Dwellings: More is More: An Exploration Of The Maximalist Trend
Steph Wilson
What is The Maximalist Trend?
Moving into a new home can be both a thrilling and stressful experience. There’s a whole new space to make your own and turn a house into a home! But how do you make it your own? There’s so much to decide: do you paint your walls? If so, what is an appropriate color scheme? Hardwood floors or carpet? A leather couch or suede? Coming to a decision can be quite overwhelming. You could lean towards a minimalist aesthetic - a classic and enduring trend in home decor; then you find that while clean lines and a neutral color palette can give a simplistic and sophisticated feel, the open and minimalized space feels unwelcoming, cold, and impersonal. The desire for a balance between creating a refined, and classically designed home while maintaining a warm and inviting space for your house guests has led renters and homeowners to quietly move away from minimalism towards the opposite end of the spectrum: maximalism.
Maximalism, while a design trend that has existed for generations, has been popularized by Millennials and Gen Z over the past year, due to the design style’s focus on creating a personalized and inviting home without sacrificing elevation, refinement, and class. Unlike the minimalistic design style, the maximalist design trend is characterized by excess, abundance, and the “more is more” philosophy - using every space on your walls, floor, and furniture to make a statement. Maximalism drives you to embrace vibrant colors, bold textures, and eclectic patterns, while also displaying a variety of curated item collections that reflect your personality, interests, memories, and stories that keep your guests in awe from when they enter to when they leave.
How Do You Incorporate Maximalism?
The idea is to mix and match, find new ways to add your touch, and create a unique space that makes a statement to everyone who enters, without cluttering the room or creating a visual design that lacks cohesion, which is a fine balance to strike. Maximalist design experts such as Isabell Ladd offer several tips to make your home a maximalist’s dreamland:
Anchor your room with a bold and/or busy wallpaper
Imagine walking into your bedroom to be welcomed by walls painted in a bright, warm color or covered in vibrant wallpaper. Starting with this feature and deciding which wallpaper design draws you in the most can then set the tone of your color scheme for that room to correlate with the themes presented in your wallpaper. The right wallpaper can guide you to the perfect glossy furniture or accessories to accentuate your tastes.
2. Remember the ceiling (if you so desire)
The ceiling is your “fifth wall”, and often goes unused - maximalism calls for this space to be incorporated into your interior design to add a little oomph to your decor. Covering the ceiling with wallpaper to match the elements of the other four walls of your room can add excitement to any room, while still maintaining decorative cohesion.
3. Use feature pieces
Feature pieces are a great tool to catch the eye of your guests and start a conversation, or create a cozy atmosphere in your living space. Use the space on top of your finely carved side tables to show off your mementos from your time abroad, or to simply introduce that kooky and chic lantern that caught your eye on Etsy! Having one or two “wow-worthy” feature pieces within a room gives something for the eyes to focus on.
4. Layers, layers, and more layers
Layering is one of the key aspects of maximalism. Add a bookshelf into your living room space and utilize the shelves to stack both books and some chic art decor. Use different textured rugs for the floor, place some cozy knitted blankets on top of your couch, add a bold lamp with oddly shaped coasters or pieces to represent your hobbies (e.g. a music or art book, a photo, etc.). All the while fill the wall behind your couch end to end with paintings, or photos of your childhood, friends, or fun vacations. From floor to ceiling, everyone should know that this room is a representation of who you are and your life, and radiate a sense of joy.
Conclusion
The maximalism trend has dominated the year of 2025 due to its unique take on home decorating. Maximalism gives space for individualism and freedom of expression through experimenting with texture, color, and patterns. Through embracing this trend you can redefine your home space to elevate what it means to be chic and modern, while maintaining a warm, inviting, eclectic and personalized atmosphere that will turn your house into a home.
