Interior designers seem to be in agreement: in an era dominated by minimalist homes, maximalism is making a comeback. Many people are trading simple comforts and practicality for something more fun and lively. To learn more about what makes this eclectic style so appealing, Bored Panda got in touch with Mel and V, the founders of the Facebook page in today’s spotlight.

“V and I became friends in 2020 after both starting Instagram accounts—A Whole New Build and The Electric Penguin—which documented our colorful new-build homes,” shares Mel. “We’ve since met a number of times in real life and had the surreal experience of visiting each others’ homes!”

Mel and V both share a deep passion for bold decor. “Maximalism is such a broad term, and there are lots of sub-genres within it from dark and moody maximalism through to Barbie pink everything!” Mel describes. “Many people assume maximalism means lots of clutter, but for me personally it’s more about adding color and pattern in a way that makes me happy.” V echoes this sentiment, “Being surrounded by color brings me an incredible amount of joy and so this style of decorating really does improve my quality of life.”

V goes on to say, “I love that it gives you a chance to fully express who you are without worrying about trends or decor rules”. Maximalism has a very liberating quality compared to other styles.

“I am addicted to gallery walls!” Mel exclaims, sharing her tastes. She also loves the freedom maximalism offers, sparking boundless creativity. “I’m a firm believer in just working with things that make you happy, to create your dream space, no matter how whimsical it might be or what trends say.”

Both Mel and V were active in other groups devoted to maximalism before creating theirs, often receiving numerous questions about their decor. However, they found these pages were “policed very heavily,” especially when it came to influencers sharing their content. Mel recalls, “We found ourselves getting banned for answering questions like ‘Where can I follow you?’ or ‘Please link where x item is from’.”

“We couldn’t understand why groups wouldn’t want to encourage sharing of popular accounts as it generates great engagement for their group. So we decided we’d start our own!” In one year, their page grew to 170,000 members. They allow small businesses to advertise on specific days and influencers to post their homes, promoting an inspirational environment. “We see it as a win-win!”

“The first rule of our group is kindness; we hope it remains a safe and encouraging space for people to share their homes and get ideas,” Mel emphasizes. Their bio reads, “If something isn’t your vibe, please scroll along - we’re sure you’ll find something that is and we want to hear how much you love it!” This positivity draws people from different corners of the internet to their maximalist community.

And if you’re someone who feels a bit lost in finding your aesthetic, Mel’s journey might resonate with you. “Having been drawn into the grey trend when I first bought my home, it never really felt right, and it’s taken a long time to find my style—it evolves as I get older too, but I enjoy experimenting!” she says. The maximalist duo suggests being patient with your design process and paying attention to the atmosphere you want to create. “Don’t just assume that bedrooms should be calm, and bathrooms should be serene—what do you want it to feel like?”

For those looking to incorporate maximalist elements into their homes, Mel and V recommend starting with Pinterest and creating mood boards. “Pin things you love and look for correlations, it could be you’re pinning lots of blue or a specific type of furniture style. Once you’ve found the things you’re loving subconsciously, make those the centre of your design and build the room around it,” says Mel.

V believes adding things to your Pinterest board based on your “gut feeling rather than being influenced by what society says your home should look like will really help you understand what decor brings you the most joy.” This could be anything from “a pink armchair to some beautiful wallpaper.” Once you’ve gathered enough material, you can create boards for each room.

“Choose things that make you smile and they’ll never go out of style,” adds Mel. And when the time comes to bring those ideas to life, V reminds, “Remember it’s only paint… If you don’t like it you can always repaint it!”

We hope these posts and the advice from Mel and V inspire you to get creative with your space and try something new. Have fun, and if you end up doing a makeover, don't forget to share it with the world!