While the intensity of maximalism lies in its boldness, achieving that rich narrative of “more is more” is a tenuous line between aesthetic abundance and a chaotic explosion of colors and textures. An intentional vision creates that balance, but it also requires moderation. We asked three local decorators for their thoughts on maximalism and the power of restraint.
Photo by Sarah Walor
Eugenie Calderón
“The art of maximalism is knowing when to stop. You want it to be curated and not overwhelming. It’s not a rule but a feeling — when nothing is competing anymore. Restraint isn’t about holding back. Restraint is what gives the space the power.
“It’s a delicate dance to determine what clients mean by maximalism. It’s not the same for everyone. I want to reflect the client’s vision, so I pull the room’s aesthetic from a piece they already love. I take it to about 75% and let them do the rest.
“When designing my own home, I take things out when I think I’m done, and if I like it, then it’s actually done. It’s a process of elimination to achieve that maximalist look that you won’t get tired of.”
Photo by Gordon Gregory
Tracy deShazo,
“I’ve always been a maximalist. My house is a collection of things. I love unique, original art. It’s quirky, and I love mixing traditional and modern.
“Maximalism is layered, and a lot of it is lovely, but first, it’s important to me to understand how my clients will live in their home — the vibe and function. Many of my clients want something that doesn’t feel pedestrian. If maximalism works for them, that’s great. They define how far to push that maximalist style. I translate that into how they are and how they live — creating spaces that work for them, layering to add depth without it being a 5 on a scale of 1 to 5 on the maximalist scale.”
Photo courtesy Studio Tarea
Nolan Beck Rivera
“So many details go into designing a space, and every design style has good and bad versions. Maximalism is like an ‘I Spy’ book, the series of children’s search-and-find books. You notice more details the longer you look at it.
“We have a guiding image for each project — a theme — and we make decisions based on that theme and work toward a vision. It’s really easy to go off the rails and get chaotic, so having the image you and the client share is the restraint.
“In our design for Brittanny Anderson’s restaurant the Pink Room, we played with seven paint colors and sprinkled in lots of pop culture references throughout. It’s possible to cram in a bunch of things that play well together, using different textures, patterns, colors and scales.”
