We can’t be the only ones who’ve looked around us in the last few years and said, “I have waaayy too much stuff.” And we can’t be the only ones who’ve noticed that design – from buildings to phones (looking at you iPhone) – has become simplified and streamlined. There’s nothing wrong with that at all, by the way, but in an age when minimalism seems to be king, we can’t help but fondly look at a room decorated in the maximalism style and feel the serotonin pumping through our bodies. It’s just so … pretty! If done correctly. Which is the kicker. That’s why we wanted to talk about utilizing maximalism in an age of minimalism.
If you saw our previous blogs (here & here), then you’ve seen there are a few things that are on trend this year in the design world and (oh look!) maximalism is one of the top interior trends of 2022.
Is the age of the single Edison bulb dangling from a single, almost invisible cord in a room of white-washed walls over? Or are we just using twenty Edison bulbs now and hanging them together in a clump as our light feature that shines bright on crowded walls and loud colors?
What is Maximalism?
So, what on earth is maximalism? Maximalism is a design aesthetic above all else. It’s easy to spot, but doesn’t always follow the same rules (which is kind of the point). The basic tenants of maximalism – that can be used, morphed, played with, and ignored as needed – are as follows:
- More is more
- Busy spaces
- Lots of texture
- Eclectic collections
- Layered textures, patterns, mediums, surfaces, fabrics, art disciplines, and colors
- Bold, bright, and saturated colors
- Unusual design silhouettes that have an artistic and architectural flare
- A found-object and DIY feel
- Marie Kondo who?
Maximalism can be wild, or dressed down. At its core it suits all other design preferences – i.e. Victorian maximalism, or mid-century modern maximalism, or jungle maximalism.
Maximalism doesn’t necessarily mean a thousand things shoved into a room, cluttered walls, overflowing bookshelves, and a sofa for every person you know. What it does embrace, however, is the idea that whatever you have makes a statement, stands out, and shouts you from the rooftops. It’s the practice of surrounding yourself with objects – found, DIY, vintage, or modern – that make you smile while also serving an artistic or functional purpose.
Go Big or Go (to a different) Home
A big part of maximalism is going big! Don’t just paint your room blue, pick an electric blue! Want a floral upholstery? Make it wild, choose the one that has monkeys on it too!
Maximalism is about taking your big, bold personality and jam cramming it into one single space. Go, little rockstar!
The room pictured below, for example, only has ten elements, but every single one screams this person’s style and what they love. Notice how no element of this room is wasted on frivolous, purely utilitarian pieces.
The Maximalism Experts
Iris Apfel
“Life is grey and dull, so you might as well have a little fun when you dress.”
Iris Apfel is probably one of the most known maximalists out there. She was known for her huge statement glasses, frilly collars, bold colors, faithful use of jewelry and accessories, and unapologetic attitude toward fashion. Her style has been infused into a super fun collection of fabrics and wallpapers that you can buy here!
Dabito
Dabito is what is known as a tastemaker. He is an influencer and decor enthusiast, as well as an artist and photographer. You can follow him on social media here to see how his design sense and art both follow the maximalism principles.
The Jungalow
The Jungalow is an Instagram account that celebrates the wild and free and good vibes of expressive maximalist design aesthetics. It’s a fun page to browse, and a great way to connect to maximalism on a couple different levels. They tend to follow a more earthy and organic maximalism – follow them here to see how.
Veronica Solomon
Veronica Solomon is the founder of the design firm Casa Vilora known for their “eclectic, classic, bold, whimsical and timeless” imaginings that become realities for a wide range of clientele. Her award-winning Casa Vilora empire has been featured in Architectural Digest, Better Homes and Gardens, HGTV, Rue Magazine, Elle Decor, Dwell, Houston House & Home, and more! You can check out her Instagram here, and her website here for lots of maximalism inspo.
How to Maximalism
Below are four key ways to adopt the maximalism trend in your own home.
- Stick to a color palette. As tempting as it is to grab a whole bunch of stuff and throw it into a room and call it a day, make sure the things you gather for a maximalized room are curated with a purpose and some form of logic. Love blue? Gather things in blue, of course, but also find complementing colors that pop with the blue and add variation without too much chaos.
- Go minimal. Yes, even maximalism needs minimalism. Think high impact with a few items – like throw pillows in wild patterns (the Mediterraneo Ikat Pillow is a favorite of mine) on a brightly colored couch, a wall (just one) filled with art arranged in a creative collage of everything you love to look at, big light fixtures, vintage and unusual handle pulls on all the furniture, tropical wallpaper, or a boldly patterned rug.
- Furniture that mimics art. Not every piece of furniture needs to look like it came straight from the year 3000, but there are plenty of furniture pieces from sofas to side tables, to just random architectural pieces that have a unique form and flow perfect for getting that maximalism feel.
- Start with Iris Apfel. As mentioned before, Iris Apfel has her own line of fabrics and wallcoverings that subscribe to her Maximal Couture life. While we don’t specifically subscribe to maximalism (or the more is more philosophy) we can appreciate using Apfel’s fabulous fabric and trim collection to wake up a space in conservative ways.
Learn more about our process and to see if we are a good fit! we invite you to take advantage of a complimentary discovery call.
Your partner in design,
Team Ydp
What’s your favorite thing about the maximalist trend? Show me your inner maximalist by tagging me (@your_design_partner) in your Instagram Stories!
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