12 Maximalist Decor Interior Design Ideas

Have you heard the expression—less is more? Well, that doesn’t apply to maximalist décor. If you want to design your house in a maximalist style, you need to follow the most important rule: the more, the merrier. As the name suggests, maximalist décor is all about over-the-top ideas, bold decisions, crazy textures, and vivid colors. The goal here is to introduce a playful element into your rooms.

And today, we’ll take a close look at 12 amazing maximalist decor interior design ideas that range from chaotic and exuberant, to eye-grabbing, exotic, and even magical. If you’ve been craving some new, exciting vibes in your home or apartment but weren’t sure where to start, now it’s the perfect time to embrace the maximalist design!

The 12 Maximalist Decor Interior Design Ideas

1. Eclectic Touches

Let’s kick the list off with a design that defines maximalist décor: a beautiful combination of different styles. Here, we’ve got modern treats like a TV and all the other electronics mixed in with a vintage couch and chairs. The rest of the setup deserves our attention as well. The colorful carpets in both rooms with matching patterns and the art on the walls also add to the eclectic theme.

Speaking of the walls, they’re quite tall and feature some taxidermy mounts that give the décor a unique, exotic touch. As you can see, the room isn’t even that big, yet every single item has its own place, and that’s how all the separate features come together.

2. Finding the Right Colors

When it comes to colors, there are absolutely no limitations. Many designers like to divide the room into different “sections” using bright, contrasting colors. Others follow a more conservative approach and paint all the surfaces in similar hues for a unified tone. And it doesn’t only have to be the walls, ceiling, or the floor: the furniture can also be pink, blue, or any other lovely shade.

Colors that sit close to each other on the pallet (like red and brown or yellow and orange) almost always work. So, if this is your first time experimenting with maximalist colors, start there.

3. Elevating the Room with Bookshelves

Are you an avid reader with a big collection of books? Then you’ll certainly appreciate maximalist décor as bookshelves are one of its most prominent components. There’s nothing hard about this: even if you don’t have a shelf for your books just yet, building it will only take a couple of hours. Or just order one at your closest store. As for popular color choices, white and black are leading the charge.

We wouldn’t necessarily recommend painting the bookshelves in any unusual colors, as the focus should primarily be on the actual books. Oh, and with this décor idea, you’ll get a nice bonus: a wonderful smell that instantly makes you feel like you’re in a library.

4. The More Art, the Better

For maximalist décor, the motto is “there can’t ever be too much art”. The list includes photos, pictures, prints, or whatever else you have that can be mounted on the wall. The size doesn’t really matter as long as you establish some kind of a balance. So, the question here is—should you only cover one of the walls, or all four?

This entirely depends on personal preferences. It can be an improvised gallery on the side walls, a wall-tall expose on a single wall, or something entirely different. One thing to remember is that pictures and photos go well with old furniture, bookshelves, lamps, and chandeliers. That creates a beautiful retro vibe.

5. Going for Antiques

Not a big fan of pictures, photos, and books taking over your room? Then why not try and introduce a Victorian décor touch? Yes, we’re talking about antiques, taxidermy, and all kinds of slightly weird stuff that wouldn’t work in any other interior design style. Now, the word “antique” means that the item has to be at least 100 years old. However, anything that looks retro will fit right in.

Old mirrors, tools, equipment, and, again, dead animal heads all fit the maximalist profile. A book here and there and a couple of art pieces will come in handy as well.

6. Plates on the Walls

This might sound a bit cheesy at first, but plates do play a big role in maximalism and can set just the right mood. As a general rule, the older the plates, the better they’ll look on the wall. But you can hang whatever you’ve got available at the moment. The important thing here is to find the perfect sizes, shapes, and colors and mix them in a way that doesn’t look too chaotic.

If you’re not 100% happy with a plate-only arrangement, introducing some pictures and other art pieces might do the trick. Take some time to experiment and try different combinations until one of them “clicks” with what you have in mind. Plates are one of those elements that don’t always look very exciting but tend to grow on you.

7. Why Not Go with Floral Wallpaper?

If you don’t want to paint the walls or cover them with any bookshelves, antiques, or art pieces, we have one word for you: wallpaper. Just like with colors, the possibilities here are truly endless. There are literally hundreds or even thousands of different wallpaper designs available, and you never know which one will fit the room! A “safe bet” would be to go with floral wallpaper.

It has proven to go well with various maximalist décor ideas and fill out the space. Or, it can be trees, butterflies, animals, or something entirely different. You could even try painting some of the walls while covering the rest with wallpaper. That might not always work, though.

8. Emphasis on the Curtains

Curtains are often left out in maximalist décor, but they deserve so much more attention. So, how do you accentuate them? How do you make the drapes grab attention when someone walks into the room? The easiest way to do that is to buy curtains that stretch from the ceiling to the floor. Also, bicolored drapes with beautiful ornaments tend to stand out more.

On top of that, they will make the interior look more expensive. And they don’t have to only cover the windows. Curtains are great at accentuating other parts of the room/house as well. Use them to enclose a bed, bookshelf, or even a tub. You’ll be amazed by how big of a difference that will make.

9. Lanterns or Chandeliers

Will a modern-day light fixture or lamp be able to support your transition to a maximalist design? The answer is yes, it most likely will be able to do that. However, to raise more eyebrows (literally and metaphorically), we recommend investing in a chandelier or a lantern. Just like with antiques and plates, you will get a vintage slash Victorian vibe, but that’s exactly what maximalism emerged from.

10. Turning the Room into a Garden

Maximalism and organics go hand in hand. So, if you have plants scattered all over the house, it might be a good idea to put them all in one place for the sake of a maximalist design. These may come straight from your garden or even be artificial. What matters is how they look and correlate with everything else. For the best result, introduce as many different flower/plant types as possible.

11. Open Kitchen Shelves

In many ways, maximalist décor is about embracing freedom in interior design. And open shelves in the kitchen play into this concept beautifully. No need for any fancy, expensive shelves. All you’ll have to do is nail a couple of boards on the walls and put the utensils there. Or remove the cupboard and cabinet doors to expose the plates, cups, and glasses.

12. Don’t Forget About the Ceiling!

The ceiling doesn’t have to follow the walls or the floor in color, textures, or design. Instead, treat it like a standalone piece of the puzzle. We’re not saying you shouldn’t match it with the rest of the room, of course. Still, if you take some time and come up with exciting ideas for the ceiling to highlight it, that will have a huge impact on the whole maximalist décor design.

Patterned wallpapers, bright color accents here and there, and, again, retro chandeliers are all worth a try.

What are the Key Elements of Maximalist Décor?

Industrial design is all about introducing “raw” features like exposed pipes, brick walls, and old furniture. Minimalism, in turn, focuses on clean lines, simple designs, and monochrome colors. So, what about the maximalist design? The one thing that sets it apart from all the other styles is the lack of strict rules. Vivid colors, striking textures, and lots of layers: that’s what lies at the heart of maximalist décor.

Also, most designs involve art pieces (usually quite large and in big numbers), exotic fabrics, and a personal touch. To avoid your room looking like the product of a child’s imagination or just all-out cheeky, include at least one or two consistent colors/patterns among all the chaos. That way, it will be an artistic statement, not just a whole bunch of everything sitting on top of each other. Maximalist décor is all about:

How Do You Master this Rampant Style?

Combining vintage elements with new trends is an excellent way of mastering maximalist décor. Bright colors (like red, yellow, green, and blue) are also a safe bet, as they almost always work. Next, wallpapers are a powerful “tool” in the hands of a maximalist designer. The idea is to go for riotous, eye-catching prints that will make an otherwise small room look bigger. Also, do your best to cover the walls vs. leaving them naked.

This will take some trial and error, but the result will be worth it. What about accessories, though? Objects play a huge role as well. What you might want to do is crowd the room with every single object that you have and then slowly remove them. This way, it will be much easier to achieve a maximalist vibe and still maintain a sense of order. There should be chaos, that’s true, but you have to be the one controlling it!

Is Maximalist Décor Popular?

The answer is yes, it most definitely is. In fact, eclecticism (which is a huge part of maximalism) has always been in large demand. Right now, it’s as popular as ever. Why is that, though? First, maximalist designs aren’t very sophisticated—even your kids can pull it off. Second, there’s a lot of individualism involved here, and people tend to like that. And third, you won’t have to spend a pretty penny on it.

This is exactly why this style is loved so much by the younger generation. Originally, it was all about showing off, putting things that you owned on display. These days, it’s more about expressing your inner self. There are no right or wrong decisions when it comes to maximalism. Any colors, items, and arrangements work as long as they match your mood.

Conclusion

Maximalist designs aren’t for everyone. For some people, it’s an acquired taste. Others just don’t see what all the fuss is about. However, if you’re a creative and ready-for-anything type of a person, we’re confident that you’ll appreciate the beauty of maximalist décor. In contrast to popular belief, this style is not about putting random stuff together—there’s harmony in it.

Our goal with this guide was to introduce you to different maximalist design ideas so that you can find your perfect pick. If you’re not 100% sure you want to turn your house upside down just yet, go with one of the more “conservative” ideas from the list. And if you are ready for a complete overhaul, go for it!

•  Related read: 7 Postmodern Interior Design Ideas

Featured Image Credit: Steph Wilson, Unsplash