After minimalism took over the internet and became a staple in countless households, many homeowners decided to take the opposite route—maximalism! While minimalism strips interiors down to the bare minimum, maximalism plays with patterns, colours and clutter, bringing out each homeowner’s personality and making a statement at every turn. If you want your home to tell a story, here’s everything you need.

Lively patterns

Design by Fuse Concept.

A popular way to infuse the home with colour and throw in an eye-catching pattern is to re-tile the kitchen backsplash. If you’re aiming for an all-out maximalist design, consider taking the backsplash tiles up higher and covering the entire wall.

The earthy furnishings help to keep this room’s colour palette on the neutral side. Image courtesy of Soon Bee Huat.

If you’re looking to redo the flooring in the living area, tiles can be cooling underfoot in our hot climate and can make for a more vibrant choice than vinyl or hardwood. Just make sure to pick a pattern you truly love, as the large surface can become visually tiring over time.

The cushion and matching vases draw out the hue from the blue rug underneath. Design by Design Intervention.

Even though the living and dining areas don’t often boast patterned tiles, they can absolutely be lively and colourful too. Start small by working in patterned curtains and see how you feel about the pop of colour. You can then add in a colourful rug and maybe even some wallpaper if you fancy a feature wall.

Neutral flooring helps to ground this bold space and allows the colourful elements to stand out. Design by Design Intervention.

Feeling extra bold? Cover the kitchen island with a pattern that complements the surrounding colours and you’ll have an instant centrepiece.

A countertop sink adds dimension and depth to this nook of the house. Design by Insight.Out.

Another space that facilitates easy pattern-play is the bathroom. From the shower cabin to a feature wall behind the vanity, this room opens up a lot of possibilities and allows you to really get creative.

Statement furniture

Design by Voila.

The most affordable maximalist update you can introduce into your home right now? New upholstery for your soft furnishings! Consider a patterned sofa fabric or even colourful backings for your dining chairs.

Give your doors and window frames a fresh coat of paint for that added detail. Design by Voila.

If you’re up for replacing your furniture altogether, browse local shops for vintage and traditional furniture in a variety of styles, be it cafe chairs, stocky benches with ornamental armrests or painted sideboards. These pieces tell a story and definitely make a statement in every room.

Bold artwork

When placed strategically, artwork can act as an optical illusion, elongating spaces to make them appear more expansive. Design by Insight.Out.

A maximalist home isn’t complete without lots of artwork. This may seem like an expensive upgrade, but paintings don’t have to cost an arm and a leg. Start by browsing Instagram for independent artists, who often make their art very affordable. You can save even more by opting for prints as opposed to original art.

The mix of yellow and black ties together the splashes of yellow in the painting overhead and the black tiles underneath. Design by DISTINCTidENTITY.

Of course, artwork doesn’t just come in the form of paintings. You can highlight specific areas of your home by dotting them with figurines, small statues and other collectables.

Ornamentation

You can make the shape of your archways work even harder by mirroring it in other areas of the house, such as the edges of the kitchen backsplash. Design by Facelift Design & Interiors.

If you’re embarking on a full renovation, take the opportunity to work some structural and architectural updates into your maximalist home design. One of our favourites is Morocco-inspired archways and patterned window treatments, the latter of which can go a long way to enhance the shadows in your home.

Opening image courtesy of Free Space Intent. This post was adapted from an article published in idealhomes vol. 13.