Successfully Incorporating Maximalism into a Small Home

 

Living in a smaller home doesn’t necessarily mean you have to confine yourself to the clean, simple lines and neutral hues that are more commonly associated with minimalism. If you enjoy comfort, plenty of colorful aspects, as well as personal touches that make the space more unique, you can easily opt for a maximal approach to your home decor, as long as you are a bit more intentional with your choices. To that end, here are some of the best decor tips that will allow you to effortlessly incorporate maximalism into your home, even in a small space:

Play around with colors and patterns

Maximalist design revolves around color, and the brighter and more vibrant, the better. It would be recommended to opt for one or two complementing color palettes, in an effort to avoid an overly busy and overpowering decor in your small space, and then add some accents to your space through interesting prints and patterns. Don’t be afraid to mix different patterns either, such as combining a striped couch with wallpaper with a triangular design, for instance. As long as your choice of hues falls into the same color family, your home will look cohesive and well thought out, while still embracing maximalism in the best possible way.

Make comfort your main priority

While minimalism forced us to downsize, simplify, and lead more conscientious lives, it did take away some of the comfort and coziness most of us crave in our home. Maximalism, on the other hand, embraces comfort with open arms, and focuses mostly on those aspects that truly make us feel good and happy at home. To that end, try to focus on bigger sofas, softer chairs, or anything else that might make you feel snug and comfortable in your space. This is even simpler to achieve in a small home, as only a few pieces of cozy furniture can quickly fill up a room, making it that much warmer and more inviting.

Incorporate accessories you love

Continuing on the idea of comfort, the best way to evoke feelings of happiness in your home is to surround yourself with items you truly love, which still bring an element of coziness to the space. For example, start with a neutral area rug, such as a natural Miss Amara rug that’s as snug and warm as it is beautiful. Then, incorporate some soft decorative pillows in different shades and patterns, add a few faux sheepskin throws to your chairs, or place a knitted throw blanket or lumbar cushion over your couch or bed. All of these accessories will add more texture and dimension to your space, while turning it into a more pleasant and comfortable living area.

Create a statement wall with art

Incorporating an accent wall into your space is among the more prominent features of the maximalist design style, and making a wall of art would be a brilliant way to create one in your home. And the best part is that there are no specific rules for creating such an accent. You could opt for any shape, color, size, and style of the artwork, as well as the frames; just make sure that the art is evenly spaced out on your wall, for a cleaner and neater look. This can be a simple yet effective way to create a focal point in your space that helps to tie the room together, and make your decor appear more cohesive.

Embrace open shelving units

While cabinets and cupboards might allow you to hide any unseemly clutter, open shelving units such as standing bookcases or floating shelves on the wall would actually be a better option when it comes to maximalist design for smaller spaces. More open solutions will give you the opportunity to decorate your shelves with colorful books, personal photos, family heirlooms, or simple trinkets you might have collected. Apart from adding more interest to your space and maximizing the decor, having your favorite items on display will also allow you to inject more personality and style into your interior design.

Introduce some necessary light

Even though lighting might often be an afterthought, it’s incredibly important for creating the right atmosphere in your space, particularly when you’re working with smaller, more stuffy areas. A bright and airy room always feels larger than a dark one, especially when the natural light bounces off all the bright colors in your decor. So, make it a point to let as much light in through your windows as possible, instead of covering them up with any dark or heavy curtains. In case you don’t have enough natural light, however, feel free to incorporate as many desk lamps, floor lamps, and larger ceiling fixtures as you can, in an effort to create the ideal ambiance.

Finally, don’t strive for any ideals, as maximalism can best be achieved through imperfection and mismatched aspects, especially when it comes to adding more interest and personality to a small home.