Minimalist elegance has been a constant theme in interior design for decades. But this manner of living need not mean ascetic white-walled rooms stripped of decoration and accented with rectilinear furniture and hard surfaces. Rather, today's essential interior is defined by sumptuous materials, deep textures, and striking colors. A host of designers and architects around the world have taken the minimalist vocabulary--whether it be that of the Modern progenitors, Japanese essentialists, or the more recent absolutists--and imbued their interiors with innovative twists. No longer content with the search for hard-edged purity (which often conceals extravagant expense), contemporary designers enhance, exaggerate, and extrapolate pared-down minimalism within reasonable budgets. The spaces they create are flexible, livable, and practical, artfully combining the beauty and spirituality of minimalism with an exuberant love of exotic woods and metals, playful or mysterious forms, and a respect for natural light, clean lines, and easy living. Drawing on the best interiors from around the world, created by a wide range of architects, designers, and residents themselves, Practically Minimal focuses on five themes that define the flexible modern lifestyle: living and relaxing, cooking and dining, sleeping, bathing, and outdoor rooms. A final section, Elements, is a rich visual resource of details of the new minimalism, from stairs and storage, to materials and textures, to lighting and plants. 200 color illustrations. Read Less