#1 Just Bought A New House And My First Project Was To Paint My Stairs. The Entire House Is Greige And I Couldn't Handle It Any Longer. 🙈 I Stared At Paint Swatches For Nearly Two Months Before Moving In To Get The Shades Right, But I Think I Did Alright. 😂
Interior designers seem to be in agreement: in an era dominated by minimalist homes, maximalism is making a comeback. Many people are trading simple comforts and practicality for something more fun and lively. To learn more about what makes this eclectic style so appealing, Bored Panda got in touch with Mel and V, the founders of the Facebook page in today’s spotlight.
“V and I became friends in 2020 after both starting Instagram accounts—A Whole New Build and The Electric Penguin—which documented our colorful new-build homes,” shares Mel. “We’ve since met a number of times in real life and had the surreal experience of visiting each others’ homes!”
#2 Fence Painting Finished Up . Reallly Brightened Things Up . I Used Spray Paint
#3 New To This Page. Thought I’d Share My Postage Stamp Feature Wall. 10,734 Stamps From All Over The World, All Stuck One-By-One. A Mixture Of New And Used Stamps. They Are Stuck On A False Wall, Using Water Based Products, We Could Remove The False Wall Or Steam Them Off If We Needed Too. No Real Monetary Value, More Sentimental As I Used To Collect Stamps With My Late Grandfather. It Was Like Doing A Huge Puzzle! Some Of The Stamps Have Embellishments And Shine When The Sun Hit Them. This Colourful Wall Is The First Wall You See When You Enter Our Home. Australia
Mel and V both share a deep passion for bold decor. “Maximalism is such a broad term, and there are lots of sub-genres within it from dark and moody maximalism through to Barbie pink everything!” Mel describes. “Many people assume maximalism means lots of clutter, but for me personally it’s more about adding color and pattern in a way that makes me happy.” V echoes this sentiment, “Being surrounded by color brings me an incredible amount of joy and so this style of decorating really does improve my quality of life.”
#4 When I Painted My Living Room Crushed Oregano I Was On The Fence Abiut The Color. I Ended Up Loving It With The Dark Plum Accents And The Stained Glass
#5 I Decided My Home Office Needed A Fun Corner. This Also Doubles As My Library And Reading Room
V goes on to say, “I love that it gives you a chance to fully express who you are without worrying about trends or decor rules”. Maximalism has a very liberating quality compared to other styles.
“I am addicted to gallery walls!” Mel exclaims, sharing her tastes. She also loves the freedom maximalism offers, sparking boundless creativity. “I’m a firm believer in just working with things that make you happy, to create your dream space, no matter how whimsical it might be or what trends say.”
#6 I Just Finished Our Laundry Room (Used To Be Cream With A Bare Grey Patch Where A Cupboard Used To Be). I’m Totally In Love With This Teal Color, It’s A Lighter And Slightly Bluer Shade Of Those Tiny Tiles On The Floor
#8 I Love To Crochet Color Into The World. Beige Is Difficult For Me
Both Mel and V were active in other groups devoted to maximalism before creating theirs, often receiving numerous questions about their decor. However, they found these pages were “policed very heavily,” especially when it came to influencers sharing their content. Mel recalls, “We found ourselves getting banned for answering questions like ‘Where can I follow you?’ or ‘Please link where x item is from’.”
#9 Hello, My Name Is Aimee, I Turn Used Plastic Bottles Into These Colourful Flowers!
#11 And Here Is The Finished Result! Lots Of My Own Art Projects On The Wall, As Well As Prints From Artists And Originals From My Friends Who Are Artists!
“We couldn’t understand why groups wouldn’t want to encourage sharing of popular accounts as it generates great engagement for their group. So we decided we’d start our own!” In one year, their page grew to 170,000 members. They allow small businesses to advertise on specific days and influencers to post their homes, promoting an inspirational environment. “We see it as a win-win!”
#13 Another Of My Upcycled Pieces That I Finished Not Too Long Ago 💜
#14 A Labor Of Love Painting This Space. Need To Hang Pictures Up Yet But Thought This Group Might Enjoy. I Need A Colorful Rug For This Room Now
“The first rule of our group is kindness; we hope it remains a safe and encouraging space for people to share their homes and get ideas,” Mel emphasizes. Their bio reads, “If something isn’t your vibe, please scroll along - we’re sure you’ll find something that is and we want to hear how much you love it!” This positivity draws people from different corners of the internet to their maximalist community.
#15 I Did A Thing. Took My Parents Old 1990’s Orangey Wood Colored Kitchen Table And Turned It Into A Faux Rainbow Wood Grain Explosion Of Color For My Kitchen Using Alcohol Ink!!! It Took Longer Than Expected, But I Am Happy With The Results
#16 I Was Inspired By Someone Else’s Post Of A Purple Cartoon 2D Dresser!
And if you’re someone who feels a bit lost in finding your aesthetic, Mel’s journey might resonate with you. “Having been drawn into the grey trend when I first bought my home, it never really felt right, and it’s taken a long time to find my style—it evolves as I get older too, but I enjoy experimenting!” she says. The maximalist duo suggests being patient with your design process and paying attention to the atmosphere you want to create. “Don’t just assume that bedrooms should be calm, and bathrooms should be serene—what do you want it to feel like?”
#18 I’m So In Love With My New Chairs I Was So Tired Of Nothing Having Any Personality In My Home LOL
#20 New To The Page, I Wanted To Share My Tiny Rooms Off 😊 Comic Books, Hand Picked Pages Glued To The Wall With Wallpaper Paste And Sealed In With 4 Coats Of Decorators Varnish
For those looking to incorporate maximalist elements into their homes, Mel and V recommend starting with Pinterest and creating mood boards. “Pin things you love and look for correlations, it could be you’re pinning lots of blue or a specific type of furniture style. Once you’ve found the things you’re loving subconsciously, make those the centre of your design and build the room around it,” says Mel.