Just like your clothing style and hobbies, the interior design of your Palm Beach home says a lot about your personality. Depending on the tone of your house and the decorations’ general appearance, you could be either a minimalist or a maximalist.
Minimalists value simplicity and meaningful objects, whereas maximalism promotes creativity and extravagance. If you’re thinking of redecorating your home, one or the other can impact your lifestyle and daily habits. So, what qualities should you look for to decipher which one you are?
What Is Minimalism?
Minimalism is a design movement that started in the 1960s and early 1970s with renewed artists like Donald Judd, Agnes Martin, Anne Truitt, and Frank Stella. The core of it is distilling everything down to its essentials.
These creators used clean lines and neutral colors to establish a peaceful environment free of clutter. They appreciated quality over quantity, and their art invites you to ask yourself:
- What is the minimum number of possessions you need in your home?
- What usage can you give to a new object?
- Do you really need it?
As you can guess, minimalism was born out of the rejection of excessive consumerism and spread to a variety of fields, including design, art, music, and fashion.
What Is Maximalism?
Maximalism as a movement is the polar opposite of minimalism. It encourages excess and extravagance and has roots in the 17th-century Baroque movement.
Maximalism is a celebratory, non-reflective movement in interior design. It promotes color, pattern, decoration, and craftsmanship, often all at once, while ignoring current trends in favor of unique forms of expression and individualism.
Maximalists encourage people to collect as many things as they want. It is not about filling your home with objects but about embracing the things you desire without caring about what others have to say about it, even if the end result is loud, colorful, and occasionally chaotic.
Are You a Minimalist or a Maximalist?
Now that you have a better understanding of maximalist and minimalist movements, what does that look like in a home? Let’s see some examples.
Your Color Scheme
Your favorite color says a lot about your personality. It’s reflected in your choice of clothing and style, and it’s the first thing you notice when you enter a new place.
Minimalist houses tend to use a plain and simple color scheme rather than a bold one. The tone of the walls and furniture is pale to achieve a clean and elegant style. Additionally, it tends to lack decorations and paintings. By removing extravagance, it aims to avoid distractions and focus on what matters most in life.
On the other hand, a maximalist interior has bold colors. The palette can combine various unique tones to create a visually interesting environment. Colorful furniture is a yes, and several unique paintings could be hanging on the walls—even if they need protection from the Florida weather.
The Type of Furniture You Have
Minimalists live by the motto of simplicity. They have only the most basic and necessary furniture in their homes, leaving many areas underutilized. However, minimalist furniture tends to be practical and provide genuine value. That is because minimalists regard emptiness as a sign of beauty, and they find these spaces to be calming and peaceful.
Maximalists enjoy decorating their homes with materials or accessories other than basic furniture. Their rooms will appear full, but not in an unorganized fashion. It is about equipping your home with everything you need to be comfortable. To them, fullness is a symbol of wealth and personality.
Out With the Old, in With the New
The majority of items in a minimalist’s home serve a purpose or are functional. Broken or old objects are given away because they do not place sentimental value on their belongings. This stems from the belief that the less emotional attachment you have to your possessions, the more free you are.
On the other hand, maximalists tend to grow a deep attachment to their things. For them, each object has a story, a meaning, and a purpose. This sentimentalization makes it difficult for them to get rid of something, even if it no longer works.
Approach to Shopping
Maximalists enjoy shopping for one-of-a-kind items because they allow them to express their personalities. They tend to purchase items based on their mood, season, or upcoming design trends, and can get bored of something quickly. This stems from a desire to appear current and fashionable.
For minimalists, though, shopping is a waste of time and money because they don’t place emotional value on objects. They don’t need to have unique objects, as long as they’re quality items that will last long. Moreover, they don’t care for trends.
Appreciation of Architecture
When it comes to appreciating the natural architecture of a place, minimalism takes the crown. In a minimalist space, the furnishings and decorations are minimal in order to highlight the architectural details. There’s often very little artwork or decoration.
Maximalism, on the other hand, draws attention to the decor. The artwork, furnishings, artwork, and colors are the main attractions. The architectural details may even go unnoticed because they’re overwhelmed by the decor.
Can I Be a Maximalist and a Minimalist?
The answer is yes.
Minimalism and maximalism aren’t mutually exclusive design movements. You can like them both and embrace one or another for different aspects of your lifestyle. For example, you may love a maximalist design style but follow a minimalist mindset in your day-to-day, where everything in it must have a purpose.
Moreover, many people turn to minimalism as way to cope with a life that has gotten out of control. Deciding to declutter can be a way to start anew and detox. On the other hand, you may one day feel that your minimalist design doesn’t represent you and wish to surround yourself with things you love and bring you joy.
Renew Your Interior Design in Palm Beach
Minimalism and maximalism have many differences, but at the end of the day, they’re both means of expressing yourself. Whether you feel like decluttering your spaces or wish to embrace a more extravagant lifestyle, Interiors by Brown will be here to help you start anew.
We’re eager to hear more about what you’re striving for, so book an appointment!