Fixer Upper: Joanna Gaines' Key Tip To Perfecting Maximalist Home Design

Home design trends come and go. Bold colors and quirky styles are reemerging after years of staid greige and shiplapped everything. Neutrals aren't going anywhere, as the combination of traditional farmhouse elements and contemporary finishes is timeless. But many interior designers, including Fixer Upper's Joanna Gaines, are starting to lean into a more maximalist approach to decorating. Maximalism embraces a "more is more" philosophy, but cutting through the clutter is key. "You can make a room feel both beautiful and complete without filling every corner and surface with a bunch of random stuff," says Gaines in her book, "Homebody: A Guide to Creating Spaces You Never Want to Leave". 

Typified by rich colors, unapologetic patterns, luxurious fabrics, and unexpected statement pieces, the best maximalist interiors combine carefully curated design elements that excite rather than overwhelm. Known for incorporating one-of-a-kind vintage finds and blending existing features into her designs, Gaines cautions that one of the most difficult parts of decorating is striking the right balance. "I've grown to love the challenge of this, walking into chaos and creating order, fine-tuning the look or feel of every little piece until it all flows beautifully," she wrote on the Magnolia blog earlier this month. 

Tackling clutter is an essential first step to perfecting maximalist home design. The trending style is relatively simple to achieve, but it's also easy to overdo it. Although you could cram enormous collections into every empty spot, you'll achieve a more sophisticated result by carefully curating unique objects or artworks into groups that have personal or sentimental meaning, a similar color or theme, or can be symmetrically arranged. Gaines specifically advises readers of her book to only incorporate items that are meaningful to you or your housemates, whether they're family, friends, or companion animals. 

Making sure colors and patterns–coexist rather than collide–is another key to incorporating the dark maximalism trend into your living space. Gaines recently launched a new wallpaper collection featuring ornate designs to appeal to maximalist Magnolia fans. Woodland damasks, whimsical forest creatures, woodblock prints, and painterly mural scenes pull directly from the deep hues like 'Moody Fig' and 'Cottage Grove' found in the new Castle Collection paints from Magnolia and Kilz. 

When it comes to flooring and furnishings, mix contrasting textures, prints, and motifs that fall within your preferred palette to capture a maximalist mood. And don't forget to envelop your space with functional lighting, opting for bold fixtures and statement sconces. "It's not about sticking to a specific, prescribed style. It's about story," Gaines reminds her readers in "Homebody." "Intentionality with a dose of creativity ... that is how you create spaces you'll never want to leave."