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Carl Barenbrug RSS Feed

Carl Barenbrug RSS...
My Ikigai I first came across the philosophy of ikigai when I discovered and read the book by the same name. A...
a year ago
24
a year ago
I first came across the philosophy of ikigai when I discovered and read the book by the same name. A book written by Francesc Miralles and Héctor García. It's the Japanese word that signifies 'a reason to live' or 'a reason to get out of bed in the morning'. It's a state of...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Compass Lately, I've been thinking about my inner compass — the one that guides me through work and daily...
3 months ago
14
3 months ago
Lately, I've been thinking about my inner compass — the one that guides me through work and daily life. I've touched on my design ethos before, but this feels like something more personal. It's a lightweight breakdown of who I am, both as a designer and a human, shaped by the...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
In / Out 2025 for me, will be: In blogging 3D modelling prototyping experimental design endurance...
2 months ago
14
2 months ago
2025 for me, will be: In blogging 3D modelling prototyping experimental design endurance climbing single session training days swimming saving self-care selling investing uniform long hair house + techno sound design Out comparison shyness dishes in sink trends (especially...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Mirror As the year draws to a close with gloomy December days compensated with lots of artificial lighting,...
2 months ago
13
2 months ago
As the year draws to a close with gloomy December days compensated with lots of artificial lighting, it's not surprising that many people take the time to reflect on their recent past — what we've managed to achieve, what we learned, what we failed in, where we went, and what we...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
FormFeelingFunction® Sometimes things need to end so we can create something new. Essentially, what's ending is...
4 months ago
13
4 months ago
Sometimes things need to end so we can create something new. Essentially, what's ending is Minimalissimo, and what's beginning is a creative lab I’ve named FFF. I feel like I've done my part in curating beautiful minimalism on the web over the past 12+ years. Now, I’m ready to...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
15 Years of Loving Curation In my previous post, I mentioned that Minimalissimo was coming to an end and that I'd be embarking...
4 months ago
10
4 months ago
In my previous post, I mentioned that Minimalissimo was coming to an end and that I'd be embarking on a new adventure with FormFeelingFunction®. Well, I think it's worth explaining the site's journey, impact, and inevitable sunset. Because it has played a significant role in my...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
An Are.na of Wonder and Connection I've been mulling over my presence on social media for a while now. There's only three platforms I...
a month ago
9
a month ago
I've been mulling over my presence on social media for a while now. There's only three platforms I actively use, but honestly, it feels like there should only be one — and that one, Are.na, breaks the mould of a typical social media space. You can find me on Instagram, X, and...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Bandwidth I try not to pay too much attention to time, but sometimes it's hard to ignore. It passes far too...
a year ago
8
a year ago
I try not to pay too much attention to time, but sometimes it's hard to ignore. It passes far too quickly for my liking, but that's also because I'm nearing an age of self-reflection, but let's not go there! I enjoy routine and with that, life can get a little hazy albeit...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Gestaltung It may came as no surprise that one of the most influential figures in my life (whether he knows it...
over a year ago
8
over a year ago
It may came as no surprise that one of the most influential figures in my life (whether he knows it or not) is the renowned German industrial designer, Dieter Rams. His work speaks for itself and has been the inspiration behind many product designs we use and love today. Rams...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Uniform Ever thought of having a personal uniform? Not the typical work attire, but a carefully curated...
a year ago
8
a year ago
Ever thought of having a personal uniform? Not the typical work attire, but a carefully curated capsule wardrobe that reflects a cohesive style. My interest in fashion is limited, yet the concept of capsule wardrobes has fascinated me for years. I've been chipping away at...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
3D Printing and Rethinking How You Buy I previously wrote about the beauty of 3D printing and how in recent years, we have seen incredible...
over a year ago
8
over a year ago
I previously wrote about the beauty of 3D printing and how in recent years, we have seen incredible advancements and accessibility to technologies that have impacted the health sector and everyday consumers. 3D printing is still a very new concept to most of us. At least in terms...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Saved Time In recent months, you might have found yourself with an abundance of time that has come to you...
over a year ago
8
over a year ago
In recent months, you might have found yourself with an abundance of time that has come to you unexpectedly. Time saved by working from home instead of commuting. A pared down social life instead of filling up your calendar with events. Fewer commitments. Less chaos. But how are...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Monetising Minimalism To keep a site sustainable, it needs to be funded to some extent. Enough at least to tread water,...
over a year ago
8
over a year ago
To keep a site sustainable, it needs to be funded to some extent. Enough at least to tread water, but more heavily if the site (or project) is to evolve to any meaningful degree. If a project can be self-sustainable by means of its own monetisation, that is the ideal situation....
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
The Value of Being Generic Within a Niche The Minimalism Life® project, now eight years in the making, began as an experiment. Slowly, we've...
11 months ago
7
11 months ago
The Minimalism Life® project, now eight years in the making, began as an experiment. Slowly, we've defined our purpose, gained a respectable readership, acquired valuable assets, and developed a timeless design language. The process hasn't been easy; in fact, it's been bloody...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Stepping Back from Black Friday The psychological warfare that is Black Friday. It is a time when consumerism is manipulated so...
over a year ago
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over a year ago
The psychological warfare that is Black Friday. It is a time when consumerism is manipulated so intensely that people lose control of themselves, as well as their wallets. This excessive sales day has even evolved into a Black Friday sales week, which doesn’t really make much...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
App Defaults I discovered this "app defaults" initiative through Manu, and although many of my defaults are the...
a year ago
7
a year ago
I discovered this "app defaults" initiative through Manu, and although many of my defaults are the same, I thought I'd share my setup regardless, adding a few new ones: Type App(s) Mail Client Apple Mail Mail Server Google Workspace Notes iA Writer + Apple...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Web Design and Carbon Impact How can we, as web professionals, help to make the web more energy efficient? From data centres to...
over a year ago
7
over a year ago
How can we, as web professionals, help to make the web more energy efficient? From data centres to transmission networks to the devices that we hold in our hands, it is all consuming electricity, and in turn producing carbon emissions. According to recent estimates, the entire...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Rational, Not Reactive This week I was faced with an unusual situation. I was blocked on Twitter and Instagram by an...
over a year ago
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over a year ago
This week I was faced with an unusual situation. I was blocked on Twitter and Instagram by an account I have followed for a long time. An account and company I have supported in various formats, and one that I have actually invested in. Sounds odd, right? Do I need to call them...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
White Space You’ve probably heard the term ‘white space’ before, which is also often referred to as negative...
over a year ago
7
over a year ago
You’ve probably heard the term ‘white space’ before, which is also often referred to as negative space and is used widely in digital and print design. It is the portion of a canvas left unmarked: margins, gutters, and space between columns, lines of type, graphics, figures, or...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Things I Learned This Year Personalisation sells, but good design satisfies. Don't wait for perfect execution. Ship and...
a year ago
7
a year ago
Personalisation sells, but good design satisfies. Don't wait for perfect execution. Ship and iterate. You don't need to fill your time. Creating calendar white space provides a buffer for work and play. Find the intersection of doing what makes you happy, what is smart for you...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
A Studio, but Simpler I love designing websites. It’s something I’ve been doing for almost 15 years. Yes, I’m that old....
over a year ago
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over a year ago
I love designing websites. It’s something I’ve been doing for almost 15 years. Yes, I’m that old. Whether basic one pagers or comprehensive sites with design systems, I’ve had the opportunity to create some interesting projects. You could say I’m a multidisciplinary designer, but...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
099 on Product Hunt If you're unfamiliar with Product Hunt, it's a platform used to share and discover new digital...
a year ago
7
a year ago
If you're unfamiliar with Product Hunt, it's a platform used to share and discover new digital products. Its usefulness has probably waned a lot in recent years unless you're prepared to inject an advertising budget, but I still think there's value in sharing projects...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
A Blog Post Marketplace This is a response to Manu's post, Adoption Sponsorships. How can bloggers monetise their content...
over a year ago
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over a year ago
This is a response to Manu's post, Adoption Sponsorships. How can bloggers monetise their content without going down the path of a paywall such as Patreon or premium newsletters? Donations are possible but rely on a small number of very generous people. A blogger definitely isn't...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Tweet Less, Write More It has never been simpler to create a personal website than it is today. There are dozens, if not...
over a year ago
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over a year ago
It has never been simpler to create a personal website than it is today. There are dozens, if not hundreds of companies that provide you with all the tools you need to create your own personalised platform of unfiltered self-expression. If you have the skills and knowledge to...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Taking a Step Back from Minimalissimo I recently wrote about bandwidth and how I've been struggling to balance my day job as a product...
a year ago
7
a year ago
I recently wrote about bandwidth and how I've been struggling to balance my day job as a product designer with several side projects and businesses. Reflecting deeply this year, I've decided to make a few changes, one of which is the difficult decision to step back from...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
What makes tech fun? When asking this question, I'm not really thinking too literally. For instance, I'm not asking,...
8 months ago
7
8 months ago
When asking this question, I'm not really thinking too literally. For instance, I'm not asking, "what is a fun piece of tech?" Because the answer to that would be simple: any game, gaming device, or immersive VR experience that's engineered to be fun to use. That's far too...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Minimalism Life Over the past few months I’ve been working on completely redesigning and rebuilding a site from the...
over a year ago
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over a year ago
Over the past few months I’ve been working on completely redesigning and rebuilding a site from the ground up. This week we launched Minimalism Life Version 2, and it’s a project I’m super proud of for several reasons. The project was initiated by an article I wrote last year on...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Building a Membership In late spring of 2020, Minimalissimo introduced a membership platform as a means to generate...
over a year ago
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over a year ago
In late spring of 2020, Minimalissimo introduced a membership platform as a means to generate passive income for greater sustainability, engage more with our community, design things members can use, discover how advertisement-free reading is valued, and determine to what extent...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Seeing Beauty in Basic To-Do Lists I like making lists. A lot of people do. And this is reflected in the abundance of to-do apps...
a year ago
7
a year ago
I like making lists. A lot of people do. And this is reflected in the abundance of to-do apps available today. There's a silly amount of them. Designed to augment and organise our lives, they end up being far more complex and clunky than they need to be. The rise of the...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Care in Design Care in design is ultimately about feeling rather than seeing. It is about being thoughtful of...
over a year ago
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over a year ago
Care in design is ultimately about feeling rather than seeing. It is about being thoughtful of users—of humans. It is designing product details that you might randomly discover (sometimes even years later) rather than only designing what should be seen. Care in design is worrying...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Workspace Setup Revisited (2022 edition) My home office setup has changed quite lot over the past few months. So I felt it was time to share...
over a year ago
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over a year ago
My home office setup has changed quite lot over the past few months. So I felt it was time to share the latest iteration of my workspace, which incidentally, I now share with my partner. So for starters, we now have two desks in the office. But I'll focus on my desk setup...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
In Search of Alternative Community Platforms Over the past few years I have been trying to seek out alternatives to the mainstream social media...
over a year ago
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over a year ago
Over the past few years I have been trying to seek out alternatives to the mainstream social media platforms. Although I wouldn't go as far as saying I entirely dislike them, I feel I could experience much better and healthier communities and technologies than those I have found...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Taste We need good taste to make good things, but we must first qualify and understand what good means in...
6 months ago
7
6 months ago
We need good taste to make good things, but we must first qualify and understand what good means in the sense of design. Taste is the ability to identify quality. To understand quality we need to look critically at: materials that are fit for purpose, ergonomics that considers...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Gathering Feedback Although I've effectively stepped away from running Minimalissimo®, it's still a site I adore and...
8 months ago
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8 months ago
Although I've effectively stepped away from running Minimalissimo®, it's still a site I adore and visit pretty much daily for a well-curated dose of minimal design. Manu is doing a sterling job in evolving it, which I'm 100% behind. He's looking to create support through a small...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Design Ethos I've been designing various things—principally for screens, and to a lesser extent physical...
a year ago
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a year ago
I've been designing various things—principally for screens, and to a lesser extent physical products—since 2007. Only now am I writing an ethos—that is, my attitude and approach to design. An ethos is useful to me because it consolidates my design principles and gives you a...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
What Is Too Minimal? I'm currently facing a design and marketing challenge related to minimalism. So I want to present a...
over a year ago
7
over a year ago
I'm currently facing a design and marketing challenge related to minimalism. So I want to present a series of questions that you are welcome to help answer in whatever format you like (email, tweet, blog post, or meme). If you run a website related to minimalism, is it only...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Minimalissimo 6.0 A new design, a new version, a new era, a new chapter, a new wave, a new vibe. Call it what you...
over a year ago
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over a year ago
A new design, a new version, a new era, a new chapter, a new wave, a new vibe. Call it what you like. The sixth iteration of Minimalissimo is here and it's probably the strongest one to date yet probably the most raw and uncompromising. But before I break down what is new, I want...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Selection: Architecture I previously wrote about Minimalissimo's return to print and with it, a fresh art direction and...
over a year ago
7
over a year ago
I previously wrote about Minimalissimo's return to print and with it, a fresh art direction and finish. A couple of months since we went to print, I have grown even more proud of this piece of work. It's probably because of the feedback we've received from folks around the globe....
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
No More Side Projects Generally speaking, side projects are great things. They offer us opportunities to create something...
over a year ago
7
over a year ago
Generally speaking, side projects are great things. They offer us opportunities to create something new. Sometimes these are merely hobbies and sometimes these are projects we’d like to pursue as a potential career. They all have to start somewhere, right? Over the past five...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Learning a Second Language How I envy polyglots. They have remarkable minds, and a remarkable dedication to learning. How some...
over a year ago
7
over a year ago
How I envy polyglots. They have remarkable minds, and a remarkable dedication to learning. How some people are capable and proficient in reading, writing, and speaking several languages, baffles me. Just being able to retain that magnitude of information on top of everything else...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Phone Setup 2020 Throughout 2019 I was using Android, which was an interesting experiment. Using the minimalist...
over a year ago
7
over a year ago
Throughout 2019 I was using Android, which was an interesting experiment. Using the minimalist launcher by Blloc, it really made me aware of my phone usage and encouraged me to reduce not just my screen time, but also the number of apps I installed in the first place. This year...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Focused Reading I have never been a particularly big reader. I enjoy books and I enjoy reading blog posts, but I...
over a year ago
7
over a year ago
I have never been a particularly big reader. I enjoy books and I enjoy reading blog posts, but I seem to make more room for the latter, even though I enjoy reading novels far more than I do blogs. The reason is simple enough: I spend the vast majority of my day behind a computer...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Blloc Phone I’ve been embedded within the Apple ecosystem for years, using an iMac at home as well as the...
over a year ago
6
over a year ago
I’ve been embedded within the Apple ecosystem for years, using an iMac at home as well as the office, owning an iPhone since the iPhone 3G, and my latest investment was a pair of AirPods—probably Apple’s best product design for years. I was stuck on the iPhone 6s for a long time...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Workspace Setup As more of us are working remotely—particularly from home—I thought it might be quite timely to...
over a year ago
6
over a year ago
As more of us are working remotely—particularly from home—I thought it might be quite timely to break down my current home workspace setup. I’d also like to preface this by saying that I’m not offering any advice or tips for remote working (there’s enough guidance out there to...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Rituals Ritual, a sequence of activities involving gestures, words, actions, or revered objects. When you...
5 months ago
6
5 months ago
Ritual, a sequence of activities involving gestures, words, actions, or revered objects. When you hear this word, where does your mind take you? For me, I find myself asking, what's the difference between a ritual and routine? Turns out that, in essence, routines are practical,...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Create Slowly The concept of slow design is one I've applied for several years. As time passes (quickly) and new...
a year ago
6
a year ago
The concept of slow design is one I've applied for several years. As time passes (quickly) and new technologies land on our desks, the expectation that we need to react at lightning speed to prove to the world we're always in the know of what's trending, is exhausting. Even if...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Reflecting on Minimalissimo I was recently asked what my values are in life. It's a very tough question to answer without...
a year ago
6
a year ago
I was recently asked what my values are in life. It's a very tough question to answer without throwing out one word answers off the top of your head. And that's pretty meaningless unless you're prepared to elaborate on that word and what it means in relation to your life and...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
099 SPLY In the spring of 2022, I had a call with Stefan Jandl, who runs Favorit Studio. As we have similar...
over a year ago
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over a year ago
In the spring of 2022, I had a call with Stefan Jandl, who runs Favorit Studio. As we have similar tastes and approach to design, we wanted to collaborate on a project together. Initially, we toyed with the idea of NFT art given its rise in popularity at the time, but it didn't...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Ajde (climbing diary) I first met Manu Moreale (online) about five years ago when I asked for his help to rescue the...
over a year ago
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over a year ago
I first met Manu Moreale (online) about five years ago when I asked for his help to rescue the Minimalissimo website after an unnamed agency created a shit-show that left me down a similarly named creek without a paddle. Since then, we have worked together on various projects and...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Workspace Setup Revisited I shared my workspace setup last year, but since then, I have changed a few things, so I felt it’s...
over a year ago
6
over a year ago
I shared my workspace setup last year, but since then, I have changed a few things, so I felt it’s probably time to share an update on my current setup for both hardware and software. Given the continued Covid restrictions here in sunny Scotland, I am now working from home...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Less and More People typically self-reflect at the start of the year and the end of the year. But I am going to do...
over a year ago
6
over a year ago
People typically self-reflect at the start of the year and the end of the year. But I am going to do this in the middle of August, because the notion struck me. A simple exercise to identify what I want/need less of in my life and what I want/need more of. Less Less...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Minimalissimo Shop V2 The second project of the year has successfully shipped: Minimalissimo Shop Version 2. I don’t know...
over a year ago
6
over a year ago
The second project of the year has successfully shipped: Minimalissimo Shop Version 2. I don’t know why I held WordPress in such high regard for so many years—it’s Starbucks of the CMS world. So migrating my sites over to Kirby is a great feeling. The latest of which was the...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Reductive Residence “The home is what a bear would know as a cave. It's a space to be an animal, really. You can chew...
over a year ago
6
over a year ago
“The home is what a bear would know as a cave. It's a space to be an animal, really. You can chew your bone in the corner and nobody will bother you. It's a laboratory for living—it's fluid.” —Michele Oka Doner Your home is your sanctuary, yet it's not a space that you should...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
10 Years of Minimalissimo Has Minimalissimo really been running for 10 years?! It's a question I've asked myself more than...
over a year ago
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over a year ago
Has Minimalissimo really been running for 10 years?! It's a question I've asked myself more than once. It's something I'm incredibly proud of actually. Running and sustaining a high-calibre site like this is not easy. It requires a lot of dedication, love, and most importantly,...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Good Interviews In early 2019, I came to the realisation that people prefer to read about people more than they do...
over a year ago
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over a year ago
In early 2019, I came to the realisation that people prefer to read about people more than they do about things. It’s not exactly a phenomenon, but it was significant for the editorial direction of Minimalissimo. Since relaunching the latest version of the site, you will notice a...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Minimalism For Sale I'm selling minimalism.com and all @minimalism usernames across various web platforms, including...
5 months ago
6
5 months ago
I'm selling minimalism.com and all @minimalism usernames across various web platforms, including Twitter/X, YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Telegram, and Pinterest. Email me if interested: carl@minimalism.com
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
End of Year Book Review (2022) I enjoy books (more so audio books than reading), but I don't consume them very much or as often as...
over a year ago
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over a year ago
I enjoy books (more so audio books than reading), but I don't consume them very much or as often as I'd like. At least in my own mind I don't get through many, but what's the global average? I don't honestly care. This year I wanted to make a concerted effort to consume more...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
My Favourite Designers (ever) I think I've spent almost every day for the past 10+ years thinking about design and designers, as...
over a year ago
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over a year ago
I think I've spent almost every day for the past 10+ years thinking about design and designers, as well as architects and artists. Over that time, I've come to admire and truly appreciate the work of some highly notable individuals and teams, and others that probably fly under...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Minimal Twitter Community Pilot My search for an alternative community platform has led me back to, yes, Twitter. Although I am...
over a year ago
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over a year ago
My search for an alternative community platform has led me back to, yes, Twitter. Although I am still experimenting with a couple of other platforms, namely Minus and Discord, this new Twitter Communities pilot is interesting. We're all aware of the trials and tribulations of...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Minimalissimo LAB Over the course of 2020, I have been making efforts to create a Minimalissimo LAB. “Whatcha talkin‘...
over a year ago
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over a year ago
Over the course of 2020, I have been making efforts to create a Minimalissimo LAB. “Whatcha talkin‘ bout, Willis?” What I mean by a LAB is a virtual environment that encapsulates all that Minimalissimo makes, curates, and publishes. It’s more a way to organise everything we do...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Web UX Design Is Broken I recently discovered a website that brilliantly illustrates the state of user experience (UX)...
over a year ago
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over a year ago
I recently discovered a website that brilliantly illustrates the state of user experience (UX) design on today’s web. Please take a moment to use it and see for yourself how fundamentally broken and intrusive web browsing has become on the majority of websites we interact with...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Phone Setup 2021 An annual review of the minimal phone setup sees it considerably different from last year, yet a lot...
over a year ago
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over a year ago
An annual review of the minimal phone setup sees it considerably different from last year, yet a lot has remained the same. I am still rocking the iPhone 11 with no immediate desire to upgrade. Don't get me wrong, I think the iPhone 12 is a far better design than the 11, but I...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Focus Is About Saying No Focusing our minds is essential to productivity, high performance, and awareness, but our focus is...
over a year ago
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over a year ago
Focusing our minds is essential to productivity, high performance, and awareness, but our focus is constantly under siege by things grasping for our attention. Some of us may excel in multitasking, but you will undoubtedly perform better with full, selective attention. It’s not...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Selling Digital The idea of selling digital products is growing on me. Firstly, the simplicity and speed of...
over a year ago
6
over a year ago
The idea of selling digital products is growing on me. Firstly, the simplicity and speed of delivering a digital product is far greater than that of a physical one—logistically speaking. Secondly, and probably most importantly, the zero shipping costs involved, and all the risk,...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Trusting Your Intuition In the world of digital product design, trusting your gut might not be considered the most...
over a year ago
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over a year ago
In the world of digital product design, trusting your gut might not be considered the most responsible thing to do, particularly given that we have access to a ridiculous amount of analytical data to support 99% of the decisions we make. Now, I’m not against data-driven...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
For Digital, For Print Over the past decade, the debate between print and digital has been prevalent. For those dedicated...
over a year ago
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over a year ago
Over the past decade, the debate between print and digital has been prevalent. For those dedicated to and passionate about print, there is an unwavering defiance and likely stubborn denial that print will come to an end as a means of publication—at least as a profitable one. And...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Minimalism, Marketing, and Digital Sales A while ago I published a couple of articles on selling digital products and monetising minimalism....
over a year ago
6
over a year ago
A while ago I published a couple of articles on selling digital products and monetising minimalism. Over the past 12 months I have been working extensively in making and marketing digital products in various forms and on various platforms. In the aforementioned articles, I’ve...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
I Have a Design Portfolio For the longest time, I’ve shared my work through blog posts or social media, rather than having a...
8 months ago
6
8 months ago
For the longest time, I’ve shared my work through blog posts or social media, rather than having a typical portfolio. But I’ve decided it’s time to pull together a more cohesive collection of my work, focusing on product design and creative direction. My projects are usually...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
ML® Wallpaper Pack Since the relaunch of minimalism.com, where we created a series of technical drawings inspired by...
a year ago
6
a year ago
Since the relaunch of minimalism.com, where we created a series of technical drawings inspired by some iconic and beautifully designed objects to the homepage modules, I wanted to further explore this line art direction. So I continued my collaboration with Bakir Fazlic to...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Digital Relationships This is my response to Manu's article for the IndieWeb Carnival on digital relationships. As someone...
a year ago
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a year ago
This is my response to Manu's article for the IndieWeb Carnival on digital relationships. As someone who grew up in the 90s, I spent my formative years and much of my teenage years without a screen. I wasn't even much of a gamer as a kid. I would spend as much time as possible...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
The Beauty of 3D Printing 3D printing is a process that creates a three-dimensional object by building successive layers of...
over a year ago
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over a year ago
3D printing is a process that creates a three-dimensional object by building successive layers of raw material. When you think about 3D printing, you might think about plastic models that feel more like a novelty than anything of real quality and value. That might have been the...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Exploring Generative Art I am diving into a new project that is focused on generative art. Before I go into the details, you...
over a year ago
6
over a year ago
I am diving into a new project that is focused on generative art. Before I go into the details, you might be wondering what the hell that is. Generative art is art made using a predetermined system usually applied in digital form. It's a process of algorithmically generating...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
You Strapping? We always seem to be aware of time, or rather, we feel we must be aware of it. The time of year, the...
over a year ago
6
over a year ago
We always seem to be aware of time, or rather, we feel we must be aware of it. The time of year, the time of day, and even how our time is spent. And for good reason—it helps us organise our lives, plan ahead, and be more efficient. I was thinking though—in an age when almost all...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
A Book on Minimalism and Simple Living Over the past three months or so I have been working on creating an ebook (and perhaps a printed...
over a year ago
6
over a year ago
Over the past three months or so I have been working on creating an ebook (and perhaps a printed edition to boot) for Minimalism Life—a side project I cofounded back in 2016. Well, it has now been completed and published, and is available for download. Inside Minimalism Vol.1 is...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Phone Setup Ever since I moved from the iPhone to the Blloc Phone, I wanted to further reduce the number of apps...
over a year ago
6
over a year ago
Ever since I moved from the iPhone to the Blloc Phone, I wanted to further reduce the number of apps I had installed. Not just because I wanted to reduce my screen time and have fewer distractions, but because I wanted to remove my digital clutter, and where better to start than...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Minimalism Life®: A New Chapter This week sparked a new chapter, direction, and era for Minimalism Life®, a project I cofounded in...
a year ago
6
a year ago
This week sparked a new chapter, direction, and era for Minimalism Life®, a project I cofounded in 2016. Almost 8 years on from then, with much experimentation, many highs and lows, strategy changes, and a lot of ground work, we announced the relaunch of our website:...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
The Forest I have been longing for a more enjoyable and unpredictable web experience for a while, and one that...
over a year ago
6
over a year ago
I have been longing for a more enjoyable and unpredictable web experience for a while, and one that is less focused on commercialism. I want my digital life to be immersive in a different way—one where I can get lost in the trees of the forest of the internet. To discover places,...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Minimalism Life V3 Here we go again. New design. New structure. Better design. Better structure. Better use of...
over a year ago
6
over a year ago
Here we go again. New design. New structure. Better design. Better structure. Better use of typography. Better readability. Better user-experience. Clearer focus. This is minimalism.life version 3. The updated design applies the principle of minimalism in its truest sense (or at...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Barenbrug House In the summer of 2021 I made the decision to plan a house project. Not just to save, find, and buy a...
over a year ago
6
over a year ago
In the summer of 2021 I made the decision to plan a house project. Not just to save, find, and buy a pre-existing house—that would be far too easy—and boring (unless you're doing an interesting renovation). Instead, my partner and I are opting to buy a plot of land in Scotland...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
The Losing Battle Against Social Media I write without the intention of this being just another rant about social media algorithms. I mean,...
over a year ago
6
over a year ago
I write without the intention of this being just another rant about social media algorithms. I mean, I will rant, but I will also explore solutions. So bear with me. I think for the past couple of years I have been feeling increasingly disillusioned with some social media...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Minimal Email Setup This is a follow-up to Manu's article on the same subject. I'll cover my experience and some desktop...
over a year ago
6
over a year ago
This is a follow-up to Manu's article on the same subject. I'll cover my experience and some desktop visual results of applying this method. Some people love emails. Some people hate them. Most of us experience both emotions. Yet there's no denying—as Manu points out—emails are...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
A Quality Return to Print “Print is dead!” So they say. I think I have probably said this as well to be honest. And maybe it...
over a year ago
6
over a year ago
“Print is dead!” So they say. I think I have probably said this as well to be honest. And maybe it is true. Digital design and digital consumption is on an inevitable and endless rise. But... just because one thing dominates, doesn’t mean something else fails to exist or can even...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
New Creative Direction I have been involved in running Minimalissimo since 2012, when I took it over from two Dutch...
over a year ago
6
over a year ago
I have been involved in running Minimalissimo since 2012, when I took it over from two Dutch designers Maarten P Kappert and Stan Grootes—who did an incredible job to gain a substantial readership. Since then, I’ve looked to evolve the site from a blog into a more rounded...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
A Moment at the Shore It's Good Friday. 7AM. I don't particularly care about the significance of today, but it's a bank...
11 months ago
6
11 months ago
It's Good Friday. 7AM. I don't particularly care about the significance of today, but it's a bank holiday and I've got the day off work, but instead of having a relaxing morning, I hit the gym for an early session. Energised by the sunrise of a beautiful spring day, I decide to...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Five Principles for Minimal Design Minimalism in design has been engrained within my thinking ever since I was introduced to the work...
over a year ago
6
over a year ago
Minimalism in design has been engrained within my thinking ever since I was introduced to the work of Dieter Rams. He revolutionised industrial design in the 1950s and 60s through his ideology of “less, but better”. This resulted in his highly influential and ever inspiring Ten...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
100% Functional == Beautiful If something is 100% functional, it is always beautiful. There is no such thing as an ugly nail or...
over a year ago
6
over a year ago
If something is 100% functional, it is always beautiful. There is no such thing as an ugly nail or an ugly hammer, but there's lots of ugly cars, because not everything in a car is functional. Sometimes it's very beautiful, if the person who designed it has very good taste, but...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Nuances of Minimalism Minimalism can be perceived in different ways, as it should be, because there are in fact many...
over a year ago
6
over a year ago
Minimalism can be perceived in different ways, as it should be, because there are in fact many nuances to the movement. Is it even a movement? It’s perhaps better described as a guiding principle. Some of these nuances are highly commercial, some are focused on personal wellbeing...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
A Little Meditation I have always appreciated the practice of meditation and what it can do for the mind, including how...
over a year ago
6
over a year ago
I have always appreciated the practice of meditation and what it can do for the mind, including how it can help control our emotions. I've been reading up on it a little more recently and have spoken to some friends who also practice it, so I was really interested in giving it a...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Home Investments Many people are choosing to slowly improve, enhance, and invigorate their living spaces by making...
over a year ago
6
over a year ago
Many people are choosing to slowly improve, enhance, and invigorate their living spaces by making subtle but significant changes to their homes with the addition of good quality, easily transportable furniture and fittings. Even those who are not home owners are taking this...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Modes of Life I recently read an interesting article by Buster Benson that touches on the notion of...
over a year ago
6
over a year ago
I recently read an interesting article by Buster Benson that touches on the notion of “modes”. Everything in the universe goes through cycles. Cycles of high energy and low energy. Cycles of change and stability. Cycles of focus and distraction. We’re no different, but most of...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Mnmllist When we adopt the minimalism ideology, we use it primarily as a tool. A tool to rid the excess in...
over a year ago
6
over a year ago
When we adopt the minimalism ideology, we use it primarily as a tool. A tool to rid the excess in life to make way for that which is important and for the things we value most. Minimalism not only inspires me to live more simply, it also influences my approach to design. I wanted...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Deceptive Simplicity All design should be simple for users to understand. However, simplicity in design is one of the...
over a year ago
6
over a year ago
All design should be simple for users to understand. However, simplicity in design is one of the most difficult things to do well—to find a balance between intuitive functionality and aesthetics. And yet ironically, design that appears effortless often takes far more work than...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Simple Living Is Simpler Today Whether we like it or not, we are currently living more isolated lives, and for some people a life...
over a year ago
6
over a year ago
Whether we like it or not, we are currently living more isolated lives, and for some people a life of solitude. There’s massive disruption. When the world faces a global pandemic, we all have important decisions to make. Some of these are reactive and some of these are...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
On Being a Slow Thinker For a long time I considered myself a slow thinker. Meaning, I felt I wasn't particularly good at...
over a year ago
5
over a year ago
For a long time I considered myself a slow thinker. Meaning, I felt I wasn't particularly good at thinking on the spot and articulating what I wanted to express. Probably one of the reasons why I never do podcasts and why job interviews are met with such trepidation. But I...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Brutalist Web Design I recently read an article by Tom MacWright on fancy software tools. Although tools such as Webflow,...
over a year ago
5
over a year ago
I recently read an article by Tom MacWright on fancy software tools. Although tools such as Webflow, Squarespace, Semplice, and Notion are impressive in their own right and all fulfil specific needs, they are also needlessly complex (in a way). We have entered an era of design...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Support as a Business Model Allowing readers or fans of your work to financially support you is nothing new. It allows people to...
over a year ago
5
over a year ago
Allowing readers or fans of your work to financially support you is nothing new. It allows people to become active participants in the work you create and that they value. The most popular platform for this sort of thing is Patreon. A creator gives people access to exclusive...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
099 + Framer 099 Supply is a collaborative project that builds tools for creators. We began with a catalogue of...
9 months ago
5
9 months ago
099 Supply is a collaborative project that builds tools for creators. We began with a catalogue of photorealistic product mockups made for Photoshop. And we're continuing to grow this collection slowly, but we recognised that we need to diversify. So we're building out a new...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Capsule Wardrobe A capsule wardrobe is simply a collection of essential items of clothing that don’t really go out of...
over a year ago
5
over a year ago
A capsule wardrobe is simply a collection of essential items of clothing that don’t really go out of fashion, which can then be augmented with seasonal pieces. Although a capsule wardrobe could certainly be defined as minimal in its own right, my wardrobe goes a little beyond...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
There Is Only Time Balance is a really tricky word, because I don’t think there’s such a thing. There’s just time....
over a year ago
5
over a year ago
Balance is a really tricky word, because I don’t think there’s such a thing. There’s just time. There’s just where you are and what you do. And it doesn’t make sense for me to have to spend time on something that feels like a sacrifice. I try to do things that are part of the big...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
12 Things to Live Without In 2018 I undertook a social experiment to see if I was self-disciplined and self-aware enough to...
over a year ago
5
over a year ago
In 2018 I undertook a social experiment to see if I was self-disciplined and self-aware enough to live without 12 things. These 12 things would last just one month at a time between January–December, with the intention of identifying whether or not doing without these things...
Carl Barenbrug RSS...
Better Connections Are we spending enough time with people we can really learn from? Are we having enough conversations...
over a year ago
3
over a year ago
Are we spending enough time with people we can really learn from? Are we having enough conversations that move us forward rather than discussing the mundane things in life? We are all seeking better connections—some people even the smallest of them. Today, we have the greatest...