Maximalist Design According to TikTok

Recently, Sam Reece of Shitty Craft Club took TikTok on a shitty decor tour of her Los Angeles apartment. On the wall there’s a pink bodega bag that reads “Thank You” in an early-’90s Brush Script font (she has a tattoo of the same on her arm); a beaded hot dog, a beaded bagel (everything, ICYWW), and a blingy beaded shrimp; a “shitty” beaded wreath (her adjective, not mine); a shelf for glasses made from repurposed IKEA box packaging materials (a.k.a. trash); and much, much more.

“There are 10,000 more things I could show u,” Reece captioned the post, and judging by the craft-packed background of the video, she is only exaggerating a little bit. In fact, there’s enough to fill a literal book.

“I love the energy and colors,” commented one user.

“Your home inspires me to be a lil craft gremlin in my own place,” commented another.

In the wake of design trends marked by so much of the same—the muted tones of minimalism or the tyrannical terrazzo of the millennial aesthetic—it seems like people are desperate for some distinctness; decor that speaks in a scream, rather than a whisper; a style that communicates who you are, not what you can afford. If understated dominated that past decade, we’re entering the heyday of maximalism.

So, what does the “more is more” aesthetic look like? How can achieve it on your own? TikTok’s favorite maximalist DIY’ers and designers are happy to share their very personal approaches.

Many minimalist rooms look alike, but each maximalist room is maximalist in its own way.

Form over function

Whereas minimalism has a utilitarian bent—design choices are grounded in specific functions— maximalism feels irreverent and frivolous by comparison. A maximalist design incorporates more color, more texture, and more elements for the sake of the emotions they provoke, rather than the purpose they serve. Take it from San Francisco–based designer and DIY creator Tay BeepBoop, whose bold decors perfectly capture the maximalist trend. “I want any given space I help create to foster unbridled joy,” said BeepBoop. “My aesthetic is all about color.”

Peek inside her 120-year-old home, which BeepBoop has been slowly remodeling, and the joyful vibe is omnipresent, from the swirly, multicolored mural to the mustard bathroom with rococo accents. Or her forest-themed bedroom, which manages to be color, texture-rich, and relaxing all at the same time.