My Life as a Maximalist

Minimalism vs Maximalism… what does that mean? These two terms have become fashionable once again. Minimalism was made popular in the 20th Century as more and more people opted for a simpler way of life. They wanted their life experiences to define them and not the obsolete objects in their home. They disposed of all clutter and all items that didn’t serve a legit purpose. Counters and surfaces were cleared off; entire wardrobes were traded in for 6 interchangeable pieces they called seasonal “capsules”. Childrens toys were taken and disposed of if the parent deemed them unnecessary. It’s almost as if they needed to prove to the world, they don’t need anything that doesn’t serve a real purpose… and then there’s me. As a Portuguese kid growing up in a Portuguese household, I was always taught more is better, and I’ve happily kept that mantra of thought throughout my life. I am a maximalist. My home is filled with things that I love and there’s nary a corner available for more. But as a maximalist, I can always make the room for something new.

Minimalist vs. Maximalist

What exactly is the difference? Minimalism is the art and mindset of living with less, while maximalism is all about having more. Both perspectives can be applied to various areas of life including design and lifestyles. A minimalist focus is on quality over quantity. While a maximalist focuses on quantity as well as quality. They embrace excess and extravagance and enjoy showing all of it off. Let’s say you go over to a minimalist’s house. You can generally expect to find white walls that are basically devoid of art and rooms without clutter. The furnishings would most likely be in neutral, soft tones and the house would be relatively empty which they believe creates a calming atmosphere. Everything in their home is carefully chosen based off the necessity for whatever it is. They pride themselves in living a simpler life where they are defined by experiences rather than possessions. Maximalists on the other hand like to strut their stuff all over the house. They try to cover every square foot with their treasures and have a deep attachment to their possessions, while minimalists view the objects in their home as just that, objects that are there to serve a purpose. Once that purpose has expired, they no longer have use for the object and can dispose of it. Maximalists keep adding to the equation. Keeping things too minimal can create a sterile space that brings with it a coldness in my opinion. You have to find the perfect balance for your life regardless of which type of person you are. Just because you chose minimalistic design doesn’t mean your space has to be boring or bland. It can be quite stylish and loaded with character if it’s done correctly. I’m reminded of this fact when I watch a particular creator on YouTube. She is Scandanavian and her home is minimalistic and absolutely loaded with warmth and character. It’s a very serine space from my perspective. It’s all in how you approach it. On the other side of this equation, I watch other creators on YouTube who practice minimalism and their homes lack that warmth and character I just spoke of. Their 12′ walls are starkly white, in the whitest white possible and any artwork or groupings are done on such a small scale they actually look entirely wrong to me. People forget that design must be appropriate to the space. If you have a 12′ white wall and you hang one 8″ plate on it, it just doesn’t look right. It’s not proportionated to the space. That’s how you end up with a sterile and cold look. It doesn’t matter how many fluffy neutral blankets you toss on your white couch, it’s still a cold environment. If the space isn’t proportionate to the items in it, it simply won’t work.

A quick Google search can yield you many examples of Minimalistic Design.

My Maximalist Home

Everything in my home has a meaning behind it and a purpose, even if that purpose is only bringing me joy when I look at it. All these treasures become sentimental to me over time. I have groupings and collections all over my home. It’s not cluttered space, it’s carefully curated by me to be cohesive and well-edited. My personality can be found in my color pallets, my choices of furniture and artwork, the tchotchkes and bobbles everywhere as well as in my wardrobe. More is always better with me, and my home is loud and proud. It’s a misconception that architecture takes a back seat in a maximalist’s home. I highlight the architectural details in my space using my decor choices. Can you go overboard being a maximalist? Yes. If you’re not careful your home could begin to resemble an episode of hoarders. I just enjoy a lot of stuff around me. My wardrobe is as excessive as my decor. Overly excessive. I LOVE to shop, and I love adding new pieces to my wardrobe monthly. I will admit however that I am at a point where if I want to bring more in, I need to let some things go. I need to institute the “If you haven’t worn it in a solid year, donate it” rule… but the maximalist in me wants to keep everything, because “Maybe someday I’ll be looking for it, then what?” Here’s where that balance must exist. Although I fill my spaces with as many beautiful things as possible, I adhere to the philosophy of knowing when and how to edit. People think that maximalists are materialistic and wasteful. Am I materialistic? Yes, I am. Am I wasteful? I don’t think so. Unless were talking shoes/clothes or Christmas decorations. Then yes. Some people would consider me over the top and quite wasteful. Afterall, who needs 16 pairs of jeans and 5 Christmas trees? Well, I do!

I found myself in the precarious situation of needing to remodel every single room in my new-to-me home, which at first, I found quite daunting and overwhelming when I thought about it. And then I remembered that meant I actually got to reinvent my living spaces and the Maximalist in me became giddy. I would get to add too and take away from my existing objects and treasures and create more collections and groupings on a basically blank canvas. And I haven’t been this excited since Christmas Eve 1978. So far, I have transformed 2 rooms. They aren’t completely done, but from where they started, they are so much better. I kept my maximalism to a minimum (see what I did there??) in my kitchen yet I still managed to get my collections in where I had the room. The dining room is a bit busier. My mother said it gave her a headache looking in there, yet she couldn’t deny that she used to decorate the same way in her own house, and I believe she secretly loves it. I’ve gone to so many yard sales and antique shops this year preparing for the transformation of each, and every room and my new collection of collections has grown exponentially. I’m in the process of planning my Wall of Fabulousness. Most people call it a gallery wall, but not in my maximalist home. It’s a wall of fabulousness. It is a grouping of various objects in various textures and hues. Most people think that to create a cohesive gallery wall everything has to be the same, like all pictures or all mirrors… but that’s not the case. You can create a gallery wall of various objects keeping it all quite cohesive by doing just one thing. Repeating. You just need a few repeating items strategically placed amongst the different objects to make the design work in not only a cohesive way, but a way that gives a major impact to the overall design of the space and can spark a conversation instantly upon sight.

I’m excited to continue my journey of an entire home revamp so that I can display all that I have been collecting in the most fabulous way possible. The picture above is just a small sampling of what I have collected and stored for my home. Some of these pieces will go in the hall and the rest will go in the stairway. My husband was a bit on the fence initially about my maximalist ways… and then I reminded him of HIS collections and pointed out the fact that he too is a maximalist. We just agreed that MY maximalism is much more stylish than his and so his collections will go out into the office and the shops to be displayed and admired and mine will frame our home. There hasn’t been one person yet who has entered my home and gasped out of sheer horror at the number of items I have on display basically everywhere. It sparks more conversations and a true curiosity for all the items grouped and placed throughout my home and I find that even the minimalist can appreciate the beauty of my treasures, whether they have a use or not. I will continue to collect, add and edit and I will also continue to display it all in the most fabulous way possible. I’m a Maximalist. A proud Maximalist. And my home is my gallery of fabulousness.