![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.livabl.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/hero-maximalist-compressed.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nPhoto by\u00a0Mary Costa<\/a>, design by\u00a0Black Lacquer Design<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n Marie Kondo be damned \u2014 maximalism, the more-is-more design aesthetic \u2014 is back with a vengeance. A marked shift from the crisp white walls and clean-lined furniture of the minimalist movement, maximalism is defined by bold colors, loads of layers, clashing patterns and treasured collections. \u201cIt\u2019s about curating things in an artful way,\u201d explains interior designer Caitlin Murray, founder and CEO of <\/span>Black Lacquer Design<\/span><\/a>. \u201cThe more you’re adding to the mix, the more you have to worry about balance, flow, contrast and the overall palette. It\u2019s part science, part intuition.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Murray says the pendulum swing from minimalism to maximalism can be attributed to human nature: \u201cI think people always crave something new and an answer to what they\u2019ve grown to tire of.\u201d Here she shares five tips for achieving a maximalist aesthetic that\u2019s campy, but not chaotic.<\/p>\n\n Photo by\u00a0Mary Costa<\/a>, design by\u00a0Black Lacquer Design<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n \u201cLook for a photograph, a piece of art, a wallpaper pattern or even a rug \u2014 something that has multiple colors in it,\u201d suggests Murray. \u201cWhoever created that piece has already done the hard part. If you like how those colors look together, you can use it as your guide.\u201d That vintage kilim rug you recently scored off Etsy? Use it to build a color palette for the entire room. \u201cI wouldn\u2019t venture outside of that color combination, but you don\u2019t have to use all of the colors,\u201d says Murray. \u201cJust try to keep it cohesive.\u201d<\/p>\n Photo by Eron Rauch<\/a>,\u00a0design by\u00a0Black Lacquer Design<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n If you\u2019re a power-clashing newbie, mixing patterns and textures can be seriously intimidating. But Murray says it\u2019s all about trusting your gut: \u201cThere\u2019s a quote I really like by Elsie de Wolfe, who is kind of considered the first interior designer. What she says is, \u2018If it looks right, it is right.\u2019 \u00a0You have to trust yourself \u2014 if something looks really jarring, there\u2019s a reason and you\u2019re probably picking up on it subconsciously.\u201d If you\u2019re still not sure where to begin when it comes to pairing patterns, Murray recommends browsing the works of interior designers like Kelly Wearstler, Jonathan Adler and Miles Redd, whose \u201c[combinations] of textures, patterns and colors\u201d have an artistic quality.<\/p>\n Photo by\u00a0Kyle Ortiz<\/a>,\u00a0design by\u00a0Black Lacquer Design<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n \u201cI think it’s really important to pull together pieces from various eras and styles because if you don\u2019t do that, you\u2019re going to end up with an interior that will eventually feel dated,\u201d says Murray. Think of that brown leather living room set your parents bought in 2009 as a lesson in bad design. \u201cThe trick is to bring in special pieces that are vintage and mix them with contemporary pieces. It\u2019s a balance of things that feel quirky, and others than feel clean,\u201d explains Murray.<\/p>\n Photo by\u00a0Kyle Ortiz<\/a>,\u00a0design by\u00a0Black Lacquer Design<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n \u201cYou have to reject anything that doesn\u2019t speak to you, which I think it kind of the opposite of what people have been doing,\u201d says Murray. \u201cPeople have been playing it really safe with all neutrals, and that doesn’t necessarily speak to their personality. They feel afraid to take a risk because what if they get sick of it?\u201d Maybe you\u2019ve been dreaming of an emerald green sofa upholstered in a plush velvet fabric, but ultimately settle for some gray polyester blend because it seems like the sensible thing to do. Murray says we need to cut the bullshit and prioritize personal taste over trends: \u201cYou really have to drop the anxiety around it because it\u2019s not that serious. These things are totally replaceable!\u201d<\/p>\n Photo by\u00a0Mary Costa<\/a>, design by\u00a0Black Lacquer Design<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n \u201cIf you walk into a space and instead of looking chic and soulful and interesting, it just looks like visual clutter and chaos \u2014 that\u2019s a good indicator,\u201d notes Murray. Take a critical eye to your space, noting which surfaces look messy or over-designed. Snapping a photo can also help you see it from an outsider\u2019s perspective. \u201cIf you\u2019ve just got a lot of stuff out that doesn\u2019t need to be there, that means it\u2019s not well edited,\u201d explains Murray. \u201cThe maximalist design shouldn\u2019t extend to every single corner because you want to have some negative space \u2014 a place for your eye to rest when looking around the room.\u201d<\/p>\n Maximalism is defined by bold colors, loads of layers, clashing patterns and treasured collections.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":190175,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","apple_news_api_created_at":"2019-03-01T22:10:01Z","apple_news_api_id":"0389d51b-1aeb-4183-a434-23fd56ee124d","apple_news_api_modified_at":"2019-03-01T22:11:53Z","apple_news_api_revision":"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA==","apple_news_api_share_url":"https:\/\/apple.news\/AA4nVGxrrQYOkNCP9Vu4STQ","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_is_hidden":false,"apple_news_is_paid":false,"apple_news_is_preview":false,"apple_news_is_sponsored":false,"apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"middle","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":["https:\/\/u48r14.digitalhub.com\/sections\/09b86915-7d2b-3acd-915b-b215002d01b7"],"apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11115],"tags":[11227,11129,11144],"coauthors":[8647],"apple_news_notices":[],"yoast_head":"\n1. Find your \u2018jumping off point\u2019<\/b><\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n2. Trust your gut (or turn to the experts for inspo)<\/b><\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n3. Mix the old with the new<\/b><\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n4. Ensure the space is a reflection of you<\/b><\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n5. Know when to dial it back<\/b><\/h2>\n
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