I look at cafe and shop projects for 2025 - 2026 and it's the same everywhere: white walls, concrete, maybe two design elements max. There's barely any interesting facades with protrusions or colorful details anymore. Is this just a trend that's passed, or is minimalism actually cheaper to maintain?
Minimalism is partly a trend, partly cost-cutting, but mainly convenience for business. White walls and concrete are cheaper to build and easier to redesign for a new concept if a cafe suddenly closes or changes owners; a complex facade with protrusions is a money trap. Plus minimalism looks "modern and expensive" pretty much automatically, even though it's actually cheaper than proper historical style or original design with custom work. In a couple of years people will get tired of it and start coming up with something new again, but for now it's just more convenient for everyone.
Sure, there's cost-cutting involved, but I wouldn't say that's the main thing - it's more of a psychological factor: minimalism is perceived as both "modern" and "expensive" at the same time, so it feels to owners like they're investing in quality, when really they're paying for the effect of emptiness. Plus white concrete is a mask that hides any shoddy repairs, wall damage, scuffs; actually painting a space in an interesting way is way harder and more honest, because all the workmanship flaws show up right away.
When I was at this brand new cafe with bare concrete walls, I noticed something: sound bounces off everything, conversations blur into one constant hum, totally uncomfortable. But older places with texture, color, wood - they absorb sound naturally. Maybe designers forget about acoustics and actually need soft details that save the interior from being boring at the same time 😅
Plus minimalism really is budget-friendly at first, but then it requires constant cleaning and touch-ups - white gets dirty fast. If you want a place to look fresh for a long time, you should add neutral textures that hide dirt and look kind of expensive: brick, wooden panels, warm concrete with a pattern. It takes the pressure off having a perfect white canvas while still keeping that "modern" vibe 🎨
It's also about the speed of renovation, to be honest. If a landlord is renting out a space, it's cheaper for them to rent out an empty white box than to fight tenants later over restoring some custom design. Plus, over five years a façade with protruding elements and murals looks dated, but white concrete can always be freshly repainted.
But here's a life hack: if you find these places stuffy (and yeah, the acoustics are rough), look at whether there are textiles around - even one good rug, curtains, or upholstered chairs make a huge difference. In modern minimalist spaces, soundproofing is the first thing they skimp on, so fabrics there aren't a luxury, they're necessary for comfort.
White walls and concrete have the added benefit of being a universal backdrop for any content - photos, lighting fixtures, furniture. The owner can change the look of the place without major renovations, just by rearranging or swapping things out, which is especially valued now when business is unstable and concepts frequently change hands. As for sound in these spaces - yeah, it's a real problem that gets addressed after the fact by adding acoustic panels and textiles, but nobody thinks about it upfront.
Have you noticed that minimalism is actually perfect for Instagram and presentations? An empty space with two objects photographs way better than a room with texture and details - everything's sharp, contrasty, clickable. I think half of this shift to white boxes happened because they look just as good in a story as they do in real life, while a complex facade with protruding elements can end up looking like a mess in photos.
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