The New Maximalist: When More is More in Interior Design
CategoriesArchitecture

The New Maximalist: When More is More in Interior Design

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How do color, decoration and whimsy come together in modern design? Architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe became known around the world for his seemingly simple buildings and the phrase “Less is More,” a mantra he adopted throughout his life. In turn, that phrase would come to define a generation of minimalist, modern design. As Pat Finn noted, more than 60 years after this famous statement, it seems that ornament still carries a hint of taboo. So what place does maximalism have in our everyday life?

Across architecture and interior design disciplines alike, maximalism is a reaction against minimalism, a move towards an aesthetic of excess. The philosophy is summarized as “more is more.” More color, more decoration, and the desire to celebrate the intricacies and complexity that come with them. Taking a dive into the Architizer library, the following projects represent how designers are creating maximalist interiors today. They represent multiple scales, material choices and wide-ranging geographies around the world. In turn, they show how interiors are becoming ever more playful, inclusive and inspiring.


BasilicÔ

By Studio CAYS, Casablanca, Morocco

The BasilicÔ was made to create an attractive and magnetizing place to explore. The design team wanted to imagine the impact colors can have on the occupant experience, creating an environment that stimulates the senses. As they explained, polychromy and morphology combine to create a maximalist aura. The BasilicÔ project revolves around a floral theme through which several types of apartments emerge: The CoquelicÔt, the MimÔsa, the TournesÔl, the MartagÔn and the TulipÔ.

Together, the different apartments form a “bouquet” within the building to brings vitality and freshness to raw concrete walls and subdued corridors. Each of the apartment themes has its own character which stems from a common floral personality. The differences result in different shapes, colors and materials which are reflected through wall panels and furniture.


Dream La Miro

By Wutopia Lab, Jiangsu, China

In Dream La Miro, Wutopia Lab wanted to create a place of joy for the Duoyun Bookstore. The fairytale parent-child bookstore was opened at Dream Town in Yancheng, Jiangsu. When the client showed the team the IP they had introduced, namely the three animated films created by Italian artist Cristina Làstrego: Mirò the Cat, The Circus and The Creation, they were moved by the magnificent scenes and the imagination created by the artist.

The result is a fairy tale bookstore that uses the origin of life as a base inspiration combined with elements from the other animations. Wutopia Lab chose the ark as the theme, with the yellow outside and red inside sailing ship docked in the harbor of the book sea. All the fairy tales about the Miro store of Duoyun Bookstore start from here. The team didn’t want the interior design to be boring or simple. The tent, ark, mountain and forest all became means by which they tried to break out a typical style façade.


LIÒN

By COLLIDANIELARCHITETTO, Rome, Italy

LIÒN is a restaurant and cocktail bar in the heart of Rome — halfway between the Pantheon and Piazza Navon. The project features bold lines and saturated colors in a maximalist style, contrasting with the austerity of the Palazzo that encompassed it. The idea was to give back to the city fragments of the Dolce Vita. Soft lights and mirrored surfaces envelope a sophisticated restaurant, whose terrace overlooks Largo della Sapienza.

LIÒN unfolds on two levels: the ground floor, encapsulating the restaurant, is completely projected on the outside through large windows outlined by a thick travertine frame. The basement, which is accessed via a marble staircase embellished with brass details, houses the service rooms, the kitchen and the wine cellar. The circle became the matrix of the dynamic elements, with soft and sinuous lines, which characterize the interiors, from the subtle and arched friezes that envelop the space, to the deep three-dimensional lozenge screen.


The MIXc Kunshan

By X+LIVING, China

MIXc Kunshan was designed by X+LIVING to create a commercial space with an innovative strategy. The team set out to transform a public space on the third floor of a mall into a children’s section with a unity of aesthetics and theme. The result was a reimagining of public space in shopping malls. The project is located in Kunshan, Jiangsu Province, an important birthplace of Kunqu Opera. It has the nickname of “the mother of Chinese Opera”.

With the vision of creating a multifunctional experience venue that integrates parenting, leisure and education, the design team blurred the physical boundary between the public area and the retail stores through a coordinated facade design. In order to strengthen the cultural identity of the project, the team used Kunqu Opera as the origin of the design concept, and replaced the traditional aesthetic form with interesting design techniques to create a dreamlike, maximalist wonderland.


Barberia Royal

By ROW Studio, Ciudad de México, Mexico

Barberia Royal is a barbershop that offers services in an incredible location of Mexico City. ROW Studio wanted to incorporate the bits and pieces of a previous proposal that was under construction on the site for a different barbershop that was never finished, recycling mismatching moldings and other wooden elements. They put the pieces together almost randomly, fitting them in a contemporary form that still references the traditional symbols of European royalty.

The lower half of the space includes colors and materials linked to the long standing heritage of traditional barbershops, including black and white hexagonal tiles floor with a flower pattern and the Royal name greeting all the patrons at the entrance. In contrast, the ceiling is shaped with an intricate faceted surface that adapts to the changing heights of the space and the structural elements of the building finished with a laser-cut golden anodized aluminum surface.


SUNDAYS

By FLAT12x, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon, Thailand

Sundays is the one-off restaurant illustrating design that is hand-crafted and built from the mindset of believing that arts can make things better. The maximalist restaurant was designed to integrate architecture, interior, graphic design and the arts in Bangkok, Thailand. Although surrounded by generic pubs and restaurants, Sundays was made to stand out. The restaurant offers customers striking experiences of what art can do to other things.

Ten pieces of drawings classically covering the unwanted old fridges or the flower bouquets that are pinned upside down to make the old structure of the building a little bit nicer. Roaming through unexpected drawings and paintings alongside with exquisite mixture of decoration styles, the restaurant expresses strong physical connection between the building to the room. Echoing this, the graphic design of the shop epitomizes the brand identity through signage and packaging of all foods and beverages.


Metal Rainbow

By Wutopia Lab, Suzhou, China

The Zhongshu Bookstore bookstore is divided into four main zones and several subdivided zones. Aiming to create a colorful new world by using symbolism, the architect gave a unique character to each zone: The Sanctuary of Crystal for new arrivals; The Cave of Fireflies for recommendations; The Xanadu of Rainbows for reading room; The Castle of Innocence for children books. As an entrance, ‘The Sanctuary of Crystal’ is a space full of books and nothing else. Using glass bricks, mirrors and acrylic, ‘The Sanctuary of Crystal’ is a shining white space, drawing customers into the heart of the store.

After a relatively narrow space, ‘The Xanadu of Rainbows’ is a large and open space. Thanks to the large windows, natural lights can pour inside. Being the most prominent space, ‘The Xanadu of Rainbows’ provides a variety of experience. Taking advantages of different heights of shelves, steps, and tables, the architect created a hyper-maximal and abstracted landscape of cliffs, valleys, islands, rapids and oases. There are also thin perforated aluminum sheets in gradient colors simulated as rainbows installed in the bookstore.

Architects: Want to have your project featured? Showcase your work through Architizer and sign up for our inspirational newsletters.

Reference

Ten maximalist interiors that are saturated with colour and pattern
CategoriesInterior Design

Ten maximalist interiors that are saturated with colour and pattern

Clashing colours, statement furnishings and mismatched patterns feature in this lookbook, which rounds up ten flamboyant interiors that embody the maximalist aesthetic.

Maximalism is a style of art and design that rejects the rules of minimalism. Instead, exuberance is celebrated and anarchic use of pattern, colour and texture are encouraged.

According to Claire Bingham, author of the book More is More, the style can be attributed to the Memphis Group – the 1980s design and architecture collective known for their bold postmodern creations.

However, as demonstrated by this roundup, maximalism continues to make its mark today, as designers apply the aesthetic to the interiors of our homes as well as to public spaces.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing brutalist interiors, walk-in wardrobes and colourful living rooms.


Maximalist interior of Hotel Les Deux Gares
Photo is by Benoit Linero

Hotel Les Deux Gares, France, by Luke Edward Hall

Contemporary pea-green walls stand in stark contrast to chintzy wallpaper and soft velvet sofas in the rooms of the Hotel Les Deux Gares in Paris.

According to its designer Luke Edward Hall, the aesthetic is intended to be “anti-modern” – harking back to a Paris of the past.

Find out more about Hotel Les Deux Gares ›


Kitchen and dining room of Casa TEC 205 in Mexico
Photo is by Adrián Llaguno

Casa TEC 205, Mexico, by Moneo Brock

The bright-coloured works of Mexican architect Luis Barragán informed the look of this maximalist-style home in Monterrey, designed by architecture studio Moneo Brock.

Inside, striking wallpaper prints are juxtaposed with geometric tiling and colour-blocked walls, such as in the kitchen and dining room where a large floral mural takes centre stage.

Find out more about Casa TEC 205 ›


Maximalist interior of Rookies optician in Munich
Photo is by Günther Egger

Rookies, Germany, by Stephanie Thatenhorst

Designer Stephanie Thatenhorst challenged the conventional look of healthcare facilities when designing this kid-friendly optician in Munich.

Intended as a “noisy, wild and unique paradise for children”, it marries a bright blue carpet with geometric wall tiles, U-shaped neon lights and display areas covered in apricot-coloured fabric.

Find out more about Rookies ›


Interiors of VIP centre at Schiphol airport by Marcel Wanders

Schiphol airport lounge, Netherlands, by Marcel Wanders

The flamboyant rooms of the Schiphol airport lounge were all given a distinct look when renovated by Marcel Wanders, a creative best known for his uninhibited maximalist style.

Among them is an animated seating area that references canal houses in Amsterdam. Its finishes include wall panels resembling giant stained-glass windows and a cartoonish lamp that mimics a street light.

Find out more about Schiphol airport lounge ›


Goldie's Sunken Bar at Austin Proper Hotel and Residences by Kelly Wearstler
Photo is by The Ingalls

Austin Proper Hotel and Residences, USA, by Kelly Wearstler

Interior designer Kelly Wearstler teamed local art and textiles with one-off vintage details when creating the eclectic interior for Austin Proper Hotel and Residences.

This includes the hotel’s drinking establishment, which occupies a room with high ceilings covered in decorative wallpaper. Below, a cobalt blue-painted bar sits against low stuffed armchairs, chunky wooden tables and stone plinths.

Find out more about Austin Proper Hotel and Residences ›


Hallway of members' club Annabel's by Martin Brudnizki Design Studio

Annabel’s, UK, by Martin Brudnizki Design Studio

This dim hallway features in London members’ club Annabel’s, which was recently overhauled by Martin Brudnizki Design Studio to make visitors feel as though they have been “transported somewhere else”.

Similarly to the rest of the building, the corridor features clashing animal prints across all its surfaces and is overlooked by a sculpture of a gorilla on a seat – just one of the fanciful features hidden inside.

Find out more about Annabel’s ›


Pool area at the Mondrian hotel in Qatar

Mondrian hotel, Qatar, by Marcel Wanders

Marcel Wanders also applied his signature maximalist style to the interior of the Mondrian hotel in Doha, which is filled with mismatched patterns and oversized furnishings.

Among its standout spaces is the swimming pool on the 27th floor. Crowned by a floral-patterned stained-glass dome, it features bulbous white seating, a tactile grass-like bridge and monochrome tiling.

Find out more about Mondrian hotel ›


Maximalist bedroom inside the Studio Job office

Studio Job office, Belgium, by Studio Job

Studio Jobs’ founder Job Smeet describes his maximal self-designed home and office in Antwerp as being “like a visual assault”.

Encased by an exposed concrete shell, it comprises a central gallery space, kitchens, bathrooms and bedrooms – one of which clashes paint-splattered walls with shark-patterned wallpaper, a maze-like rug and spaghetti-print bed sheets.

Find out more about Studio Job office ›


A round bar at Esme Hotel with stools around it
Photo is by Christian Harder

Esme Hotel, USA, by Jessica Schuster Design

In an overhaul of the boutique Esme Hotel in Miami, New York studio Jessica Schuster Design opted for saturated tones and sculptural furnishings to “create an artful collage of bohemian grandeur”.

Among its decadent spaces is a mahogany cocktail bar that is encircled by fringed stools and sculptural pendant lighting, set against a checkered floor and a wooden ceiling.

Find out more about Esme Hotel ›


Living room of Polychrome House by Amber Road
Photo is by Prue Ruscoe with styling by Alicia Sciberras

Polychrome House, Australia, by Amber Road and Lymesmith

Pops of bright primary colours feature in every room of this 1960s house in Sydney, which was recently renovated by studio Amber Road and colour consultant Lymesmith.

When extending the ground floor, the team introduced an open-plan living space with graphic paved floors modelled on aerial photographs of the surrounding terrain, which contrasts with white-painted brick walls that are partly covered by an abstract mural.

Find out more about Polychrome House ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing brutalist interiors, walk-in wardrobes and colourful living rooms.

Reference