Growing up in the 80s and 90s, Saturdays were the very best! The aroma of Moimoi and Akara from the kitchen, the resounding voice of the commentator on Telly Match, the cartoons on Cadbury Breakfast Show and other sitcoms were highlights of our morning; it felt like a reward for the work to come. We usually anticipated Saturdays since we didn’t have to go to school and there was an opportunity to play around. However, on the flipside, those mornings were incomplete till we finished our house chores.
Even though we had other famous chores such as laundry, the main chore was house cleaning. It was tedious and often supervised by our parents, who ensured we did a good job. The supervision was as important as the efforts we put into cleaning because the living rooms were complicated and had a lot going on with; the bulky 3 seaters and up to 4 single sofas, the chair covers, the big wooden center table, the vintage cupboards used to hold special kitchen wares (plates, cutleries, teacups & saucers), the massive wooden electronics shelf, the box TVs, the valance(a decorative wooden board usually constructed above the curtain fittings with an hollow for picture frames) and so on. Reminiscing on it right now, the older folks were quite complex in their set up.
Contrary to the complex lifestyle and set up some of us got used to growing up, it’s quite interesting to see that some Gen Zs and Millennials (folks between ages 22 -45) are consciously and unconsciously adopting the minimalist lifestyle. This subtle culture is visible in the tiniest details of their lives – as they love to keep it simple and stylish. We see these attributes play-out in the way they dress-up, their home decoration, the gadgets they use, the car they drive, the places they unwind and their general outlook to mention a few.
Essentially, a sizeable number of people from across the world are gradually embracing the minimalist concept. With this concept, our homes need not be complicated and filled with non-essential items.
According to the New York Times, minimalism started in the art world and even though, this concept has been around for a while, it is gradually becoming mainstream in Nigeria and some parts of Africa.
A minimalist believes that less is more and therefore leads a simple, yet decent lifestyle. For a lot of people, adopting and living this concept is circumstantial as its cost-effectiveness has made it grow considerably over time – needless to say, minimalists love the beautiful things of life and are happy to pay less for it. Typically, this group of people makes deliberate efforts to buy and own only things they need and are prone to asking questions like, Do I love it? Can I do without it? will I use it? And is there a cheaper alternative?” If the item lacks purpose, then you don’t need it; however, doing this is easier said than done.
Understanding the increase in demand for everything minimal, taeillo, a furniture and lifestyle brand has adopted the minimalist concept to manufacture elegantly crafted functional furniture pieces using materials sourced from across Africa.
A perfect minimalist living room set-up will have all or some of the following pieces; A Sofa, A Side Stool, A Coffee Table, A Wall Frame, A Bean Bag or Accent Chair, A Flower Planter, A Center Rug, Ornaments, A console, Throw Pillows and Sofa Blanket to tie in accent colors for those who love visual rhythm. If you love it, buy it.
Stay in touch with your truth. Taeillo offers this and more. Follow Taeillo on @taeillo on Instagram and @ tribe_taeillo on Twitter for more information.
Well written article. Well done.