Heard about the hot trend for interiors for 2021, Maximalism? What does that actually mean and how do you implement it in a way that doesn’t overwhelm your house, and for that matter is it even your style? Let me see If I can interpret.
First, we can say, that maximalism finds it way to us from its polar opposite minimalism. The idea of paring your space down to the essentials and the motto “everything has its place. Usually these homes are paired with grey and cream colour schemes with a few textured pillows thrown it.
Think the other end of the spectrum and you have Maximalism, the choice of blending textures and colours in a full range of expression of freedom and personal inspiration. My feeling is that most people live in this realm with family heirlooms, items from their travels and art that speaks to them regardless of colour schemes.
Photo by Sherman-Williams
How do you get there?
I liken Maximalism to flamboyance. Make it loud, strong, hits you when you walk into the room, but that can be really hard to live with on a day-to-day basis. So, getting there without getting overwhelmed, can include:
* adding accent chairs in different colours from the sofa and different styles.
* Consider picking one colour, like red and adding in different hues like orange, terracotta, pink, and mixing with a base of camel or tan.
* Look at the architecture of your house, could you add some elements that would give the rooms distinction, like large classic mouldings, raised centre ceiling panels with lights, thicker casing or decorative casings around the windows?
* Mix textures of fabrics, but also pieces of furniture themselves. Look at metal coffee tables with wood side tables and clay pots or baskets.
* Pick two. You have a ceiling, the walls, the floors, and the largest fabric area of the curtains. Allow only two of these to be strong. Love wallpaper on the ceiling – great, but only make one other statement. Let the floor tiles have a pattern or the curtains, but not both.
The other 2021 trends that fit into Maximalism.
One trend that is becoming more popular, curved furniture. A sofa that has wrapped arms, or chairs with curved or concaved backs. Put any of those in a rich velvet colour and you live in it.
Use the ceiling, sometimes called the 5th wall. Plain old white is just plain, old white. Think colour, think texture, think wallpaper…yes on the ceiling.
One of the most popular fabrics for furniture and one that has been creeping back over the last couple of years is velvet. Plush, warm, rich tone velvets. Consider reds, purples, greens, the richness of this fabric mixes so well with chenille, textured fabrics and prints. Its reign will last as long as the mid-tone grey tweed we’ve seen in photos for years now.
What I love most about this style is it lets you personalize your space with décor, colour and warmth that appeals most to the homeowner reflecting their personality.