Minimalist vs. Maximalist Interiors | Creating a Personalised Home

Take a look at your favourite interior design magazines and the pages will be bursting with unique, eclectic, maximalist homes, contrasted against sleek, natural and minimal interiors.

Usually, trends are pretty black and white, but more recently we are seeing trends being intertwined, minimal furniture used in out-there interiors and bold and bright furniture used against very quiet homes.

The Dover and Zen Dining Bench Set suit perfectly in minimal homes. The angular legs and modern finishes bring a crisp, clean look.

This shift in decorating styles shows how we are no longer buying into a trend, but more buying things that we really love, regardless of if they go or not, to create truly personalised and individual homes.

So, how do create a minimal interior? How do you perfect a maximalist interior? And how do you create a harmonious balance between minimalist and maximalism?

Minimal Interiors

Minimal interiors consist of 5 key elements. These are:

1. A simple, considered colour palettes
2. Sleek silhouettes
3. Modern finishes
4. Clever storage solutions
5. Streamline details

By decorating your home with a simple, tonal colour palette you make it very easy to create a minimal look. Natural textures lend themselves to minimal spaces as they warm up white rooms, avoiding your home looking too clinical.

The Aria White Oak Shelving Unit allows you to showcase your favourite objects while creating a sleek, streamlined and subtle space.

Furniture should be well considered with a simple silhouette and in a monochromatic colour palette, allowing you to move furniture seamlessly around your home.

You’ll notice minimal homes are always very uncluttered and tend to feature clever built-in storage. Keep handles and hardware simple, and if you can avoid it altogether, do!

The Aria Sideboard in White Oak has well thought out drawers, eliminating the need for any hardware, complimenting the minimal look.

Choose push-pop openings or drawers with hidden handles to streamline your furniture and effortlessly hide away all that clutter.

Is a Minimal Interior the one for you?

If you love being organised, tidying and calming spaces, then a minimal interior is for you. However, keeping your space looking this clean and simple requires a lot of daily tidying up!

White and Chrome go hand in hand for minimal interiors. Choose a simple shape such as the form Barstool to compliment your natural kitchen.

If you’re more drawn to colour, print and texture, then look at creating a maximalist home.

Maximalist Interiors

Maximalist interiors work great with Art Deco elements. The Harper chair with its shell back sits seamlessly into a maximal home.

Maximalist homes are not one for the faint hearted. With a crazy mix of print, colour, texture and materials, there are no rule to maximalist interiors except:

The bigger, the better.

Choose classic furniture styles in bold colours. The Luxe Velvet sofa in Midnight Blue is a twist on a classic chesterfield sofa. The vibrant blue velvet when paired with gold accessories, geometric prints and your favourite wall art will create a truly unique space, showcasing your personality.

Art Deco styling really lends itself to maximalist interiors due to the opulent textures and contrasting curves against geometric prints. Pair smooth, sweeping shapes with harsh prints, throw in some gold for a luxurious element and top it off with oversized house plants.

Blush Pink Velvet softens rich colours, allowing you to maintain a sense of calm in your maximal home. The Form Velvet Barstools with Backrest add a style statement while subtly toning down your wild home.

When it comes to maximalist interiors, the world is your oyster. Clash your favourite colours and be experimental with patterns. Just remember, as this is a very visually stimulating look, try to tone down the craziness for the bedroom.

The Plaza Stool is a perfect way to introduce a more luxe touch to your home. This is a great example of toning down maximal interiors for the bedroom, thanks to @pennygoldstone.

Stick to softer shapes and muted colours to promote relaxation. Retain the clash of textures and patterns but in a more subtle way.

Is a Maximal Interior the one for you?

There are varying levels of maximalist interiors, so it’s up to you how wild or restrained you like to go. If you love colour, pattern, texture, and are happy to maybe make a few decorating mistakes, then go for a maximal style.

Minimal Maximalism

As we mentioned earlier, trends are less black and white, and this year we see more and more Minimal Maximalism home emerging.

Add a bright pop of colour to minimal homes. The Fergus Mustard Bench and Dining Chairs add an instant flash of personality to your space, creating a home unique to you.

What is Minimal Maximalist?

A minimal maximalist style is a combination of considered furniture, luxe materials and pops of wile. This could be a minimal furniture paired with patterned wallpapers and pop of neon. Or it could be a sleek, white room with a statement, brightly coloured curved sofa.

Choose a statement bed like the Rene, but a simple colour palette to create your own kind of minimal maximalist.

The possibilities are endless when it comes to how you decorate. Just be true to your style, and don’t feel so easily influenced by what you see in magazines- chances are a year or so down the line you’ll be looking for the next trend.

Show us your style! Tag us on Facebook and Instagram with #mydanetti, we love seeing all your beautiful, unique homes!