What Is Maximalism? Here s How to Do Maximalist Design

If you’re a fan of maximalism, you’re in luck, because the style is having a major moment as of late. Truthfully, maximalism has been a part of the design world for centuries—the ways in which it has manifested in our homes has changed over time, of course, but the idea of showing off all of one’s favorite things is by no means a new concept. With proper thought and care, maximalism is easy to achieve in the home. We asked designers to weigh in on maximalism’s history, recent revival, and key characteristics, and they also share some useful decor tips.

10 Maximalist Decor Ideas That Prove (Sometimes) More is More

Designers show us how to use bold prints and bright colors to create a show-stopping space.

Erica Finamore is Real Simple‘s home director, sharing her knowledge on decorating, organizing, cleaning and DIYing. She has over 10 years’ experience and favors statement sofas, gallery walls and organizing books in rainbow order.

After years of all-white kitchens and neutral farmhouse-inspired living rooms, there’s a new trendy style flooding our feeds and this one makes an argument for adding more to your home. Maximalism is all about layering bold decorative elements to create a room that feels unforgettable. Designers use multiple colors, vastly different patterns, and textures of all kinds to create this look, and it’s a far cry from the minimalist aesthetic of 2010s. The key is to fill your home with all the things that you love. Whether it’s an antique chair or a brand new blanket, if you love it, you can make it work in your space.

This idea of “no rules” decorating can be pretty fun, but it can also be tricky to figure out just how to make this look work for you and your home. You want your space to be bold but livable, after all. So, check out the maximalist decor ideas below for tips and tricks on how to work the style into your interiors.

Mix (don’t match) your furniture

Sure, matching bedroom and dining room sets are one-and-done easy, but maximalist decor is all about putting unexpected items together for a wow-factor effect. In this fun dining room created by Dara Beitler, a more streamlined and traditional wood dining table is paired with cow print armchairs and funky, sculptural white leather side chairs. The combination creates a more inviting and modern aesthetic and turns a room that’s normally kind of dull (let’s face it, dining rooms usually are), into a memorable knockout.

Show off a statement wallpaper

It’s no secret the wallpaper is back in a BIG way. People are using it in every room of the house, but unlike that faded micro-floral print in your grandma’s bathroom, these trendy papers are flaunting big designs in a mural-like style. Just take a page from this Sagaponack home designed by Fairfax Dorn Projects. They coated the walls in a large-format Jennifer Short print and painted the molding a lacquered teal to match. Because the wallpaper grabs your attention, they kept everything else neutral, including a wood dining room chair and table, and woven CB2 pendants.

Skip the white walls

Sure, chartreuse might not be for everyone, but it certainly works well in this living room designed by Zoe Feldman. When you coat the walls in a bright shade, it makes all other elements in the room pop against it. Suddenly the art pieces are more noticeable and so are the funky patterned drapes. The acid-green walls also allowed Feldman to use slightly more muted furnishings like the acrylic coffee table and and blue sofa, without making the room look one bit boring.

Combine new and old pieces

What’s black and white and spotted all over? This powder room! Robin Titus of R Titus Designs included lots of elements (color, pattern, texture, oh my!) and a mixture of new purchases and vintage pieces. The walls, for example, sport a new Dalmatian Spot wallpaper, and sculptural sconces by Stray Dog Designs rule the vanity. That lady you see in the mirror? It’s an antique painting Titus found at an antique market in Chicago and it gives the room a sense of depth and lived-in realness.

Layer in lots of texture

Interior designer Sasha Bikoff is known for her fun maximalist design approach, so naturally she brought that vibe into her Greenwich Village, New York home. Her bedroom boasts tons of bold style, but one of the highlights is the mixture of lush, luxurious textiles. The elegant orange curtains and valences are accented with Samuel and Sons trim, and combined with saturated, rosy pink Bella Notte bed linens and velvet pillows. All of that fabric, plus the animal print wallpaper and modern pendant? Chef’s kiss.

Try a pattern-on-pattern approach

Caitlin Murray of Black Lacquer Design has never shied away from bright colors and intense patterns, which means that even in a nursery, she knows how to bring it. There are three different major patterns here, but because they vary in scale, they’re each able to hold their own in the space. The most noticeable is the Cole and Sons Cabaret Wallpaper, which shows a series of intricate theater scenes. More abstract and slightly larger in scale, is the zebra window shade, and the even more mellow spotted Hello Dottie Flor Tiles. With this much going on, she kept the rest simple, opting for a solid-colored crib, side table, and sheets.

Show the ceiling some love

Lately, it seems like interior designers are finally giving the fifth wall the attention it deserves. Painting or papering a ceiling draws attention upwards and has the ability to make a space look much taller. (Who doesn’t want “higher” ceilings?) A great way to do this is by seamlessly carrying a print or color from the side walls up through the ceiling, which is exactly what interior designer Mandy Cheng did with this Trailing Orchid Wall Mural. The pattern, plus the wood planks at the center amplify the room’s cool architectural details and continue to draw the eye up. We’d be remiss if we didn’t also call out the incredible Arteriors chandelier. Talk about a wow factor!

Think big in small spaces

Common design wisdom used to say that adding a lot of color or detail to a small room would make it feel smaller, but it seems like everyone is having a change of heart about that “rule.” And how could you not when you see an incredible jewel box powder room or wallpapered closet? Here, Jewel Marlowe of Jeweled Interiors took an unassuming laundry room and turned it into a must-pin. The Basuto Teal Wallpaper makes this meager chore room look fun and fancy. In true maximalist style, she incorporated additional focal points, like the cool floral art print and white glass pendant light.

Incorporate handmade elements

Traditional style is all about nailing those perfectly tailored pieces, but one of the best things about maximalism is that it embraces imperfect artisan features. Take the mural in this bar designed by Jill White Designs for example. Jill White enlisted the help of artist Alison Hobbs to paint an abstract red mural along the bar. Sure, she could have gone with a similar wallpaper, but the hand-created design is what makes this space special. The little changes in the width of the brushstrokes and length of the zigs and zags draw your eye in and give it that one-of-a-kind vibe.

Get wild with animal prints

Decorator and vintage lover Natalie Wong used color, texture, and tons of natural-inspired patterns in her Los Angeles apartment. The zebra-print rug is the real showstopper here, but it’s joined by a cheetah print rug (layering rugs is another great maximalist idea!), and pink cheetah faux fur throw. The key to combining prints seamlessly is to have one bold one be the focus (zebra) and decorate around it. If you look over on her dresser, there’s even more wildlife action thanks to a ceramic tiger and a brass bird lamp.

What Is Maximalism? Here’s How to Do Maximalist Design

Sarah Lyon is a freelance writer and home decor enthusiast, who enjoys sharing good finds on home items. Since 2018, she has contributed to a variety of lifestyle publications, including Apartment Therapy and Architectural Digest.

Jessica Wrubel has an accomplished background as a writer and copy editor, working for various publications, newspapers and in public libraries assisting with reference, research and special projects. In addition to her journalism experience, she has been educating on health and wellness topics for over 15 years in and outside of the classroom.

If you’re a fan of maximalism, you’re in luck, because the style is having a major moment as of late. Truthfully, maximalism has been a part of the design world for centuries—the ways in which it has manifested in our homes has changed over time, of course, but the idea of showing off all of one’s favorite things is by no means a new concept. With proper thought and care, maximalism is easy to achieve in the home. We asked designers to weigh in on maximalism’s history, recent revival, and key characteristics, and they also share some useful decor tips.

Meet the Expert

• Alessandra Wood is the vice president of style at interior design service Modsy.
• Dawn Cook is a designer and the co-owner of BLDC Design.
• Ashley DeLapp is the founder and principal of Ashley DeLapp Design.

A Brief History

Maximalism is by no means a modern trend; maximalists have existed across the globe for centuries. “Wealthy people throughout history have practiced forms of maximalism as ways to showcase their riches,” notes Alessandra Wood, vice president of style at interior design service Modsy. “One of my favorite examples of this practice can be traced to 16th-century cabinets of curiosities.” The items placed on display would vary—first, animal specimens were popular, while in later years, individuals chose to highlight artwork and other goods, Wood explains. “Cabinets of curiosities were like small, private museums that were stuffed top to bottom with treasures,” she adds. “Every surface covered with something.”

As time went on, maximalism emerged once again during the Victorian era. “The Victorians loved the material world, and they lived during a time when consumable goods became much more accessible and affordable,” Wood notes. “Every inch of their homes was covered with some decorative element from wallpaper to rugs to drapery to decorative accessories. As a culture, they invested in the idea that each person had their own personality and [the] maximalist element of their homes reflected an attempt to showcase their private selves to visitors.”

Maximalism’s Recent Popularity

Wood believes that maximalism in today’s society certainly takes a cue from past eras. “First, those who decorate in that style are like curators of their own space, hoping to showcase a collection of goods they love,” she notes. “Second, they are more likely than people who love other styles to believe that their space reflects their personality.”

And the style has seen a resurgence in more recent years due to economic regrowth, explains Dawn Cook, co-owner of BLDC Design. “After the recession of 2008, design trends turned to minimalist—making a statement with less,” she shares. “As the economy recovered over the next decade, society began accumulating wealth with more disposable income, collecting objects of interest, traveling more, and populating their homes with meaningful and significant art and accessories.”

Maximalism is particularly popular among younger generations, particularly millennials, who were eager to incorporate plants, eclectic colors, and other accessories into their spaces, Cook adds. “Maximalism became a way to define an eclectic home with a chaotic array of colors, prints, objects, and textures in a single space.” And by way of social media, “consumers fell in love with overly saturated and overly appointed images of rooms in a kaleidoscope of design.”

Fun Fact

Minimalism is all about getting rid of excess items and using only the things you need. Maximalism is more about design and features colors, shapes, tones, and textures to create an over-the-top space.

Key Characteristics

Have fun with pattern play and vibrant colors when designing a maximalist home. “Wallpaper featuring bold patterns, glossy lacquered furniture, and plenty of accessories are key to pulling off this look,” shares designer Ashley DeLapp, founder and principal of Ashley DeLapp Design.

And don’t forget about the importance of joy, notes designer Isabel Ladd of Isabel Ladd Interiors. “Joy is a fundamental element of maximalist design because the vibrancy and energy that hits you when you walk into a well-decorated maximalist space should induce happiness,” she says. “My motto: You can’t control everything, but what you can, let it bring you joy.”

Design Tips

For some maximalists, narrowing down the top items that they do wish to feature in a space can pose a bit of a challenge, Cook explains. “Maximalism isn’t for everyone, and it may actually be one of the hardest design trends to achieve,” she says. “You often need an expert to make sense of an array of bespoke interests. Folks who like maximalist design often have a strong appreciation for many different design styles and collect different objects over time—from abstract art, to crystal chandeliers, to Barcelona chairs and needlepoint from their grandmother.”

Cook operates under the principle that there should only be one or two “wow-worthy” pieces within a given room, and shares a few suggestions. “Your eye needs something to focus on to create the sense of grandeur,” she says. “Whether a packed bookshelf of a myriad of books, walls hung with a multitude of mixed art, or a room dominated with plants—something needs to take control and lead the design.

Don’t forget to look to the ceiling—what Ladd refers to as a room’s “fifth wall” when it comes to adding some oomph to a space, too. Paper it to coordinate with the other four walls in a room if you wish. “If the wallpaper runs in one direction only and won’t look good on a ceiling, consider a coordinating paper,” Ladd suggests.

Finally, don’t forget about the importance of layering within a maximalist space. “Layer, layer, layer,” Ladd states. “Take all the things you love, and layer them on multiple surfaces like bookshelves, side tables, walls, and furniture. It does take a certain skill of knowing when to keep going and when to stop. You don’t want the result to be chaotic; you want it to be balanced.”