The Grandmaximalist Aesthetic: What It Means And How To Pull It Off In Your Home

TikTok has become the go-to platform for unique and curated aesthetics. With the platform's primary users and audience in their teens and twenties, tons of content revolve around moving into a new home and decorating it uniquely. Individuals are creating customized aesthetics that have redefined what a house looks like. And one that's becoming increasingly popular is grandmaximalism. 

TikTok user @vi0letm00n shows off what grandmaximalism means to her in a video that uses a sound that jokingly makes fun of minimalism, "I'll be in my awesome room with awesome things. It's filled with awesome things." The sound created by TikToker @drive45music captures exactly what the aesthetic stands for: rooms filled with fantastic, unique items that represent your personality. But grandmaximalism didn't come to be on its own. It's actually a mix of two other popular styles, grandmillennial and maximalism, which have seen a rise in popularity on their own. But together, these aesthetics create an eclectic space full of personality and style.

To comprehend grandmaximalism, you have to first understand grandmillennial and maximalism. The two go hand-in-hand and can play off each other. Maximalism isn't one specific design style but more of a concept of how to organize a room. Maximalism uses many colors, patterns, and textures to create a visually interesting but cohesive space. Lots of art and decoration also mark it. Because maximalism is a concept, it can easily be combined with other interior styles to create a unique space.

Social media popularized the grandmillennial style; essentially, it is an updated version of your grandparents' house. Think vintage-inspired bold patterned couches, heirloom furniture, and knickknacks but with a modern twist. Grandmillennial also lends itself to some customization while bringing nostalgia for old-school spaces. Grandmaximalism takes inspiration from both design styles by using the vintage-inspired and nostalgia-heavy feeling from grandmillennial and the eclectic collections and mix of textures and patterns from maximalism. And, by nature, grandmaximalism is highly customizable, and it can use pastels, florals, twee vintage accents, dark and moody colors with a witchy vibe, or anything in between.

Grandmaximalism gives you a chance to be creative with your space. There's no right way to decorate in this style, but there are some strategies you can use to help bring your home to life. The design can be entirely curated, so your first step should be identifying your aesthetic or the main style to decorate your space. It could be a funky, seventies-inspired look or calm and coastal. You can also combine multiple designs into a unique blend. Now knowing the aesthetic, you'll want to research the colors, textures, and patterns that are most often used to help create the vibe.

The style, however, is brought alive by the décor. You'll want to find kitschy and interesting knickknacks, art, and photos to display throughout your home. TikToker @vi0letm00n has candlesticks, old books, terrariums, busts, and unique light fixtures among her witchy, grandmaximalist space décor. In a comment on her video, she says of her collection: "some thrifted, some DIYed, and some new." The décor should be eclectic and unique, so you don't have to find everything on the same weekend, and not everything has to match. Take your time searching thrift stores and estate sales for pieces. Find handmade items from small businesses that add a one-of-a-kind element. You can also purchase furniture from these places and upcycle them by adding new fabric or staining the wood to breathe new life into an antique piece.