Maxing it out: Surround yourself with painterly prints, splashy colours and abundant objets d’art

NT Features

Bold, bold, bold – that’s the tone that maximalists set. Their homes embrace maximalism and reject the sleek, clean- cut minimalist decor that has glazed magazine covers for the better part of the decade.Maximalism is defined as the art of more-is-more; layered patterning, highly saturated colours, ample acces- sories and art.

Modern maximalists draw their inspiration from the yonder years. The Victorians were fascinated by the material world, and they lived at a time when consumer products became much more readily available and inexpen- sive. Post the 2008 economic recession, interior design and decor circles found themselves turning to a “less is more”, minimalist and ultimately cheaper ethos to subscribe to. But as the economy recovered, those with disposable income found themselves collecting more objects of interest, travelling more and filling their space with art and other meaning- ful quirks.

Modern decorating trends kept mini- malism strong for many years until the idea of the comfort lifestyle swept in. Decorating for comfort meant filling our homes with things we love. Maximalism means enveloping our homes with even more of those things. This style isn’t messy or random — you can’t achieve the look simply by filling your space with decor. You don’t have to commit 100 per cent to maximalism, but you can bor- row the best of the trend to transform your space.

Those who decorate in this style are likely curators of their own space, hop- ing to showcase a collection of goods they love. Maximalism, when done right can be the perfect tasteful display of your personality.

Ample colours

Colour – a lot of it — is the cornerstone for maximalism design. You can start with a simple colour scheme and work your way up. If you’re looking for maximalist inspiration, you’ll note that dark colours like black and navy blue are frequently used on the walls. The key to balancing out a dark wall colour is to add strong or colourful elements and patterns to the room.

A wall of art

The most prominent design characteris- tic of maximalism is gallery walls. You can fill an accent wall with artwork to the brim and yet be on-trend. The key to creating a maximalist gallery wall is to forget everything you know about combining your art’s frames, colour, and subjects. The purpose of your decorating is to simply fill a wall with art that you enjoy. The only rule you’ll need to follow is to make sure your artwork is correctly spaced. The artwork on your maximalist gallery wall might be of various sizes, but the spacing should be consistent.

Decorate with love

We love our homes, even more, when we are surrounded by the things we love. Maximalism means more of everything: that means more of your favourite colours, fabrics and accessories. To keep your decor from looking too random, find a few common colours or patterns to repeat throughout the room.

Books are a must-have

If you love books, you’ll love maximalist decorating. This style is a book lover’s dream, while other styles usually limit the number of books you can display, not so here. All your books are so wel- come — no more boxes of books stored in your garage. Your collection looks wonderful on tall bookshelves, or even stacked on side tables.

A cheerful space

If you like bright colours and patterns, maximalism may be the right decorat- ing style for you. Warm colour palettes with floral motifs are a must-have for a happy maximalist environment. Other design styles can be incorporated into your room, as this style goes well with boho, English country, and other pleasant themes.

Add vintage accents

Your favourite vintage furniture and accessories can fit easily into your maximalist space. While mid-century decorating can be very minimalist, its vibrant colours and expressive art can also exude maximal style. Victorian and Art Deco styles were all about excess, too, so you’ll have no trouble merging these with maximalism.

Bottom line

Maximalist spaces work best when a unified aesthetic is achieved by con- necting together a variety of patterns and textures with a single colour or colour family. The chosen colour(s) can be used on the walls, ceiling, window jambs, millwork, and even the upholstery and window treatments. Consistent hard finishes, such as wood or marble coffee and side tables, should help to ground the eye and provide relief from the room’s vivid patterns and colours. Overall, if you want to be a maximalist, make sure there aren’t any bare spaces in the room.

How relaxing it would be to decorate without the pressure of pe