Functional minimalism as a way of life in the LifeEdited project

"Arrange your life to include more money, health and happiness while using fewer things, less space and less energy" — this is the guiding principle of LifeEdited — lifeedited.com , a commercial project that advises architects and developers on how to embed minimalism as a way of life into their work.

The project was initiated by Graham Hill, founder of TreeHugger — treehugger.com and wearehappytoserveyou — wearehappytoserveyou.com. Back in 2009, Graham purchased two apartments in New York and decided to configure them for himself in a way that would allow him to live life to the full while using as little floor space as possible.

The concept, realised in collaboration with the architecture and design firm Guerin Glass Architecture — gueringlass.com, succeeded in the format of an 'apartment of the future': elegant, minimalist and environmentally conscious.

A collaborative project with partners Motopo and Jovoto.com — Jovoto.com — transformed a 48-square-metre apartment into a multi-functional and economical space: a home office, a dining room for ten, a guest room, storage for kitesurfing equipment and much more, all achieved with a saving of $200,000. In this way, less became more.

A group of people sharing lunch in the white studio of the LifeEdited apartment

A long white table set for guests and a dark sofa in the transformable LifeEdited apartment

An ordinary studio visibly transforms into a true hybrid: the effect is achieved through a sliding wall, convertible furniture and compact home furnishings. The functionality of such a space is comparable to that of a home two to three times its size — a striking example of small-space magic in action.

A white living room with a dark sofa and a coffee table in the LifeEdited apartment

A fold-out dining table mid-transformation in the LifeEdited studio

A fold-out desk with a laptop, set into a light-wood niche by the window

A white kitchen counter with an induction hob, a chopping board and a magnetic spice shelf

Less environmental impact, lower costs, functional minimalism as a way of life — this is the central idea behind the LifeEdited approach to space, one that has informed many other interesting product design developments within the project, as well as the products of designers who have been, and continue to be, advised by LifeEdited.

SMEG fridge

A compact corner kitchen with a marble splashback, a built-in oven and an induction hob

A narrow built-in SMEG dishwasher with its door open beneath the kitchen worktop

Kohler bathroom

A steel two-button Kohler flush panel on a wall of dark round mosaic tiles

A shower area with dark round mosaic tiles, shower heads and a white surface-mounted basin

BLESS The workbed

The Workbed wooden desk-bed by BLESS in a bright room with a hammock

A woman lifting the fold-out desktop of The Workbed desk-bed by the window

Anyone can live in a more compact, more functional — and therefore fuller — way. It all comes down to mastering three core principles, according to Graham Hill:

Edit ruthlessly — in other words, get rid of everything that serves no purpose and does not make you happy;
Aim to use the smallest possible number of elements in designing your space (think small);
A multifunctional approach is the key to success (make multifunctional).

A 3D rendering of a white studio with high-gloss cabinetry and a sleeping niche

3D rendering of a white studio with a dining table, sofa and kitchen area

Graham Hill has another project in the pipeline. Three years ago he purchased a plot of nearly 89 hectares on Maui, the second-largest island in the Hawaiian archipelago. Graham wants to build another apartment there in the spirit of the one he created in New York, with an emphasis on minimalist design, technology, quality and environmental responsibility..

The last of these is destined to be the most important criterion — it is no easy thing to live with less and resist encroaching on natural beauty when there are so many untouched places around and the means to develop them. One thing is clear: something interesting and worthwhile is on its way. In the meantime, we have plenty of time to sort through our old belongings and learn this demanding art: simplifying our lives.

Photo: lifeedited.com