The pandemic may be over, but the trend of people working and spending more time at home is here to stay. And with that comes the desire for more individuality in home design and style.
Enter maximalism — a design aesthetic that has been growing over the past couple years and continues to be on the rise heading into 2025.
“People are always craving change, and over the past several years everyone kind of found themselves in this spot that was very beige and felt very safe,” notes Julia Schweyer, principal designer with Julia Rose Interiors in Alexandria.
“It was easy to execute a more monotone aesthetic, and I think people are just bored of it now,” she adds. “They want more color and more personality.”
Instead of those subdued styles, people are beginning to lean more toward maximalism, where patterns, textures, and bold, vibrant colors take center stage.
“We are noticing that farmhouse and transitional design styles appear to be on their way out,” says Ana Djevenica, interior designer with Total Home Design & Remodeling in Springfield.
Start Small and Work Your Way Up
“Maximalist style is one that takes time to build,” says Pamela Harvey, interior designer and principal of Pamela Harvey Interiors. “It doesn’t necessarily have to take over your entire home.”
It could be as simple as a knockout table-setting for a holiday dinner. Or you could even start with just decorating a room or two.
“The very nature of maximalist style is that it feels very collected,” says Schweyer. “It’s not something that is going to happen overnight.”
It involves mixing items and styles in a way that is unexpected but also tells your story.
Color Drenching Is a Great Start
A great place to start is with color drenching, one of the latest paint crazes that truly works to set the tone for a moody, cozy vibe. Color drenching is when a room has several elements — the walls, the furniture, the trim, even accents like fireplaces — painted the same color.
“I just love the way color drenching sets a background for maximalism,” Harvey says. “I find it is the perfect backdrop to mix in a storied assortment of furniture pieces and accessories.”
If that’s not your style, you really can’t go wrong with a funky wallpaper in a pattern you love.
“Bringing in wallpaper is a surefire way to make a space feel a little bit more maximalist,” says Schweyer.
Building All the Layers
You can create a multidimensional aesthetic by pulling in different elements and textures and working to carefully build that into your overall design.
For example, you could have a thoughtful assortment of furniture in fun fabrics like velvet, colorful throw pillows, and vintage finds such as a mirror from a flea market or an old, patterned lampshade from your grandmother.
Keep in mind that despite the varied elements, everything still needs to feel cohesive.
“There should always be a reason and an answer behind every piece you incorporate,” Djevenica says.
Create a One-of-a-Kind Gallery Wall
Another simple way to start transitioning over to maximalism is by creating a gallery wall. Your home should be a reflection of yourself, and this popular trend is the perfect way to add some personality to your home and showcase who you are.
When designing galley walls for clients, Harvey notes that they have often incorporated family photos — both old and new — with some of the kids’ art or inspiring abstract pieces.
It’s also a good way to display collections or items that you have acquired over time. For instance, Harvey recently designed a gallery wall for a study that paired a collection of baseball memorabilia with modern abstract art.
“It is really just something you can have fun with that can change and evolve over time,” she says.
Feature image courtesy Pamela Harvey Interiors
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