How Can You Make Maximalism Work For You?

Maximalism has never really gone away, but it’s definitely started showing up more again recently. Not even just in magazines or styled photoshoots, but in actual homes. People want to live with colour and texture- and objects that don’t all come from Ikea! It’s a shift that’s felt pretty inevitable, and what’s really happening is people are starting to push back. After years of minimalism with its soft colours, bare floors and open shelves (holding a single plant or one carefully chosen lamp) some people have had enough. That kind of space can nice and clean and tidy, but it can also feel cold. There’s not always much of the person living there, you walk in and there’s nothing telling you who they are and home should be where the heart is Maximalism is different as it fills a room with texture and colour and pattern. It lets objects layer up and compete for attention. Some pieces feel like they’ve been there for years and others feel like they were picked up yesterday, but together they still work. It’s the kind of look that doesn’t hide things- books are stacked up high, walls are full and there might be something odd or offbeat sitting in the middle of it all. It doesn’t try to be quiet or neutral or tidy. But it’s not just clutter either and that’s where people get it wrong. A maximalist space needs a lot of thought to get right as without it, the whole thing can slide into chaos that’s hard to live with. There’s a difference between a room that’s rich and layered and one that’s just full. 

Where it comes from

This way of decorating isn’t a new invention, if you look back at Victorian homes you’ll see rooms packed with furniture, fringed lamps, heavy drapes and lots of objects collected from across the world. There was pride in putting things on display and showing off taste, status or personality. Even further back, homes of the wealthy were full of tapestries, gilded frames, painted ceilings and detailed surfaces wherever you looked. The idea of a quiet, empty interior would have made no sense. Over time though tastes shifted and the twentieth century saw a huge turn towards function and simplicity. After the war, modernism brought in clean lines, open space and a sense that less was better and that stuck around for a while. Then came the influence of Scandinavian design, Japanese restraint, and eventually the mass popularity of minimalism in everything from homes to tech. Everything got quieter, smoother, more pared back. But not everyone felt at home in that- for some, it started to feel a bit too stripped and that’s where maximalism has found its way back in. Some credit the internet for that, and there’s probably truth in it. Spaces full of detail work well on camera as they give you more to look at, more to scroll through, and more moments to pause on. In a minimalist room, you glance once and you’ve seen it but a maximalist room makes you stay longer, you notice something new every time.

Why it speaks to people

For many people, maximalism is about comfort. Not just soft throws and plush cushions, but the comfort of being surrounded by things that mean something. It can be a way to show memories, travel, family and collections. It allows for the messiness of real life in a way that minimalism sometimes doesn’t. If a space is already layered and textured and filled with colour, then another book or another mug or another pair of shoes doesn’t ruin the look. It also offers freedom with the design as you can mix styles and eras. You can hang art next to something silly. You can put a vintage rug under a plastic chair and it still works. It’s forgiving and flexible, and if you get tired of one part of the room, you can shift things around and the overall feeling stays intact. And for some people it’s just more fun. There’s more colour, more personality, more room to play. It doesn’t ask you to hide your interests or filter your taste. If anything it encourages you to go further with it all. To bring things in because they make you laugh, or because they remind you of something, or because they just feel right, even if they don’t make much sense.

How to actually do it

Starting from scratch with maximalism can be overwhelming but the key is to layer it slowly. You don’t need to go out and buy dozens of items, in fact, it works best when it’s built up over time. Begin with what you already have- pull things out of storage and mix in that strange lamp you were never sure what to do with. Stack books in places you wouldn’t normally and et some pieces lean instead of hanging them. Walls are a big part of it, don’t leave them bare. Even just two or three frames can make a start. Add in a mirror, mix up shapes and put something oversized next to something small. It doesn’t need to be symmetrical. Patterns help a lot too so try putting different ones next to each other, even if they clash a bit. A bold print can sit well next to something floral or geometric, especially if the colours pull from the same palette. Add bold wallpaper with a feature wall or above panelling, or go all out and wallpaper the whole room if you’re feeling brave. You can find some brilliant vibrant designs these days, find selections here or get on Google and go with a pattern that really speaks to you. Rugs over rugs, cushions with contrast piping, a glossy table under a chalky wall, these kinds of textures together make the space feel alive.Lighting can shift the mood as well. Instead of relying on one bright overhead bulb, bring in lamps at different levels. A warm low light will highlight textures and make everything feel more grounded. And don’t be afraid to let things look a bit off. Sometimes a slightly crooked painting or an uneven stack is what makes the whole thing feel relaxed.

Understanding the balance

It’s also fine to leave some areas a little quieter too, you don’t need every surface to be packed. In fact, a bit of breathing room here and there lets the rest stand out more. That’s part of what separates good maximalism from visual overload. One of the harder parts is knowing when to stop, there’s no set number of objects or rules to follow which can make it tricky. But it helps to pay attention to the feeling, like if a room feels exciting and comfortable, that’s usually a good sign. If it starts to feel heavy or cramped or tiring to look at then it might need a small edit. That doesn’t mean taking away the personality, it maybe just means shifting the focus. Maybe the room has too many things competing for attention in one corner or maybe a little more light would help. Maybe a darker colour on the walls would give everything a better backdrop? These aren’t rules, just ways to guide what’s already working.

Why it matters

There isn’t really one single reason people turn to maximalism. For some it can just feel easier to live in a space that doesn’t ask for constant tidying or restraint. For others, it’s about being surrounded by things that hold meaning or memory. Sometimes it’s just nice to come home to a room that looks nothing like anyone else’s. 

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