MUJI wooden bin

I bought this beautiful MUJI wooden bin with the intention of a disposal bin in the bathroom.

Mysaucepan disliked it as a bin because it does not come with a lid. On second thoughts, she has a valid point because an open plastic bag in this bin with bathroom waste tissues etc is indeed a ghastly sight.

Instead, I am using this bin as a magazine holder in our living area. The earthy wooden finish against the black floor complements and further accentuates the black and wood motif of our decor.

MUJI European oak bench

I have been searching for a small seat for our entrance foyer for guests to sit down when removing or putting on their shoes. A round stool might not have been suitable for the shape of our foyer which I have designed to be an L-shaped walkway leading into the formal lounge area.

So this MUJI European oak bench turns out to be rather suitable for our purpose. In addition to it being a seat, I have also been using it as a step stool to reach top shelves and drawers around the house.

The appeal of this bench is in its simplicity – basic carpentry with a smooth textural finish.

There is absolutely no assembly required except for the option of sticking four non-scratch pads on the base of each leg to prevent scratching the floor.

The depth of the bench is slim at only 14cm.

This MUJI European oak bench measuring 1m (W) x 29cm (D) x 44cm (H) turns out to be the perfect piece of furniture for the slim shape of our entrance foyer. I am curious as to which European country this oak comes from as it also matches our European oak floorboards.

The bench, together with the floor runner and wooden buffet, accentuates the shape of our foyer.

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MUJI
The Galeries, 500 George street,
Sydney, New South Wales

Tel: +61 2 8036 4556

Opening hours: Monday – Wednesday, Friday & Saturday 10am – 7pm, Thursday 10am – 9pm, Sunday 11am – 6pm.

A second Sydney outlet will be opening in Chatswood in March 2018.

Online store: http://www.muji.eu/index.asp