“It’s a cornucopia of visual delights,” says designer Amanda Nisbet of the deep peacock-blue living room she created for her New York clients. “Like installation art, the lacquer changes during the day, making things even more interesting.”
Free your palette and dream in bursts of vibrant color—as today’s maximalist interior design ideas lead straight to happiness. Shaped by beauty and function, these maximalist rooms and the shimmering furnishings that enhance them, are sure to inspire you to create your own noteworthy space with style and flair. From bold colors to layered designs, here are some maximalist interior design ideas, trends and products that are worth noting.
Check out these maximalist interior design ideas for your home
EXPLORE THE MAXIMUM IMPACT
Color trends come and go, but the most recent approach to enlivening our homes has taken on a defiant spirit that has us reconsidering familiar, everyday norms. These highly considered maximalist interior design spaces are shaped as much by personality as they are by beauty and function. Challenging preconceived notions of color and employing a new approach is what makes this kaleidoscopic trend so stimulating. Suddenly, a world with endless possibilities has opened. Now, go explore these maximalist interior designs.
PHOTO: BRITTANY AMBRIDGE
A STROKE OF GENIUS WITH THESE MAXIMALIST INTERIOR DESIGN IDEAS
Amanda Nisbet doesn’t shy away from bold ideas, so when New York art collector-clients said, “More is more is more,” she ran with it. “We couldn’t be wishy-washy in holding eclectic pieces together,” says the designer. Nisbet upholstered the entryway with shimmering leather embellished with drips of gold by Christianson Lee Studios. “Everything had to stand its ground, so we did a lavender ottoman and a purple Kyle Bunting carpet. And I couldn’t have a white ceiling!” she says. “The room is majestic, sumptuous and lures you in.”
PHOTO: BRITTANY AMBRIDGE
IN PERFECT FLORAL FORM
“Specific colors and patterns weren’t important, but creating the emotional response was,” says Dane Pressner, director of design for D’Aquino Monaco, of a cottage he designed in Snedens Landing, New York. The turquoise Elitis bamboo wallcovering was the starting point, with a Josef Frank floral chair fabric inspiring the rest of the palette, which Pressner used to color block the space. “We love when wild elements get paired together; instead of becoming crazier, they find harmony with one another,” he says.
PHOTO: COSTAS PICADAS
FALLING IN STEP WITH MAXIMALIST INTERIOR DESIGNS
Italian company Illulian was founded in Milan in 1959 and has been producing some of the world’s most luxurious, handmade rugs available. Recent designs include dramatic wool-and-silk patterns with electric color. Roy, created in collaboration with Emtivi Studio as part of the Limited Edition collection, is an Art Deco motif made contemporary with a vibrant palette of pink, green and black. Skyla, from the company’s Design Collection, contrasts equally dynamic colors in overlaying geometric forms.
PHOTOS COURTESY ILLULIAN
SEEING THE GLAM IN GREEN
“Our observation over the last few years is that there has been a move away from hard silver finishes and clear glass toward more natural finishes such as antique brass,” says Emma Finch, director of London-based lighting firm Hector Finch. “The emerald glass gives the Sophie chandelier a warmth and glamour that can be used in contemporary or traditional interiors,” she adds. Inspired by an original 1920s design, the chandelier is a nod to the English company’s early history as antiques dealers.
PHOTO COURTESY HECTOR FINCH
LIVING IN GOLDEN HOUR
When designer Christine Markatos Lowe was asked to transform a masculine library into a feminine space for a fashion-forward client in Santa Monica, California, she went right to a sunny de Gournay wallpaper she had spotted on a trip to New York. “The gilt paper really sets a formal tone,” she says. “This is a room meant purely for entertaining, often where dessert is served or for intimate parties hosted by the wife.” Decorative accents highlight the chinoiserie scene’s jewel tones, while neutral furnishings keep it fresh and ethereal. “As a room for special occasions, the space called for special-occasion wallpaper!” remarks the designer.
PHOTO: MANOLO LANGIS
PAINTING ALL THE HUES ON THE COLOR WHEEL
Farrow & Ball updated its maximalist interior design palette with nine hues including an olive-green, an earthy blue, and the richest red they have ever produced. As always, the British firm’s paints are high-performance, water-based and low-odor.
PHOTO: COURTESY FARROW & BALL
HAVING FUN WITH PATTERN PLAY
“My client likes cheery colors,” says designer Kirill Istomin of a home in Moscow. “She’d say, ‘As the weather isn’t great here, it’s a way of bringing sunshine into your life.’ ” For the family room, Istomin chose a Clarence House sofa fabric, repeating its circular pattern in the rug and the vintage wicker mirrors that “absorb and balance the colors.” Echoing the rectilinear forms of the mirrored bookcase is a colorful custom media cabinet that Istomin playfully calls “an homage to Mondrian.”
PHOTO: STEPHAN JULLIARD
RECLINING WITH A SMART LOOK
“It serves as a practical yet treasured space,” says Jon Kastl of Champalimaud, who oversaw the design of this Manhattan study with colleague Elisabeth Rogoff. “The sense of intimacy was delivered in the color,” Kastl notes. Adds Rogoff: “We loved the idea of a reflective finish. It elevated the space.” A neutral sofa and rug let the Milton Avery painting and red accents shine.
PHOTO: MICHAEL MUNDY
THE BEAUTY OF SWEET TEAL
“Cozy and quiet” was the ultimate direction for the library-bar Oliver M. Furth designed for a couple’s new Los Angeles pied-a-terre. “They aren’t afraid of color, so this was an opportunity to push things,” says Furth, who painted the Phillip Jeffries grass cloth a rich teal while extending it to the ceiling. “It unexpectedly becomes a neutral,” he adds. An oak cabinet with chartreuse Edelman leather panels hides a refrigerator and a “healthy dose of black” grounds the entertaining space. A statement painting by Delphine Courtillot adds the final touch that effortlessly ties all vibrant hues together. Color us impressed with this maximalist interior design.
PHOTO: ROGER DAVIES
Related Post: 8 Maximalist Bathroom Designs Redefining ‘More Is More’
