Principles of Minimalist Design
Introduction
Less is more. Designers have repeated this phrase countless times, but few can truly achieve it. Minimalism is not "doing less", but "doing it right".
Three Core Principles
1. Remove All Non-essential Elements
Every pixel should serve the content. If an element does not help users understand content or complete tasks, delete it.
2. Establish Clear Visual Hierarchy
Build hierarchy through font size, weight, color, and spacing — not decoration. Users should see at a glance "what is important".
3. Whitespace is Content
Whitespace is not "empty", but breath. It lets the eyes rest and makes important content stand out.
Practical Tips
- Limit the number of colors (primary + secondary + neutral gray)
- No more than two typefaces
- Align spacing to multiples of 8
- Before moving any element, ask yourself: what if you deleted it?