Curated Chaos: The Musings of a Maximalist.
I recently found the RagTag Daily Prompts (RDP) community – and thought I’d go through the archives and choose some prompts to do. The “STUFF” one caught my attention since I’m a maximalist! I’m most definitely a fan of stuff. I collect all kinds of stuff. Pop Funkos, Cat Figurines, and Plants! Oh my!
It goes without saying, I have a ton of things I’ve collected over my almost 34 years – I actually think I have enough to decorate a whole house. I’ve moved a few times in my life, and I can honestly say I love unpacking. I may be a little weird for that. I agree, it can be stressful and I wish I could fast forward to the end sometimes… But, it’s so worth it when things finally come together, and you can start the decorating process. In this post, I’ll share my tips and tricks to making your room yours. I’ll also share photos of my current room and links to my room tours on my YouTube channel! Enjoy!
Eclectic style is about mixing elements from different periods and styles to create something that is uniquely yours. – Miles Redd
What is Maximalism and WHY am I a Maximalist?
Maximalism is basically a curated collection of an eclectic mix of patterns, colours, textures, and objects. The exact opposite of minimalism. Some find it overwhelming, but I embrace the chaos. It feels more cozy to me. All the things that I’m passionate about are on display in my own personal museum. As you can see in the photo above, I have many pieces of art on my wall that spark joy. I have a range of things that occupy my wall but they all bring me joy in different ways. Some hold sentimental value, bringing back nostalgic memories. While others are just random things I’ve collected: prints or pieces of art – ranging from postcards to paintings, to stickers and magnets. (Yes, I put magnets on my walls!)
I read this article on Apartment Therapy (written by Alyse Whitney) and I completely resonated with it!! She calls herself a “Maximalist Marie Kondo” and seriously, that’s so funny, yet true. While I found some of Marie Kondo’s tips and tricks useful, I don’t think I could abide by a minimalist lifestyle, at least not in my decor. I do have my decluttering moments, but I’ll always and forever be a maximalist.
Musings of a Maximalist Brunette: Thrifted Treasures!
Now, onto the musings part of this post. For my fellow maximalists out there – have you ever been called a hoarder? To me, there’s a fine line between maximalism and hoarding. The definition of hoarding is having so many things that you cannot manage the clutter where you live, and find it difficult or impossible to throw things away. Sure, I have a lot on my walls and in my room – but everything is curated and displayed nicely, while leaving enough room to walk freely. I find so much inspiration from maximalist spaces and couldn’t imagine not having a frame wall. Free wall space is an open canvas!
My mom passed on her obsession of all things antique or vintage. I love to go thrift store shopping or explore any sort of garage sale. Treasure hunting is a family passion. – Zoey Deutch
Did you know? Maximalism encourages reusing and recycling? Rather than throwing out things when we tire of them, we often find new ways to restore them to good use. What about thrifting? I love a good thrifting adventure. Reminds me of the saying: “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” We should be thanking all those minimalists who donate their “useless” and unappreciated stuff! I always gasp when I find something that’s so totally me! Whereas, someone might pass it up because it’s slightly off coloured, misprinted or in their eyes – ugly. The imperfections often add to the quirky beauty – they give the item an extra oomph of character! And, what’s a room without character?! Not for me… What do you think? Are you a maximalist or minimalist? Either way, I hope your room represents the wonder that is y-o-u… Everyone deserves a room that’s decorated in such a way that expresses their uniqueness. We’re all different and that’s the best part, imagine if we were all the same? Boring!!
Tips and tricks to making a room your own:
- Figure out your aesthetic – take the Mr. Kate Aesthetic Quiz here.
- Make a moodboard on Canva – it doesn’t have to be anything fancy.
- Make a pinterest board or two? (or three!)
- Gather sentimental items to feature on your walls.
- Go shopping in your home – look for items that you can recycle.
- Go thrifting and pick up a couple items to design around.
- Watch some YouTube videos for ideas!
- Paint or create your own art for your walls!
- Start small. Set up one area at a time!
- Be creative! There’s no rules. Think outside the box.
In Conclusion + Some Links!
Regardless of your aesthetic, decor style and such – I hope your room is a calming space. You don’t need to be a master interior decorator to make it yours! Just collect a few things and express yourself. Here are some of my Room Tours on my YouTube Channel. Check ’em out?
Discover more from Musings of a Brunette
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
One Comment