Maximalism vs. Minimaluxe: Finding Your Style in 2025’s Top Interior Trends
2025 is ushering in a bold new era of interior design, where two opposing yet equally magnetic aesthetics are rising to the top: Maximalism and Minimaluxe. Whether you're drawn to expressive decor with a story behind every piece or you crave quiet luxury that whispers elegance, there's no wrong way to curate a space that feels like home. What matters most is intention. This year is all about designing with emotion, identity, and quality in mind—no matter which side of the style spectrum you fall on.
Understanding these two trends can help you refine your personal taste and create a space that aligns with how you live and what you love. While Maximalism invites creativity and expression through layered patterns, bold hues, and rich textures, Minimaluxe leans into warm neutrals, high-end materials, and a serene, sculptural simplicity. In this guide, we’ll break down both trends, offer actionable design steps, and help you decide which one (or blend of both) suits your style story.
Emotional Interiors Over Aesthetics
2025 is less about following trends and more about creating spaces that evoke feeling. The design world is moving away from sterile showrooms and toward homes that reflect who you are. Think: interiors as extensions of personal style, energy, and lived experiences. With that shift comes a broader embrace of expressive styles—from color-drenched corners to calm, sculptural vignettes. Your home should tell your story, not mimic someone else's.
That’s why Maximalism and Minimaluxe are dominating the scene right now. Both approaches prioritize intentionality, but they deliver it differently. Maximalism thrives in eclectic, layered expression, where every object has a memory or a meaning. Minimaluxe offers peace and clarity through refined materials and edited decor, creating a luxe, calming atmosphere that still feels rich. Whichever route you choose, the core idea is the same: design should serve your soul, not just your Instagram feed.
Maximalism: Personality Turned All the Way Up
Maximalism is a feast for the eyes and the heart. It’s expressive, unpredictable, and deeply personal. You’ll find walls drenched in vibrant wallpaper, layered area rugs, and bookshelves brimming with travel finds, thrifted treasures, and heirlooms. The palette is rich—think emerald green, mustard yellow, fuchsia, and cobalt blue—and the vibe is joyful, nostalgic, and full of character. Maximalist spaces aren’t chaotic; they’re curated, with stories tucked into every nook and cranny.
This style is perfect for collectors, creatives, and cultural storytellers. It offers the freedom to mix time periods, blend patterns, and put your personality front and center. Don’t be afraid to let your walls talk—gallery walls with mixed media, books stacked as decor, and statement lighting all play a role. Vintage shops, global markets, and flea finds become design tools in this world. If it makes you feel something, it belongs.
Common elements:
Jewel tones (emerald, sapphire, amethyst)
Maximalist wallpaper (botanicals, geometric, or baroque)
Mixed patterns: florals with stripes, ikat with plaid
Gold or brass accents
Personal objects on display (travel finds, heirlooms, books, art, cultural artifa
Minimaluxe: Quiet Luxury for the Soul
Minimaluxe is all about restraint with richness. Unlike traditional minimalism that can feel cold or overly sparse, Minimaluxe brings in warmth through materials like natural wood, soft boucle, limestone, and linen. It simplifies the space without sacrificing depth. The palette usually consists of warm neutrals like oat, stone, cream, and espresso, with subtle variations in tone adding interest without overwhelming the senses.
This style appeals to those who want calm, clarity, and understated elegance. Every piece serves a purpose and earns its place. Think: plush, oversized sofas with clean lines, sculptural lighting, and handmade ceramics. The focus is on craftsmanship and texture rather than trend. Minimaluxe encourages you to invest in fewer, better things—objects that age well, evoke calm, and bring balance. It’s the soft-life aesthetic at its finest.
Common elements:
Earthy neutrals (stone, sand, latte, charcoal)
Oversized furniture with soft lines
Ultra-clean silhouettes with textural depth (bouclé chairs, travertine slabs, curved oak cabinets)
Ambient, diffused lighting
Artisan ceramics, minimal wall decor, and sculptural forms
Blending the Two: Striking a Style Balance
Good news: you don’t have to choose one aesthetic over the other. Some of the most breathtaking homes in 2025 blend the narrative richness of Maximalism with the soothing clarity of Minimaluxe. It’s about knowing when to layer and when to let something breathe. A neutral room might come alive with a maximalist gallery wall or a boldly patterned rug. Or a vibrant space might find balance with clean-lined furniture and natural materials.
The key to blending is intentional contrast. Use neutral-toned furniture as a grounding base and build around it with expressive art or bold accessories. Alternatively, start with a bold design element and keep the rest of the space pared down to let it shine. The result is a curated space that feels dynamic yet composed, personal yet polished. It’s not about being in the middle—it’s about creating harmony between energy and ease.
Tip: The key is balance — if the room is loud in texture or color, go clean in form. If the form is funky and sculptural, go soft and subtle in palette.
Brands to Know: Where to Shop the Look
Not every brand sticks to just one lane — some serve drama and restraint, depending on how you style it. Whether you’re building a gallery wall that slaps or curating your soft-life sanctuary, these brands offer pieces that can lean into either aesthetic — or blend the two.
For Maximalist Vibes: Color, Pattern, Personality
These brands are for folks who want their space to tell a story — unapologetically, loudly, and with layers on layers.
Vibe: Bold, boho, and Black girl joy in every print and plant.
Best For: Statement wallpaper, vibrant pillows, earthy ceramics, and pattern-rich decor.
Max Moment: A whole room styled from Jungalow feels like a soulful art piece.
Vibe: Globally-inspired, soft-feminine maximalism.
Best For: Velvet sofas, curvy silhouettes, patterned rugs, whimsical lighting.
Max Moment: Their “boutique hotel” collection is maximalist gold.
Vibe: British-Nigerian influence meets art-world maximalism.
Best For: Luxe, collectible home accessories, artisan collabs, unexpected textures.
Max Moment: Their sculptural trays and soft goods are maximalism for grown folks.
Vibe: Sleek with an edge — they got both range and taste.
Best For: Bold furniture with sculptural forms, modern glam pieces.
Max Moment: Their collabs (with Lenny Kravitz, etc.) push the envelope in all the right ways.
For Minimaluxe Moments: Texture, Restraint, Elegance
These brands are for the baddies who know that less is more — but baby, that “less” better be Italian linen or reclaimed oak.
Vibe: Understated elegance with a European lens.
Best For: Minimal ceramics, natural textures, organic linens.
Luxe Moment: Their stoneware and neutral-toned bedding make minimal look intentional.
Vibe: Scandinavian warm minimalism with luxe touches.
Best For: Sleek lighting, sculptural furniture, clean lines with soul.
Luxe Moment: Their Bottle Grinders, marble tables, and offset candleholders are staples in high-end design homes.
Vibe: Masculine minimalism meets cultural heritage.
Best For: Statement-yet-minimal pieces rooted in Black and brown global design.
Luxe Moment: Their curated art + furniture collabs feel like future heirlooms.
Vibe: Bare-bones, function-first minimalism that still feels serene.
Best For: Organization tools, basic bedding, wood accents.
Luxe Moment: If styled right, Muji can give museum-core without the ego.
In Review
🌀 Maximalism is:
Emotional expression through bold colors, patterns, and objects with history.
Layering as a design tool — think: a jungle of plants, a mashup of pillows, and art covering every inch of wall.
Vibrant and eclectic, often mixing decades, cultures, and materials.
💎 Minimaluxe is:
Understated but not boring. Every piece matters.
Neutral or soft palettes paired with sumptuous materials: marble, velvet, bouclé, brass.
Sculptural furniture and a gallery-like flow that invites calm and clarity.
Your Space, Your Signature
Maximalism and Minimaluxe both invite you to express yourself, just in different volumes. Whether you want your home to energize and inspire or calm and center, the key is choosing what feels true to your rhythm. Trends will always evolve, but personal style never goes out of season. Let your space reflect where you’ve been, who you are, and where you're headed.
So take a moment to explore. Play with palettes. Mix materials. Curate stories. And remember: your home isn’t a showroom—it’s your sanctuary. Make it beautiful, make it bold, make it yours.
