The story below is a preview from our September/October 2024 issue. For more stories like it, Subscribe Today. Thank you!
How to embrace interior design’s boldest trends.
Just like fashion, the interior design world experiences trends. Influenced by everything from the economy to world affairs, how we decorate our homes is a reflection of our cultural mood and national zeitgeist. The 1920s saw the end of World War I and the flu pandemic, inspiring a booming optimism showcased in the opulent, rich colors and patterns of Art Deco. The very next decade brought the Great Depression, which restricted individual consumerism. Interiors became more open and spacious without decadent, decorative objects and rooms were oriented around the family radio –– a functional item treated like furniture. Machine-made, mass produced items like Fiestaware were affordable yet stylish options for families without disposable income. The residential building boom that came after World War II brought the first suburban neighborhoods, many featuring pine wood paneling due to the shortage of steel and other metals. The powerful economy of the 1950s meant waves of new styles, and the superhighways being built accelerated the suburban sprawl. With money to spend, families were filling their ranch-style homes with newly mainstream modernism trends like space-age furniture, terrazzo floors and bathrooms featuring floor-to-wall monochrome tile in teals, pinks or pale yellows.
As with all trends, these waves are cyclical, often swinging from one end of the aesthetic spectrum to the other. What was once considered out of style comes back in vogue with new generations. Which is what we are currently seeing now in interior design: a bold and optimistic return to maximalism.
What is Maximalism?
You know the phrase “Less is more?” Maximalism contests. While a minimalist aesthetic features descriptors like “clean” and “uncluttered,” maximalism is a celebration of color and texture, a look that invites surprising contrasts of styles displayed in inviting layers.
While the rules of minimalism are streamlined and uniform, maximalism thrives on disrupting expectation: Rather than displaying books in clean rows by size or color, a maximalist bookshelf is a jumble of well-loved books and other objects, resembling a cabinet of curiosity more than a library. Artwork and plants abound, often in unexpected places like over a doorway, offset by playful pots and whimsical frames. Instead of a table set with matching white plates and identical spotless glassware, an eclectic collection of colorful stemware might mix with traditional china. And the dining table might not only feature a printed tablecloth, but possibly two or three, layered like rugs in a Moroccan bazaar.
The benefit of this style is that it is more sustainable and forgiving. While dropping a kid’s school bag and the dog’s leash in a minimalist foyer can disrupt the aesthetic, a maximalist room would simply absorb it. Which isn’t to say that maximalism means “clutter” or “mess” at all –– in fact, the key difference between a room filled with stuff and a maximalist design is that all aspects of a maximalist room are beloved, not random. In a “more is more” design, everything is chosen and deliberately layered for a visual effect that is warm, inviting and reflective of the people who live there. This isn’t a home filled with just any stuff; this is a home with living history and well-loved collections.
Like any aesthetic, maximalism is a taste preference that won’t appeal to everyone. If floral wallpaper and royal blue wainscoting layered with art hung salon-style makes you feel claustrophobic, maximalism may not be for you! But if you are a collector or love mixing colors and textures, or you’re simply interested in learning how to make your inherited antique bed frame work with a mid-century modern dresser in your industrial downtown loft, then maximalist design might be worth checking out!
Form & Function First
It might seem counterintuitive to begin with practical application when talking about a design style that centers around beauty, but keeping a space livable is essential to preventing it from tipping into a hoarding situation. Having a functional layout that supports the way you actually live in and use the space must be the foundation for each room. So if you found the pink striped chaise of your dreams but it requires you to squeeze behind it to walk through the living room, or you bring home a solid oak pedestal dining room table but you keep knocking your knees against the fluted base every time you sit, it won’t be long before your love goes sour. No matter how long you’ve admired or wanted a piece of furniture, it won’t be a good fit if you can’t comfortably use it.
Start with how you use each room and be honest with yourself. If you love the look of a structured, tufted velvet sofa but you mostly use the space for lounging while watching movies, you might come to regret the stiff and unyielding edges of your couch. Do you host a lot of large, sit-down dinners? If you don’t, you might come to resent all the space your 12-seater dining room table takes up (especially if you have kids and you’re in need of play areas!).
In addition to use, it’s important to be honest about the limitations of the space itself. If your vision for a maximalist living room includes large-scale framed artwork but the room is short on wall space, you will need to start thinking outside the box to bring your vision to life. Maybe this means painting a mural on the walls or even the ceiling instead; or maybe this means hanging the artwork in an unconventional space, like layered in front of a bookshelf, or even resting on the floor, depending on its size. Don’t be afraid to experiment! The beauty of maximalism is that trying something a little unexpected is the name of the game. And as long as you are able to continue to move comfortably through the space and you aren’t trying to do something at odds with your lifestyle (a fragile framed painting resting on the floor in a room where the kids play fetch with the dog might not be ideal!), your unconventional approach might hit just the visual note you’re looking for.
Want to learn more tips for how to integrate some of maximalism's key characteristics like bold colors, textures and patterns into rooms in your home? Check out the latest issue, now on newsstands, or see it for free in our digital guide linked below!
The story above is a preview from our September/October 2024 issue. For more stories like it, Subscribe Today. Thank you!