After years of minimalism, it’s now time to decorate your home to the max, living with things that give you pleasure and make you happy!

Maximalism is a reaction to the clean lines, sleek furniture and pared-back colour palette of Scandi style minimalism that has dominated interiors for so long. 

Maximalism is all about ‘more is more’: more pattern, more colour and more texture. Maximalist style takes careful planning and a good eye to create an overall effect that expresses personality and creative flair. Maximalism is more of a lifestyle choice than a trend so once you’ve embraced the look there’s no going back! You can introduce a few clashing patterns and prints for a nod to the trend or go all out and invest in redecorating with moody paint colours and gorgeous wallpapers.

Maximalism is about embracing colour. Maximalism doesn’t always mean bright or intense colours though – it’s often about moody tones or using tone on tone hues to create a relaxed interior.

Texture is key to the maximalism look. Throwing tactile sheepskins or blankets on the back of sofas, layering rugs on wooden floors and mixing velvet and slubby linen cushions on chairs will create a space that is cosy and comfortable to live in.

Introducing floral elements, like a dark and moody wallpaper, is the perfect way of injecting a sense of drama to your space. Mix florals with other patterns like stripes, polka dots, checks or geometrics for an eclectic look. To make sure that your space feels connected, find a link that brings them together, such as colour.

Leopard print, with its rock’n’roll appeal, is a common thread in maximalist interiors. The neutral tones ground your maximalist scheme.

Flowers feature heavily in maximalist interiors. Big floral arrangements of colourful blooms give a room instant ‘wow’ factor. If you struggle to keep real plants alive, fake plants are almost indistinguishable from the real thing, giving you all the drama and dimension without any of the maintenance.

Showcase treasured ornaments such as beautiful glasses or eccentric trinkets in a cabinet or cluster collections on bookshelves, trays, along mantlepieces or on top of coffee tables.

Combine vintage and antique styles with modern trends. Whether it’s an antique cabinet passed down the family or a vintage rug bought in a flea market, we are all looking to shop more sustainably and mix treasured and contemporary items together. It’s all about making your home unique and rejecting mass-produced high street items. 

Done well, maximalism creates home that lifts our spirits and promotes positive feelings. We all need that nowadays!