Nowhere was this more evident than in our homes, where the popularity of Scandinavian- and Japanese-style interiors (not to mention our short-lived obsession with “tidying expert” Marie Kondo, whose de-cluttering methods swept the world during the pandemic) reflected values of simplicity, restraint and purpose over excess and decadence.
Since the birth of modernism more than a century ago, the ethos of “less is more” — a motto famously adopted by German architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe — has become synonymous with sophistication.
In recent years, however, a growing number of designers and homeowners have turned to striking colors, patterns and textural juxtapositions. Bold, expressive and extravagant, this maximalism (as opposed to minimalism) is, in many ways, the antithesis of the clean lines and muted color palettes that have dominated contemporary home decor.
And it’s a style rooted in an altogether different philosophy: that more is more.
Although the term only emerged in reaction to modern minimalism, it has roots in the decorative styles of the 17th and 18th centuries, when Baroque and Rococo flourished in Europe. Often associated with the very wealthy — think Louis XIV’s exuberant Palace of Versailles — the aesthetic of excess has come in and out of fashion, resurfacing in the Victorian era and later being entwined with movements like Art Nouveau and Postmodernism.
Perhaps inspired by the rise of social media and a backlash against recession-era frugality, the style appears to be enjoying a resurgence.
See inside Chrissy Teigen and John Legend’s ‘magical’ new home
New book “Living to the Max: Opulent Homes & Maximalist Interiors” pays homage to maximalism through the lens of almost 30 projects — mostly private homes, alongside a handful of boutique accommodations — and the stories, influences and creative processes of the people behind them. From fashion designer Rosita Missoni’s exuberant Milan apartment to burlesque icon Dita Von Teese’s glamorous and theatrical Hollywood home, the glossy title demonstrates that maximalism is often defined not by set rules, but by the eccentricity and eclecticism of inhabitants.
