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From Habitat plus - decorating and colour trends 2019

Maximalism, or minimalism? Today, it’s fine to be either

Old-style minimalism circa 1990s meant cool allwhite spaces with hard-edged furniture. Old-style maximalism meant lots of everything and in many people’s books, clutter.

Today, it’s more about the accessories and objects you introduce into a space and how you place them – a group of objects can look ‘minimalist’ as long as they are similarly coloured and shaped so that your eye ‘reads’ them as a single unit rather than as individual pieces. You can use quite bold paint colours, or even a variety of colours; as long as they work together and clutter is kept at bay, that’s the new evolved minimalism.

By adding yet more objects that adhere to the underlying colour scheme and ‘rules’ you will be heading happily down the road of maximalism without even realising it, and without the room crossing the line into visual overload.

Left: ...more or Right: ...less. Resene Apple Blossom walls, Resene Wax Flower floor and door in Resene Sebedee. Floating shelf in Resene Quarter Tea, stool in Resene Woodland, crate in Resene Gingko, bowl in Resene Yuma and tall thin vase in Resene Just Right.

Take this room, above, for example. It’s a modern take on an old favourite, terracotta, but using rosier versions of the colour, in rich saturated tones, and brings them together for a scheme that’s at once eye-catching and luxe, but also soothing and organic.

By using a tone-on-tone approach with three similar colours, the room has character but stays visually cohesive. The stunning velvet chair keeps to the colour theme, showing that if you keep larger decorative items in a similar palette to the walls, this helps create a more minimalist look.

As soon as accent colours are introduced in earthy and sharp greens, the room moves away from its minimalist feel. The naturalness of foraged objects like the twigs, the colour and texture of the stool and the earthiness of the little jug and bowl add ‘tension’ with the plushness of the velvet and luxe-feeling rose terracotta colours.

If you yearn to be a bit of both, good storage is the solution. Create spaces where accessories can be easily stored when you want a clutter free look. This can also work well seasonally so you can adjust accessories to warm a space in winter or cool it down in summer.

Left: ... more. Right: ...less. Walls in Resene Bud (at back) and Resene Siam (side), floor in Resene Cargo, bench seat in Resene Innocence, peg stool in Resene Jurassic, stool at back in Resene Woodland, straw wall hanging in Resene Rusty Nail, plant pot in Resene Mai Tai and basket planter in Resene Double Lemon Grass.

Round and around: Round is in, square is out. Organic shapes don’t come any purer than in round furnishings – round mirrors, round naked light bulbs, round pendant lights, round coffee tables, rounded chair arms, plump round vases. Embrace the circle!

Left: ...even less (from above). Right: Wall in Resene Triple Friar Grey, tabletop in Resene Friar Grey, candlesticks in Resene Cougar, vase in Resene Cloudy and corbel in Resene Eighth Truffle.

In our second example, the colours are again tightly composed – this time in soft, muted greens. Burnt terracotta is a natural accent partner to greens, added here with painted pots and basketry. The space has a contemporary vibe, yet the colours and textures add just enough of an earthy edge to keep us grounded and reminded of nature.

For pared-back spaces, look for multi-use items like this peg stool – it’s designed for seating but can also double as a side table.

While the edited-down version is simpler and somehow fresher, the addition of an unexpected element – the shiny disco-ball style pendant light on the left – gives it instant personality. Our third photo shows the space stripped down to almost monastic sensibilities… but that might just be your style.

Did you know: that you don’t have to strip a room bare and start again to get it under control? It’s often easier to edit accessories, than it is to build them up. Remove the clutter one piece at a time, and take a photo on your phone after each subtraction. Keep going without making judgements about how the room looks, then review your photos and see which one appeals most. Re-assemble the room to reflect that preferred option.

If you find your collection of treasures just keeps growing, set yourself a rule – one in, one out. Eventually you’ll find yourself adding less as you end up with a collection of treasures you love much more. This is also a handy rule to use for children’s toy collections.

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