Decorating & Design
45 Maximalist Spaces That Prove More Is More
Updated on November 28, 2023
Richly colored rooms jazzed up with loud patterns, lush textures and juxtaposing shapes — the fundamentals of maximalist design — are the antithesis to the serene spaces spawned by minimalism. However, doing the most à la the bold and brazen aesthetic of the ‘80s and ‘90s, is au courant again. With the opportunity to let your design dreams run wild, this maximalist trend celebrates one-of-a-kind spaces that are personality-packed and completely unique to the individual. In the seasoned words of fashion and design maven Iris Apfel: “More is more and less is a bore!”
Scroll down to discover 45 rooms that prove maximalism is here to stay.
This bold office lounge instantly draws you in, featuring Dimore Studio’s Moon chandeliers, Philodendrons sculptures by Tomaso Buzzi and Marc Quinn’s Orchid in lacquered bronze.
It’s hard to know where to look first in this boho-inspired dining room that’s overflowing with pattern, color, and greenery. Even the white dining chairs have undeniable character.
If the eclectic mix of furniture, sculpture and art wasn’t not enough to catch your attention in this lively living room, then the multi-colored ceiling with box moldings will.
Powder rooms are one of the best ways to ease into maximalist design. In this bathroom, a playful wallpaper wraps around the entire room to vibrant effect.
Every room of this lively home speaks to designer Anne Hepfer’s energetic style. In this corner, her bold use of color and pattern can be seen in upholstery, drapes, objets and lighting.
“I like taking risks and doing the unexpected,” says designer Beata Heuman, who describes her style as imaginative, considered and fresh. Pictured is her daughter’s bedroom that features a Ludwig Bemelmans mural, which depicts rabbits sipping martinis.
We’d love to pour a drink and pop open a book in Beata’s quirkly living room that features a floor-to-ceiling bookcase (with a built-in bar), and unconventional furniture and art.
This spacious dining room was the perfect blank slate for maximalist designer Ali Budd to have some fun. We love the unexpected mix of colorful seating, bold art and offbeat lighting.
Color and pattern enthusiast Maureen Stevens gave her client exactly what they were looking for — a bold, eclectic and artful home. The starting point for the lively living room was the velvet Bordeaux sofa, which was eventually layered with a cheetah-print ottoman, a gallery wall and playful pillows.
Maureen carried the velvet teal fabric into the bedroom, which can be seen in the headboard and curtains. A colorful geometric rug gives the space a cohesive look, and a bench at the foot of the bed in an iconic fabric proves more is more. “I wanted the room to feel sophisticated and, with the patterns and colors of the rug, bold and intense,” she says.
How mesmerizing is this graphic wallpaper from Drop It Modern? Curvy pink armchairs and a desk chair covered in squiggly green fabric amp up the fun.
This bedroom feels like you’re sleeping in a lush forest! “I love using fabrics and wallpapers that match — it’s very Kit Kemp–inspired — and that tall, sculptural headboard ups the wow factor,” says designer Cynthia Ferguson.
In PMQ for Two blogger Ariel’s kitchen, walls are adorned with Hygee & West’s Copper Peonies wallpaper. She created a cozy banquette with turquoise paint, yellow Sunbrella fabric and hot red chairs.
Ariel’s closet is even more fashionable! The yellow and green wallpaper is the same print as the one in the kitchen, but in a different colorway, and she added black and white stripes to an Ikea shoe cabinet.
“The key to loving where you live is to plan and furnish based on how you want to live instead of having your furniture and decor dictate it for you,” says designer Beth Diana Smith of her bold living room. An enviable collection of art and a luxurious purple velvet couch make the space extra special.
You can’t help but smile when you see a room designed by Justina Blakeney. This sunny, global-inspired bedroom is the epitome of the “Get Happy” aesthetic: piles of pillows, plants, fringe, wovens, sunset hues and quilted patterns abound!
This bold entryway may only be three by three feet, but that didn’t stop Cynthia Ferguson from taking the plunge with a cherry red color (Lyons Red (CC-68) by Benjamin Moore to be exact), spiky pendant and lush wallpaper.
Chevron drapery? Pink grasscloth ceilings? A custom patterned sofa? Yes please! This mood-boosting living room is a lesson in layering to abandon.
If mixing patterns feels intimidating, try it in pairs. Here, Cynthia matched the drapery and headboard fabric and the ceiling and pillow fabric. “In a small room, repetition is important to keep the patterns from overwhelming,” she says.
Designer Ali Budd turned this petite powder room into a maximalist dream with a pink onyx sink, leopard-print mirror and mesmerizing floral wallpaper.
Calypso Dancers wallpaper makes this kids’ bathroom feel like a quirky secret garden, especially with the elephant wall sculpture. “I like everything to have a bit of an edge and feel cool, or even weird,” says homeowner Quinn Cooper.
Don’t be afraid to go bold in your home office. Graffiti-esque wallpaper is playful yet surprisingly neutral, while a cool blue couch acts as a place of calm and serenity.
“I like the unexpected, fun and fearless,” says Oakland-based designer Carmen René Smith. Her ethos is reflected in this edgy living room, complete with a dragon coffee table, impressive gallery wall and rich jewel tones.
Peacock wallpaper, a Benton Art & Design pop-art pillow and sculpture-like lamps come together to create a luxurious and sultry principal bedroom with style in spades.
A playful clash of vibrant hues, graphic prints and natural textures set a bohemian backdrop for Judith Gougeon’s living room wall outfitted with heirlooms and travel keepsakes.
Snob founder Denise Zidel’s principal bedroom is an eclectic retreat infused with bold, playful hues and a symmetry that sings.
An assortment of artifacts that nod to Denise’s South African heritage take centerstage displayed on a zesty orange-red shelf.
For Y&Co.’s Ali Yaphe, one can never have too much pattern, texture or color. “The pieces in a house tell the story of the people who live there,” she says. Her walk-in closet is no exception: a prized photograph of a European church detail hangs on the wall, while a few beloved trinkets sit atop the built-in shelving.
The interior of Bettencourt Manor, a Toronto vintage shop with treasures galore by Matthew and Rick Bettencourt, delivers a coolly curated maximalist approach steeped in vintage and new finds.
This home office boasts a striking spiky pendant light with similar accents filling the gaps in the room’s matching bookshelves — a pro maximalist move that ties the space together eloquently.
A punchy red desk stuns when donned with gilded accents and a deliciously cool color palette.
Dipped in a sapphire hue that wows, this living space infuses throw pillows with traditional patterns and leather woven chairs for a glamour that’s unmatched.
A romantic living room hearth is easily transformed into an art easel, beautifully showcasing layered artwork in a boho way.
Pops of teal swim in designer James Davie’s historic Toronto pad, which is chock-full of furnishings that tell a story. The intricate botanical charts that dress the walls are vintage treasures, reinforcing the room’s conservatory feel.
A lush pansy purple rug, grass green upholstered chairs and mustard color-blocked oak built-ins give this office an over-the-top dose of maximalist charm.
Maximalist interiors don’t play by the rules, and this living room in homeowners Genevieve Makinson and James Aitken’s 1880s Toronto home makes a great case by mixing pieces from different periods: a modern Gubi chair sits next to an antique-style sofa.
A leopard-print runner adds unexpected drama to this traditional stairwell by designer Erin Gates, while a photo frame gallery wall mimicking the neutral palette adds visual interest.
Designer Dan Fink created an entryway with objects as unique in style as his design ethos. A vintage leather medicine ball functions as a cushion for the tubular chair, while a geometric stool contrasts beautifully against traditional red woods.
Masterfully layered elements — a wallpapered ceiling, doubled rugs and a mantel boasting marble and metal materials — create a luxe but cozy vibe in Philip Mitchell’s drawing room from the 2018 Kip’s Bay Decorator Show House.
A pair of graphic grand canvases provide a bold contrast to the black wall, while artfully layered accessories in taupe, purple and energizing yellow add depth.
Dressing more surfaces than walls with wallpaper adds depth and creates a dramatic effect. This dining room does the absolute most with crystal wallpapered bookshelves and a dreamy draped chandelier overhanging a tablescape next to none.
This très chic abode layers in bust statues, plush velvet cushions and a pair of graphic printed armchairs, beautifully capturing an oh-so-French feel.
Designer Philip Mitchel transformed his 650-square-foot Manhattan apartment into a comfortable maximalist haven, proving no space is too small to do the most.
Prettified in a plethora of pinks, this dining rooms reads sumptuously sophisticated. A range of different dining chairs add exquisite character and dimension to the space.
Swathed in audacious contrasting textiles and featuring a handsome bookshelf sitting snugly in between two twin beds, this room delivers a cozy and practical allure.