Maximalism; Will this trend survive?

Maximalism is a term that most people have not heard of. In essence, it’s the direct opposite of minimalism. The general rule of thumb with maximalists is that “More is More”. Maximalism as an aesthetic began in the 1950 with the early Styles of design such as Victorian, Georgian and Gothic styles. Read more about the Victorian style from my 2017 blog: https://interiordesigncafe.blogspot.com/2017/08/understanding-styles-01-victorian_28.html

In this style, there is no limit. All elements of design are used together in extra potions. The style encourages boldness and excess. Maximalists are sometimes seen to be materialistic. In this design, the eye wonders throughout the space. There is so much of everything. A bold mix of patterns, textures, colours and scale is observed. This style by far is loved by collectors.

A well-coordinated maximalist style is not easy to put together. Elements may conflict and look tacky; too much colour may become unappealing. For a space to look well put together, a base template needs to be put in place. For example, a colour palette can be generated to guide the general look and feel. Different elements with similar colours and textures may look better than those with different colours. 

Several ways one can achieve a well styled maximalist space is by;

1.      Layering: This is the art of arranging things in different layers e.g. scatter cushions, rugs etc. 

2.       Repetitive Patterns in prints such as florals, abstract and animal prints 

3.       Rich bold colours 

4.       Unique statement pieces

5.       Mixing and matching of textures and colours

6.       Multiples of items such as books, statues, artworks etc

7.       Blending of styles e.g. Mixing farmhouse style with Victorian

 a.       Entry porch

The entry porch is the first area of contact and visibility when getting into a home. In a lot of homes, this area is set up as an easy sitting area so that guests who are just passing by can rest for a few minutes. It’s an area of entertainment and therefore, it needs to be well designed. As in the picture above, different styles of furniture can be put together to bring character. Multiple colours and prints can be used in scatter cushions to bring the pop of colour. Multiple plants placed on the table, floor or hang on the wall also bring the garden feel.

b.      Entry hall

The entry hall is the area immediately after the entry way. Most entry halls are corridors because in modern day design, the entry way is uses to connect to the other parts of the house. The corridors give good wall space for displays. A lot of people use these walls as a photo gallery for the family and a sort of a memoir. Other times, one can use these walls as a collectors display area. One can mount art, pictures, mirrors or any other collectibles that can be mounted on the wall. This creates a point of interest as you transit from the entry to the rest of the house.

 c.       Bedroom

 

Bedrooms are those spaces in the house that are personal and can be personalized. The idea of excess can be implemented in patterns and not necessarily in quantities of things. A bedroom is a place of rest and therefore too much can take away this comfort. Excess can become clutter both physical and visual. For a maximalist’s bedroom to look and feel well designed, one can select a colour scheme and work within 4 colours to avoid conflict. Out of the four colours, one colour should be bold, one colour neutral and the rest subtle. Use of white as the accompanying neutral colour makes the bold colour pop while use of black tones it down.

 d.      Sunroom

 

Sunrooms are not a common type of space here in Africa and within the tropics. This room ideally was created for homes located in the northern and southern hemisphere that receive little amounts of sunlight and with adverse weather. The sunroom therefore allows the sun rays to come through while sealing off wind, rain or humidity. This area is characterised by large panes of glass and therefore, very visible from the outside. Plants and a play of colour can make this place not only comfortably but also aesthetic. Like in the case above, one can use bright and bold colours to bring character. By reducing the number of colours, one can have many items within this space without making it feel overly cluttered or too off the top.

 e.      Living room

A major characteristic in the Victorian and Georgian styles of design is use of one colour in different tonal variations and different patterns. This inspired fabric manufacturers to always produce new designs of fabric in six or eight variations. While layering, one not only uses multiples of the same item but also a variety of patterns on these items. Maximalists use bold patterns. Plain fabrics do not appear a lot of times in their spaces unless the plain fabric has a bold colour.

Inspiration pour le Journee

As Featured in the September 2020 Issue of House & Home Magazine, More is more! Designer Cynthia Ferguson takes us inside her 1930s bijou Toronto home saturated with color, pattern and artwork. She shares the dos and don'ts of maximalist design. Watch more of this in the video below.

Painted furniture ideas for 2021.

My sister is the biggest fan of white painted furniture. Why? Because she loves how clean and neat the furniture looks. Well, she’s not the only one. I love painted furniture but not specifically white.    

Painting furniture is one of the easiest ways of upgrading old furniture and restyling not so old furniture. I love repurposing as a craft to uplift dated furniture and prolong its use. Sustainable design is not only being careful of what we design, the purpose for which it’s designed and the material used but is also prolonging the life cycle of everything that is existing. Check out my 2017 repurposing blog: https://interiordesigncafe.blogspot.com/2017/08/repurposing.html

Painting furniture is easy because you can easily do it at home. However, it can be tricky if you don’t do it the right way and use the right paint. Like any other painted surface, one needs to analyze the following things:

1.    Type of Material i.e. Is it made of Natural timber, Metal, Plastic, MDF, Rattan etc. ?
2.     Intended location where the repainted furniture will be placed i.e. Indoor or Outdoor?
3.    Use of the furniture i.e. Is it Seating, Storage or Table furniture?

Many paint manufacturers have developed paint that can be used on different types of furniture. My personal favorite is Eggshell by Crown Paints. It is a semi-gloss oil-based finish designed for use on woodwork and metalwork where a “fashionable sheen” finish is desired. It is resistant to wear, dirt and steam. Check out more about this products use :

https://www.crownpaints.co.ke/product/crown-eggshell-finish-semi-gloss/ . 

I also love the chalk paint by Valspar. Its an ultra matte paint that is easy to work with, requires little to no surface preparation and has a vintage chic look on wood and metal furniture. Learn more about this on:

https://www.valsparpaint.ca/en/find-the-right-product/interior/paint/valspar-ca-chalky-finish-paint.html

a. Credenza

Credenzas are largely decorative pieces. They are used in dining rooms along walls to hold decorative pieces and sometimes store dining area utilities such as table mats, flower vases etc. They create perfect accents to plain walls. In open plan house set-ups, they divide the dining room and Living room. Typical Credenza’s are 1500 mm x 450 mm x 750 mm. This size varies based on the size of space and use of the piece. Credenzas were invented in the early 14^th Century. Since then, the designs have varied due to the change in styles throughout the centuries. In this Contemporary era, credenza designs are simple, minimalistic, use simple geometric forms and have a mix of different materials such as metal and wood.

 b.      Bed

 

I recently bought a painted bed and I’m totally disappointed with the product less than 3 months later. Painted furniture needs to be good quality first before the paintwork is done. Paint does not conceal bad quality and therefore always ensure that the natural product is good before applying paint. Metal beds are painted to have a good finish on the end product. Most people use a brush to paint metal instead of spray paint. The latter is preferred due to the finesse of the finish. With availability of metallic spray paints, a rustic look can be achieved. Gold, Brass, Bronze, Copper and even Rose gold finishes make the entire look unique.

 c.       Dining seats

Painted dining tables are a major feature in Farm house design styles. This Interior Design style incorporates a lot of items that look natural and also like they have been hand made in a workshop. A rustic look and feel is observed. With painted dining sets, one can break the monotony of the paint by leaving some of the areas unpainted. For example, you can paint the leg of the dining table and leave the top as natural wood. You can also leave the entire dining table as natural wood and paint the seats only. One can also mix materials for the different pieces. As in the image above, the dining table is made of timber and the seats metal. This more so has been adopted in the Industrial style of design.

d.      Coffee tables

 

Coffee tables can be functional or decorative depending on the owners liking. All in all, most people have table décor on the coffee tables such as Books, candles, plants etc. to keep the tablescape looking exciting. Coffee tables at the center of the living room are mostly decorative while side tables are functional. In contemporary design, the styles of the Coffee table and side tables can be mixed and matched. For example, one can use a glass coffee table at the centre and match with metal side tables. The side tables can be as “funky” as possible to have that edgy exciting look.

e.      Pool beds

Pool beds form part of outdoor furniture. Outdoor furniture is quite sensitive in its nature and materials used to make these items must be carefully selected. These furniture is fully or partly exposed to weather conditions and therefore the materials must be able to withstand UV rays, water, moisture, direct sun and heat. Manufacturers have invented new materials such as Synthetic rattan and PVC to be used for furniture intended to be used in areas with extreme weather such as coastal and desert areas. Metal and wood can be used for furniture intended to be placed under shade. High gloss paint or Eggshell is good for such furniture.

 

Inspiration pour le Journee

Christina Muscari is a Furniture artist who has been flipping furniture for close to 8 years now. She runs the blog Pretty Distressed and has a You Tube channel where she displays her projects.

Check out her blog: https://www.prettydistressed.com/ and 

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3Z-v8s8z18kERxGc4G2JjQ

Watch this video specifically made for people who would like to paint their furniture at home as a DIY for quick and easy tips on how to do that.

This month, I’m running a get inspired segment where I’m curious to know what design feature or element is currently inspiring you. Let’s connect on my IG … and let’s chat. 

My IG handle: designcafe001