October 19, 2021
Curated Maximalism
I love homes that are colourful, cosy and lived-in. Give me layers! Give me pattern. Give me tactility. I'm all for eclectic. I'm also a bit of a hoarder! I love fabrics, books, antiques and other curios. It's interesting to be surrounded by the things you've found on travels or markets or perhaps inherited form loved ones. These objects are so full of personal stories. Aesthetically they offer 'resting points' for the eye too. But if you collect a lot then there's also the risk that home becomes museum. In my opinion that's where colourful, modern touches step in to freshen things up and keep a home feeling alive. To me, home is a kind of living artwork. It evolves, just like it's inhabitants.
But, despite a love of all those layers, I do know when to stop. I'm not an all out maximalist at all. In fact I'm with Chanel who said something about always removing one accessory before you go out! A home is the same, if you have a lot of stuff, you'll need to curate a little bit to let the nice things shine. So I'll call myself a 'curated maximalist'.
In no special order here are some homes (and designers) I love...
I don't know the photographers for all of these images but the homes of Luke Edward Hall and Cath Kidston were snapped by the Bible of British Taste. Except for Anna Spiro, all of the designers below are in the UK.
Matilda Goad
Lonika Chande
Cath Kidston
Michelle Kelly
Ben Pentreath
Luke Hall
Polly Fern
Anna Spiro