The minimalism-maximalism design continuum
A deep dive into my floordrobe
Sometimes I kid myself into thinking I am minimalist disguised as a maximalist. I have honestly tried to keep things simple but a) I like color too much and b) I have a maximalist attitude to art (and possibly clothes). To my mind minimalism and maximalism are embattled in a design feud. They are at each end of the ‘stuff’ spectrum asking important questions about the presence and absence of said stuff. Stuff or material objects in our environment have a huge impact on our mood, behavior and self-esteem and so it makes sense that we choose a particular aesthetic. According to the internet, minimalism has been an art and design movement since the end of WWII while maximalism dates back to Victorian times. Maximalism’s philosophy is ‘more is more’ and minimalism is ‘less is more’. So why do we choose either or a bit of both in the 21st century?
To start with minimalism, I thought I would analyze Kim Kardashian’s minimalist home featured in Vogue circa 2022. This has to be what most people refer to when they think of minimalism. Here she is walking you through:
Firstly, in minimalisms defense (and Kim’s), I believe thinking minimal has great utility and supports people to live. When I have visited homes with minimal furniture this sparsity has served the obvious purpose of providing room to play and for wheelchairs to move unencumbered. However, Kim has created a space that looks to me like a ‘low stimulus environment’, almost clinical and like no one really lives there. Its giving ‘Kendall Roy’s elite rehab clinic’. Kim’s brand of extreme minimalist seems like an antidote to her life, but I think it is lacking in homeliness or hygge.
Design wise minimalism can be quite chic especially when contrasted with simple, salient and strong features or a bright piece of art. The absence of ‘stuff’ in minimalism helps to celebrate a major design feature that would otherwise be overshadowed. Kim’s house is left with a lot of negative space, designed with a gargantuan restraint of color, furniture, art and clutter, and you appreciate what she does have. You definitely notice the texture in her white curtains, beige potted plants and white curved couch. But honestly, they are not particularly interesting to look at and I feel that minimalism does not have to exist in a vacuum like this.
Consider the opposite of minimalism - MAXIMALISM. Maximalism is minimalism’s fun bag-lady neighbor who has a lot more stuff and frankly more courage. She refuses to throw out sentimental objects. Loves bright gaudy colors. Glittery jewels. She’ll bejazzle anything. It seems too much and yet, it’s cohesive. I’ll defend maximalism too because done well this style can be stylish and has a lot of personality. Even if it is like living in a OSH hazard.
At its core, maximalism seems to be more about time and the accumulation of things that have meaning to you over the course of your life. A maximalist might work towards a certain look, but the concept or final product might not be developed yet. People are always updating their style as trends come and go and as you earn more money getting older and maximalism seems to spawn from the natural phases of life. For example, I’ll keep sentimental pieces of furniture that still function even if I end up with an eclectic look. I’ve grown to like eclecticism and if you keep an inventory of your furniture while you shop you can make most existing furniture work with new furniture. I think you get a real sense of someone’s personality when you look at their interiors and I find that comforting in maximalism.
Minimalism on the other hand, seems to be about space and the negative space you can appreciate without the distraction of excess color, art and furniture. In a mad twist of irony, minimalism is achieved by purchasing a lot of ‘minimalist-inspired’ home decor. Not by buying less and retailers know this. Using Kim’s interiors as an example, her almost completely white look is achieved because every piece was bought at great expense and then cleaned by her invisible staff to keep it impossibly white. In this post-capitalist era, minimalism is often the picture of wealth in someone’s home and personal taste is less important. I think that’s why the video producers work VERY hard to show off Kim’s life with photo albums and childhood things box… But maybe I’m just jealous, she seems happy in her home.
So all in all, is the minimalism-maximalism continuum really designs space-time continuum? I’m just kidding. Personally, I think you can have a bit of both minimalism and maximalism in your home. I would definitely mix minimalism with other aesthetics like biophilic design, midcentury, and post-modernism for a fresh modern look. Maximalists, obviously need no guidance from me.
