5 Reasons to Love Eclectic, Maximalist Style

An eclectic living room with vibrant furniture and a cozy fireplace.

There are two interior styles that embrace a more bold, energetic aesthetic.  Eclectic design is a style that includes many different styles, mixing periods and colors in a haphazard but ultimately refreshing and cohesive manner.  Maximalist style is the complete opposite of minimalist style.  It is full and vibrant, with a mixture of patterns, colors and styles.  Here are five reasons to love eclectic, maximalist style.

A vibrant living room with a red couch and bookshelves, showcasing eclectic style.
Maximalist style (House Beautiful)
A living room with blue walls and colorful furniture showcasing eclectic style.
Eclectic style (phillylmag)
  1.  Color.  If you love color, go ahead and embrace it with eclectic or maximalist style.  The adage here is “more is more”.  Let color take your rooms to new heights of decorative charm and liveliness.  Use bright and bold colors, mix patterns and use contrasts throughout the room to create a vibrant space.
A vibrant yellow couch accentuating eclectic style in a living room.
Bright colors give life to this eclectic room (hhs)
A colorful living room featuring eclectic and maximalist style with vibrant chairs and a rug.
Bright color dominates this eclectic interior (newwayhomedesign)
A living room with colorful furniture embracing the maximalist style.
Color explodes in this eclectic space (decorcology)
A maximalist living room with colorful furniture designed in an eclectic style.
Color radiates in this eclectic room (houseofmoseley)

2.  Pattern.  Mix patterns to achieve a look that says “collected” and “lived in”.  Vary the scale of patterns and pick up colors from elsewhere in the room to make the look cohesive.  Mix stripes with floral, large floral prints with small scale floral prints, geometric with animal prints.  This is where scale comes into major focus, so pay close attention when selecting fabrics.

A maximalist-style rug in an eclectic dining room.
A mix of patterns (newwayhomedesign)
A maximalist living room with colorful furniture and a brick wall in eclectic style.
Pattern and a mix of styles form an eclectic cohesion (newwayhomedesign)
An eclectic living room with blue walls and bookshelves, showcasing maximalist style.
Pattern and color play in this space (growthfinancial.net)

3.  All styles welcome.  With both eclectic and maximalist style, mixing old with new is the norm.  Vintage pieces intermingled with industrial or modern pieces give a room maximum interest.  Take risks and use what you love, whether it’s grandma’s Duncan Phyfe sofa paired with an Arne Jacobsen egg chair or a classic wing chair paired with a modern glass-top table topped with an industrial lamp.

A white living room with red chairs showcasing the eclectic style.
A touch of vintage with modern (kenshook)
An eclectic living room with floral wallpaper and red furniture, showcasing the maximalist style.
Old and new come together in this eclectic room (Houzz)
A Maximalist living room with vibrant chairs and a glass table.
A mix of styles is eclectic (topdreamer)
An eclectic living room showcasing vibrant furniture in a maximalist setting.
A bold mix of styles for this eclectic space (fileno7)
A living room with a wooden table and chairs showcasing eclectic style.
A blend of styles converge (interiordesignarticle)
A colorful rug in an eclectic living room.
Old and new form a cohesive whole in this space (memorabledecor)

4.  Creative.  Eclectic spaces are perfect for the artist or creative person who enjoys a place to display a diverse collection of artwork.  Eclectic style lets your own creativity shine through.  It is a room that feels effortless and put together over time.

Related:
Amazing furniture made from old cars
A living room with eclectic style featuring couches and a coffee table.
Beautiful eclectic interior (becuo)
An eclectic living room with colorful couches and a fireplace that showcases maximalist style.
Artwork and color make a vibrant room (tedroark-tumblr)
A living room with a couch and a coffee table designed in eclectic style.
Eclectic = creative space (decorcology)

5.  No constraints; no rules.  The only rule to eclectic or maximalist style is that there are no rules.  Of course, for this style to work effectively, some basic elements of design need to come into play.  Proportion and scale are still important and will go a long way to balance a room and keep it cohesive.

An Eclectic living room with vibrant furniture and lamps.
Eclectic interior (olpos)
A living room with a blue couch and a coffee table showcasing Maximalist style.
Stylish eclectic room (Vogue)

There are no limits to what eclectic and maximalist style can portray in a room.  Let your creativity and personality shine.  Takes risks with color, pattern and style.  Add what you love and put it into the mix.  Eclectic and maximalist rooms are unique, interesting and all you.

 

1 thought on “5 Reasons to Love Eclectic, Maximalist Style”

  1. Good and legit reasons indeed. 😀 My favorite is that there’s no rules. I can be as crazy and cohesive as I want with my interior space. Great article!

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