Maximalism. The word itself already holds a lot of weight, and more and more people are getting excited about using it as a design philosophy for their homes. Maximalism – by design – is big, bold, and beautiful. And it might be the right direction for your home moving forward.
Edwina Cameron is the Director of I Heart Wall Art – an online retailer of unique and premium wallpaper and decals for Australian homes and businesses. “Maximalism is about telling the story of yourself and your life through the items, colours, patterns, and furnishings you use in your space,” Ms Cameron said.
So, let’s take a look at why maximalism is suddenly back in vogue and how it can add a bucket load of personality to your home.
In recent years, interior design has been dominated by the saying “less is more”. People have relied on minimalism to declutter their homes and strip it all back to the bare minimum. But that is now changing.
“There’s no doubt that COVID-19 has accelerated the resurgence of maximalism,” Ms Cameron said. “People in lockdowns want their homes to be a reflection of who they are. During a really uncertain time, they wanted their homes to be colourful and welcoming.”
Maximalist design holds nothing back in expressing yourself, and more and more people have found it to be a comforting direction to go in with their homes.
When choosing to go maximalist, there isn’t such a thing as “going too far”.
“Don’t be afraid,” Ms Cameron said. “What you put in first doesn’t have to be what you end up with. You can take pieces in and out. Don’t be afraid to put contrasting colours together. Peel and stick wallpaper is a great way to get those deep, rich colours in, and you know you can always change it up in a couple of years, anyway.”
Maximalism is about having fun and expressing yourself. Try different things, think outside the box, and be flexible with various combinations of colours, textures, art pieces, and furniture.
While maximalism in interior design can really go in whatever direction you want, there are a few places that can help you make a start.
“Dual tone is a big trend at the moment,” says Ms Cameron. “We’re seeing those deeper colours like dark blues and dark greens are really popular right now. But if you’re not super confident on how to put them together, then there’s a wealth of information out there that you can look up before you start.”
Search for inspiration online or talk to people you know who have adopted a similar philosophy with their interior design. But, at the end of the day, maximalism is about injecting your own personality into your home – so there really isn’t a wrong place to start.
As the maximalism trend continues to sweep homes around the country, now might be the perfect time to try it out yourself.
Even if you only start out with one room, you may feel a great sense of freedom at how much you can express yourself through this style of design.
Go big every time you go home.
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