Maximalism Design: How to Add Bold Style to Your Home

The adage “Less is more” sums up the popularity of midcentury modern’s minimalist look in home furnishings over the past 10 years, but now the pendulum is swinging in the opposite direction. It’s not just lighting and furniture experiencing a Maximalism revival, either – the fashion world is also going through this revival. 

“Maximalist design is a style and aesthetic that leans into the more is more mentality,” says interior designer Megan Hopp. “Maximalism leans into big and bold decision making when it comes to color, pattern, texture, shape, and form.”

Maximalism Revival: Why It’s Trending Now

While the pandemic was all about isolation, the next few years are ushering in a period of extravagant at-home entertaining and optimism that is evidenced by homeowners seeking bright colors and whimsical designs for their walls, furniture, and lighting.  

As the more upbeat mood leads to a design exuberance in fashion and home décor, there is a new generation of affluent homeowners and apartment dwellers who were too young to enjoy the flamboyant styles that defined glamour in the 1980s and ’90s. Growing up as fans of the TV and pop culture phenomenon of Keeping Up With the Kardashians, however, Millennials and Gen Zs are now seizing the opportunity to express themselves in opulent style without any throwback tackiness.

This excitement and optimism has a basis in history, too.

“I’ve read about how maximalism in fashion in America really came out of the end of World War II as a shift into a period of celebration,” says Hopp. “Women looked to wear exaggerated styles and colors as an expression of joy. That concept rings true to me in a modern sense of interior maximalism [because] it’s…something plain fun and fearless that brings joy to be in.”

How to Achieve the Perfect Maximalist Look

The most important thing to keep in mind when bringing a little more extravagant design oomph into the home is to practice restraint. Unlike the 1980s and 1990s – where the motto could easily have been “too much is never enough” – today’s modern take on Maximalism suggests splurging on one statement piece per room. 

If you’re drawing attention to the ceiling with a unique chandelier, be more understated on the floor with an accent rug in a neutral palette. Patterned wallpaper is making a comeback, but it needs furniture in solid colors and classically shaped table lamps to balance the look.

Conversely, if you want to refresh your décor without investing in new furniture, splurge on distinctive pendant lights, floor lamps, ceiling lights or wall sconces to add a glamorous touch to the room.

The most popular area in the home to experiment with Maximalism is in the powder room. Since this is a small space and typically on display for guest use, it’s easier to go bold with luxury materials such as marble countertops, gilded mirrors, and gold-finished faucets because there is not as much square footage to cover as with a master bath.

Many interior designers today are using eye-catching wallpaper patterns or rich black-and-gold color combinations – especially in lighting fixtures – that evoke the Hollywood Regency era of the 1930s to the 1950s.

The second most common area to indulge in Maximalism is the living space where you entertain guests. For this sitting area, designers may opt for lush drapery and upholstery while grounding the walls in a deep solid color like navy, burgundy, or saffron. The silhouettes for table lamps and lighting fixtures are larger in scale to hold their own against the other attention-getting elements of the room without getting “lost.” Framed mirrors, mirrored cabinets and tables are Maximalist touches that up the glamour quotient.

No matter which area you want to update with a splash of Maximalism, LightsOnline has glamorous lighting, mirrors, and furniture pieces to make an unforgettable design statement in your home.

To discover Maximalist inspirations, try filtering any section of LightsOnline by these styles:

• Art Deco
• Bohemian & Global
• Eclectic
• Hollywood Regency

Read more from Linda Longo:

• How to Create a Luxury Look on a Budget
• 3 Reasons to Try a Warm Brass Finish This Year
• What’s the Right Height to Hang a Light Fixture?