{"id":400345,"date":"2022-01-28T00:27:15","date_gmt":"2022-01-27T21:27:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/the-joy-of-clutter-macleans-ca\/"},"modified":"2022-01-28T00:27:15","modified_gmt":"2022-01-27T21:27:15","slug":"the-joy-of-clutter-macleans-ca","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/the-joy-of-clutter-macleans-ca\/","title":{"rendered":"#The joy of clutter – Macleans.ca"},"content":{"rendered":"

“#The joy of clutter – Macleans.ca<\/strong>”<\/p>\n

\n Surrounding ourselves with things we love is a salve in trying times\n <\/div>\n
\n People have always loved their stuff. Neanderthal hoarders probably packed their caves with shiny stones and fluffy feathers. From the French opulence of Louis XIV in the 17th century to the coziness of British shabby chic at the turn of the 21st, \u201cmaximalism\u201d\u2014rooms layered with pattern, colour, art and collectibles\u2014has cycled through the ages. And now it\u2019s back again, after a pandemic that saw much of the world forced to stay home.<\/p>\n

Psychologically, craving comfort from our things is a partial outcome of our confinement, says Suzanne Dimma, principal of Suzanne Dimma Design in Toronto. \u201cI think our homes have to deliver a lot of punch now. We\u2019re looking for things with stories that can fill our souls, rather than impress our guests,\u201d she says. \u201cMaximalism is more about personality, expressive energy and creativity.\u201d Staying home shone a light on our spaces, revealing not only how we use them, but how we feel about them. Surrounding yourself with things you love is a powerful type of self-care, and as the pandemic wore on, surround ourselves we did. According to Statistics Canada, sales of home furnishings and furniture spiked to record highs in spring 2021 and have remained elevated ever since, with a 14 per cent increase over 2020. Instagram, in particular, is a fountain of vintage-decor finds as enthusiasts seek out unique pieces with \u201chistory.\u201d<\/p>\n

READ:\u00a0The next trend in luxury Canadian real estate? Multi-level \u2018iceberg\u2019 basements.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The maximalism we\u2019re seeing today is inspired by several design trends, including the pastoral quality of cottagecore\u2014a romanticization of rural British life that gained prominence on TikTok\u2014as well as the textural lushness of the \u201970s. Maximalism is always romantic, never stingy and frequently overwhelming, in the best way. It requires jovial layers of pattern and colour, architectural details like mouldings and other decorative millwork, vintage art and artifacts and a general<\/a> accumulation of items with personal meaning. This time it\u2019s not glamorous, but cheery and well-loved. It\u2019s the patina on an antique brass pitcher, a portrait found at a garage sale, the wink of whimsical wallpaper. It\u2019s a reaction to the oversaturation of neutrals, minimalism and white space from influencers and shelter mags. \u201cThe way interiors are being photographed now is so different,\u201d says Dimma. \u201cThere are all these layers in the foreground, such as interesting coffee tables loaded with objects and books. [In the background], you see the sofa with a blanket on the back of it. It\u2019s not clean and flat the way it used to be. It amps up that feeling of warmth, making us feel comforted.\u201d<\/p>\n

Maximalists seek out stories, collecting bits of history that make them happ<\/a>y. There\u2019s also an element of slow design\u2014taking your time because you have time\u2014that appeals right now. We\u2019ve been through a collective trauma and are seeking comfort. It\u2019s not really about the stuff; it\u2019s about how stuff makes us feel\u2014and being surrounded by joy is healing.<\/p>\n\n

This article appears in print in the February 2022 issue of<\/em> Maclean\u2019s magazine with the headline, \u201cThe joy of clutter.\u201d Subscribe to the monthly print magazine here<\/a>.<\/em>
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