Tired of living in a sterile world where less is apparently more?
If you yearn for bold patterns, vibrant colors, and mismatched decor, it's time to embrace maximalism!
This design philosophy welcomes the extravagant, the excess, and the eclectic. From lavish decor to over-the-top accents, maximalism is all about evincing your personality and personal style through every corner of your space.
So, if you're ready to ditch the greige, why not enter the world of daring color and ethereal texture?
Let's explore the wondrous world of maximalism and how you can make it your own!
What Is Maximalism?
Even if you're barely present on social media, you're bound to have noticed a resurgence of the aesthetic of excess spearheaded by floral wallpaper and brass candlesticks.
This bold and daring design philosophy celebrates abundance and encourages the use of multiple colors, patterns, and fabrics in a single space. In maximalism,more is more, and all you book hoarders and knickknack collectors have a well of creative liberty at your disposal, but only if you're brave enough to go all in.
History
Although maximalism has recently re-entered the mainstream, it's by no means a modern trend. In fact, you can trace the roots of this design philosophy centuries back.
In the distant past, affluent people used maximalism as a way to ostentatiously display their wealth. For example, Rococo and Neoclassicism were notorious for being “busy” aesthetics. They included gold accents, satin upholstery, statement lighting, and loud patterns.
Then, the Victorian era amplified this approach with people mixing art and objects that didn't fit together traditionally.
One concept that has shaped generations of maximalists isthe ubiquitouscabinet of curiosities. Originating in Germany, these cabinets (or rooms) resembled small museums and housed rare, eye-catching artwork, items, artifacts, and other goods from around the world.
Fast forward to the near past, design trends turned rigidly minimalist following the 2008 recession. But with people collecting objects of interest and accumulating more disposable income since then, they once again began peppering their homes with meaningful pieces and creating a kaleidoscope of color.
Key Characteristics
With maximalism, it's possible for two people to follow its principles and create two staggeringly different styles. Ultimately, they're both maximalists, despite their rooms looking nothing alike.
Although it's challenging to pinpoint the exact characteristics of maximalist design since everyone can make it their own, there are some staples such as:
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Featuring bold colors
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Playing with patterns
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Mixing and matching fabrics
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Glossy lacquered furniture
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Many accessories
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Layering colors, patterns, and textures
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Mixing periods and styles
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Displaying possessions
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Experimenting with lights
Arguably the most important aspect of maximalism is showcasing your personality and individual style by incorporating items that speak to your soul, spark joy, and depict your individuality.
Tips for Incorporating Maximalist Design
Despite what it may look like, maximalism isn't just haphazardly positioning items around your space and hoping for the best. In fact, this trend is notoriously hard to achieve and might even be one of the most challenging styles to put together.
Usually, this is because people are multifaceted, have a wide array of bespoke interests that can't be tied together easily, and appreciate various design styles that don't mesh well.
As a rule of thumb, you should aim to have only one or two attention-grabbing pieces in a room to eschew excessive business. Even though everything has its place, your eyes still need to focus on one prominent thing, like an eclectic bookshelf, an extravagant piece of art, or aluscious artificial vertical garden.
In fact, adding pockets of green with a few plants to break up a bright color palette is encouraged in any maximalist space because it can rest the eyes. Some other helpful tips include:
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Basing the room on dark or bold colors and adding bright accents
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Mixing and matching artwork of different sizes and styles
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Layering things you love on multiple surfaces
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Introducing shelving, cabinets, and bookcases
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Choosing a patterned wallpaper or backsplash
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Combining antique and vintage with contemporary
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Embracing overstuffed, comfortable furniture
Last but not least, nostalgia has given way to thrifting and buying second-hand. In fact,ThredUp predicts that second-hand commerce will grow by 127% by 2026, 3 times faster than the global apparel market. With this, we see that vintage items, evoking happy memories through design, and repurposing won't be going anywhere soon.