6 Essential Maximalism Design Tips to Unlock This Charming Aesthetic Instantly

Everything to Know About MaximalismMax Kim-Bee

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I’m going to let you in on a little secret: Those of us behind the screen, the writers and editors of Country Living, are self-admitted hoarders. We love cool and unique stuff, much of which you read about here. It’s a hazard of the job, but one many of us see as a perk. Each and every day (and, yes, a lot of nights, too), we immerse ourselves in this stuff, the things that make up a home and fill a life. We’re looking over paint colors and fabrics and collected antiques, and somewhere along the way we might just pick up an extra discarded curio or two (or three…or four) that was destined to be decommissioned from our prop closet. Over the years, this love of stuff got a fancy new name and a new lens through which to view: Maximalism. Yes, maximalism—that no-holds-barred explosion of color, pattern, and, yes, stuff. Below, we’re walking you through the maximalist mindset and how to do it tastefully.

What Is Maximalism?

Okay, let’s back up. It’s easy to equate maximalism with a love of stuff, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. On its own, maximalist interior design principles embody the idea that leaning into the things you love is the straightest path to a house that feels like a home. It’s not just about the stuff, but the stories that come along with them. “More is more on what brings you joy,” says Texas-based designer Katie Davis.

Nathan Schroder

Maximalist interiors are nothing new, either. Storied decorators of yore like Dorothy Draper and Mario Buatta built their businesses by embracing color and pattern in ways rarely seen before. Today, maximalism has gained popularity once again as a response to the mid-aughts obsession with minimalism and Marie Kondo-style tidiness. (Though, many of us admittedly misunderstood the lesson the much-maligned KonMari method was trying to teach us. It was never about getting rid of everything, but instead about finding peace in the things you already have and finding joy outside of rampant consumerism. I digress.) In practical terms, maximalism is all about embracing bold choices of color, pattern, and texture, and celebrating them for what they are: joyful, deeply personal expressions of style.

What Are The Defining Principles of Maximalism?

Maximalism is all about the mix-and-match mindset. Decorating with a maximalist point of view is a bit like cooking a really good meal. You need to taste as you go; there isn’t one recipe that fits everyone’s personal palate. There are, however, six key components you should focus on when trying to decorate with a maximalist mindset. All of them are aimed at amping up a room’s visual texture—the real look and feel of a space.

Bold Paint Colors

Paint is maximalism’s greatest tool. From color drenching a space in high-gloss paint to adding in fun folk art flourishes, paint can change the entire look and feel of a room with relative ease. While we all may have our favorite whites or grays, maximalism dares you to look beyond the typical paint colors and try something with personality.

Using bold color in a country home is all about pulling from the surroundings and embracing saturated-but-muddy hues. Country decorators have long relied on paint to level-up even the most humble of farmhouses—think chippy painted furniture or painted floors in a classic checkered pattern.

Strong Patterns

You can’t have a maximalist space without pattern, and proper pattern mixing is the key to maximalism done well. One way to pick patterns that foster a layered, livable home is by focusing on smaller scales, says Katie. “Small ticking stripes, varying textures, tiny florals—some of these textiles might not even read as having a pattern until you get closer,” she says. Some other go-to designer favorite patterns include gingham, animal prints, cabana stripes, tartans, and buffalo check. When using patterns in your home, don’t underestimate the power of a purposeful clash. Pairing gingham with animal prints or animal prints with a floral is a great way to show you have your design bonafides.

Cheery Wallpaper

Whether it’s a full mural wall or a pretty paper hung above wainscoting, wallpaper is the easiest entry point into maximalism. Smaller spaces such as powder rooms are the classic, safe choices for wallpaper, but maximalists rarely play it safe. Larger rooms with defined purposes, like the entry, library, or even the kitchen, are great places to play with the amount of pattern and color wallpaper brings. Just don’t forget the contrast trim paint job! (And, nowadays, removable wallpaper means you can also take it down without damaging your walls if you don’t end up loving the way it looks.)

In this entry of what was once an old schoolhouse, designers John Loecke and Jason Oliver Nixon of Madcap Cottage chose four different paint colors and a happily patterned wallpaper.Max Kim-Bee

Statement Furniture

One bold piece of furniture is typical for a house, but in a maximalist home? Add multiple! A velvet sofa in an unexpected color pairs just as easily with a patterned upholstered reading chair as it does with one covered in quiet, nubby linen. Stick to the standard decorating guidelines of complementary colors and silhouettes when mixing more than one stand-out piece. Also err on the side of doing this in large rooms only, so you don’t take up too much of the visual tableau.

Ornate Accents and Crusty Antiques

A little glam never hurt anybody, right? Mixing fanciful silhouettes, such as chandeliers dripping with crystals, and humble, scratched-up pieces is another way to fast-track a maximalist space that feels layered and totally lived-in. Remember, maximalism is all about telling a story, so don’t stray from pairing pieces you aren’t sure go together. Crossing design eras is what gives a room intrigue! If you’re unsure about mixing a few pieces, look to the rest of the room and see what other eras you have or haven’t included. Considering your color palette also comes in handy when deciding what to mix—a common color thread helps make it all work.

Robert Peterson

Curated Collections

Maximalists and country-style decorators both share one common viewpoint: collections are cool. Styled throughout a bookshelf or stuffed into a curio cabinet, these collected pieces help us tell the story of our home and of our interests, and they deserve to be celebrated. We’re giving you permission to keep on collecting the ironstone, vintage lunchboxes, colored glassware, silver candlesticks… (all in the name of style, of course).

A collection of silhouette portraits gathered over the years makes a stunning maximalist statement in this stairwell.Rikki Snyder

How Do You Make Maximalism Look Cohesive And Not Cluttered?

Start With A Strong Palette

All this talk of color and pattern can throw even the most practiced designer for a loop. A clear palette is the only way to accomplish a well-put-together room. Start with one or two base colors and then build off complementary accents. An easy way to do this is to start with your hero textile or paint color. Pull out things that work well with it and go from there. Pick no more than five colors to work with.

Make It Livable

We’ll let you in on a secret: Magazines do a bit of a clean-up job before we photograph people’s houses. The clutter is tucked away, there are no dishes in the sink, and the pillows are always fluffed. In reality, that’s not how these houses always look, so it’s important that the home you’re creating works for you, and not for some higher standard you think might be attainable.

Livable maximalism is about finding that nexus point between style and reality. If you’ve picked a palette that you can live with everyday, focus on teasing out the complementary colors through additional layers. “Maximalism, for us, is about layers, but each layer doesn’t have to be vying for attention,” says Katie. This approach allows you to fill your home with patterns you love but aren’t going to grow tired of seeing every day.

Nautical collections add flair to this coastal living room.JACKIE GREANEY AND PAUL HAVEL

Know When To Edit and Organize

The power of maximalists (and what separates them from their cluttered friends) is their ability to edit. One quick way to edit around your house is by relying on the rule of three, something we use at the magazine all the time. The rule is pretty simple: Most objects look good in groups of three (or similar odd numbers such as five). If your collection is bigger than a group of three, try breaking it up into different locations.

We know you won’t always have the watchful eyes of magazine stylists to guide your decision-making, so it’s best to channel their other advice. Embrace the old adage of “a place for everything and everything in its place” to start, according to stylist Liz Strong. “Don’t underestimate the power of a tray to corral things,” she advises. Maximalists should strive to be organized, as a go-to organizational system will keep things from growing out of hand.