Revamp your Style: Is Minimalist or Maximalist Right for You?

It’s time to decorate your home from scratch. 

An exciting time, no doubt. But it can also be an overwhelming feat, especially if you’ve never taken on this much responsibility before. 

While there are a myriad of interior design styles for you to choose from, two major ones dominate trends: minimalism and maximalism. 

One embraces simplicity and functionality by focusing on the “less is more” approach. The other celebrates boldness and personality by opposing the latter with a “more is more” approach. 

So how do you choose the right one for your home, especially when the two styles seem so different (and you’re kind of eyeing both of them)?

Let’s talk about it. 

What’s Minimalism and How Do You Decorate for It? 

Minimalism highlights creating a serene and clutter-free space. Its guiding principles focus on clean lines, neutral colors, and functional and intentional furniture that has a purpose. 

But contrary to what many design magazines tell you, minimalism shouldn’t just be relegated to a design aesthetic. It’s a philosophy and a way of life.

Marie Kondo, for example, is an advocate for decluttering and what many may call a proponent of minimalism in the home. Yet, even she encourages decluttering only if items don’t spark joy anymore, and she extends that same approach to decluttering emotions and thoughts. She doesn’t glorify minimalism for the sake of simply having less, but having more of what counts. 

The aim of minimalism is to strip away excess that doesn’t serve a bigger purpose. The aim is to leave only what is meaningful, and thus, necessary. In minimalist interiors, the space itself becomes a focal point. 

Here’s how you can tell a space is minimalist at a glance: 

• Colors: If a room exudes calmness and serenity emanating from the carefully chosen (often neutral) color palette, it’s likely minimalist. Colors in minimalist interiors lean toward shades like whites, blacks, beiges, and soft pastels, largely because they reduce visual clutter and open up the space. Of course, these rooms may still use accent colors, but they’ll be much more intentional. 

• Furniture: Minimalist furniture is simple, clean, and functional. It likely won’t be the crown jewel of your room. You’ll typically see sleek pieces made from durable materials like metal, rattan, and wood. Since minimalism places high importance on storage, so multifunctional furniture that maximizes space efficiency is sought-after. 

• Decor: Decor in a minimalist space is sparse and purposeful. Every piece has to justify its place in the room, so instead of decorative clutter, the focus is on quality over quantity. When included, decorative elements are subtle, like subtle light fixtures or an impactful artificial green wall disc. 

What’s Maximalism and How Do You Decorate for It?

On the other end of the design spectrum is maximalism, an approach that lauds bold colors, layered textures, and rich decor. 

Maximalist spaces are unique – you’ll hardly ever see a maximalist room that resembles another. These spaces are vibrant, expressive, and brimming with individualism. 

Unlike minimalism, this approach thrives on abundance – abundance in colors, furniture, artwork, or decor. It creates spaces that leave you feeling excited, intrigued, and invigorated. A lot is going on – what do you pay attention to first? 

While there’s no chance you can overlook a maximalist space, here are some ways you can spot it more easily: 

• Colors: In stark contrast to minimalist neutrals, maximalism is characterized by a rich and bold color palette. These spaces incorporate vibrant tones like jewel greens and reds, bright pinks and violets, and anything in between. You’ll also see contrasting colors like gold, orange and deep yellow. Still, it doesn’t mean the colors clash – good maximalism works in cohesion and achieves a balance with abundance. 

• Furniture: Maximalist furniture is the cornerstone of this approach. Some pieces of furniture don’t have to be functional, they can be purely decorative as well. Statement chairs, oversized sofas, and large decorative pieces that are anything but subtle are the go-to options. Furniture with intricate details (cushions, carvings, etc.) is something you’ll likely see in a maximalist space. 

• Decor: The foundational pillar of maximalism is decor that celebrates individuality and creativity. Here, the decor is abundant and varied, so you may see many collections of artwork, books, or trinkets mixing with fabrics and patterned textiles. Maximalist spaces are also great homes for lush artificial green walls that can balance out the busyness of the room.

Which Style Is Right for You?

Here’s the thing: nobody can answer this for you. 

Decor and design depend entirely on you. Still, if you’re looking to see which approach speaks to you, we’ve got some tips to help you decide: 

1. Evaluate your lifestyle: If you need simplicity, a low-maintenance space, and prefer organization over expression, go with a more minimalistic style. If you don’t see yourself in this description, try being more maximalist. 
2. Consider the size of your space: Minimalism works well in smaller spaces that need to reduce visual clutter. Maximalism shines best in larger spaces where it can release its personality. 
3. Assess your tolerance: The less you have, the less you need to clean. If you’re a neat freak, you wouldn’t thrive in a space that requires you to curate and rearrange it regularly, so think about how much you can (realistically) dedicate to upkeep. 
4. Look at your possessions: Do you already own a lot of clutter and sentimental items? If you want to showcase these, you may be more suited to maximalism. If you feel overwhelmed by too much stuff, you should keep only what’s essential. 
5. Mind your budget: Minimalism can be more expensive initially, as you may need to invest in higher-quality pieces that will last. Over time, however, maximalism involves more items and layers, which can strain your wallet. Think about what’s most financially viable and don’t go into debt over decor. 

The right style depends on your personality and preferences. It’s also highly likely you won’t fall into any one approach completely and will flip-flop between them for different rooms. 

And that’s okay. It’s normal, actually. Very few of us can stick to one style – it’s human nature to crave variety. 

Whatever you choose, we recommend starting small and testing. Experiment with both styles and see what works. If you see a stronger preference forming for one approach, lean into it more until you create a space you won’t want to leave.