All About Maximalism

Lately, hard-to-spell and pronounce terms like “hygge” and “lagom” have been getting a lot of attention for their emphasis on paring down our belongings to the bare minimum. Along these same lines, you may have seen a popular Japanese de-cluttering expert on Netflix advising us to keep only the items in our lives that “spark joy,” which should technically result in our having far less stuff in our homes.

But what if we prefer a maximalism approach to home decor over a more austere way of life? What if, when we are finished going through our belongings to decide which ones make us happy and which ones can be donated — we still have a pretty substantial number of things we truly love?

For many people, the spirit of maximalism never goes out of style, despite the current trends that say otherwise. In fact, maximalism can be an exciting interior design trend that, when done correctly, looks amazing, avoids feeling cluttered or chaotic, and yes, sparks some serious joy.

What Maximalism Is

As its name implies, maximalism emphasizes excess and redundancy and features plenty of decoration as well as a luxurious, even sensual approach to design. Instead of white walls and as few items as possible, maximalism might feature bright yellow walls adorned with dozens of photos, a richly colored fabric couch, and — most importantly — it figuratively screams “you” and your personality, interests, and style. 

One reason maximalism is a popular trend is that it doesn’t involve being all matchy-matchy. If you have a favorite colorful braided throw rug that you want to place next to a more formal end table, go for it. As for how professional interior designers use maximalism in their work, they usually start with a base — typically the walls or the floor — and choose a color or pattern that they really like. Next, comes connecting the dots with other items that complement the base color. 

For instance, if you paint the walls a rich turquoise blue, you might decorate the couch with throw pillows in vibrant shades of aqua and teal and then have picture frames on the wall that are jewel tones like emerald green and gold. To avoid looking cluttered, have places for your beloved items to live — for instance, a bookcase that is filled with your precious mementos from your vacations, photos, and favorite vases.

How You Can Get Started

If you would like to say so long to the minimalist look and welcome a maximalism vibe into your home, please consider the following elements/ways to get started:

Remember, Color Is Your Friend

The number one rule regarding maximalism is that it involves plenty of color. Start with a basic color palette, and build from there. If you have ever wanted to paint your walls navy blue or black, the maximalism approach would say “go for it!” You can then add furniture in bright colors that balance out the darker walls. If you are unsure about painting the whole room this way, start with an accent wall and go from there.

Start out Slow if You Like

If you are not sure about embracing maximalism in your living room or dining room, that is totally fine. You can sample this way of decorating by adding drama in small doses. Start with a guest room, powder room, or entranceway; since these areas are not used that often, you can really go for it in terms of decorating and see what you think. You might find that the bright red walls in the powder room combined with the black and white photos on the walls and counter look so amazing, you will continue the trend in the master bedroom.

Mix and Match in a Way That Looks Great

While maximalism encourages you to mix and match when decorating, it does not have to involve a mish-mash of stuff that doesn’t look great together. You can still achieve cohesion by connecting the pieces through color, style, or theme. If you have a wall filled with family photos, try to stick with black and white shots only or put each one in a light wooden frame to bring the look together. Also, make sure your cherished items are placed in a symmetrical way in the room; this way, you can layer with color and furniture quite effectively, but the room will still feel balanced.

Use Wall Art, Ornate Wallpaper and Art Collections

Another great way to embrace maximalism is by including ornate and lush touches throughout the home. For instance, if you love gilded everything, add some gold-painted furniture and gold-framed art to the room. If you like rich velvety wallpaper, by all means go for it. 

In fact, you could set up a wall to look like it’s in an art museum, with your fave pieces in glass frames with lights above each one to highlight the painting or photo. While you might think a gallery wall is over the top, if the color of the wall complements the couch and the pieces you are displaying share some common elements, it will look amazing.

Embrace Maximalism, Color, and Displaying Your Precious Belongings

As you start employing a maximalist style in your home, we invite you to bookmark this post and refer back to it as often as you would like. You are also welcome to visit Jerome’s Furniture site as well for inspiration and attractive furniture and accessories that will help you to create a maximalist interior design look for your home.