From Minimalist to Maximalist: The Great Design Pendulum Swing of 2025

The End of “Millennial Gray” and the Rise of Design Extremes

The reign of “millennial gray” is over. For nearly a decade, pale gray walls, neutral furniture, and minimalist decor defined interior spaces. But 2025 marks a major turning point: homeowners are moving toward both ends of the design spectrum—embracing Minimalist design rooted in serenity and Maximalist design bursting with bold colors, patterns, and personality.

According to Decorilla’s 2025 Interior Design Trends, the pandemic years pushed people to rethink the way their homes feel. Some responded by doubling down on minimalism, creating quiet spaces that promote calm and focus. Others swung in the opposite direction, embracing vibrant, maximalist interiors that celebrate individuality and joy. Both approaches reflect deeper cultural shifts: a search for balance, well-being, and self-expression after years of aesthetic uniformity.

Newsweek’s architectural trend analysis points out that this “great design pendulum swing” isn’t a simple trend cycle. Instead, minimalism and maximalism are coexisting more dynamically than ever, often appearing in the same home—one room exuding quiet luxury, another exploding with bold maximalist energy.

The New Minimalism: Japandi and Quiet Luxury

Minimalism in 2025 is far from the cold, sterile spaces of the 2010s. Instead, it’s evolving into a warmer, more tactile, and sustainable approach, blending Japanese and Scandinavian principles with modern environmental consciousness. This Japandi-inspired minimalism emphasizes clean lines, neutral palettes, and the beauty of imperfection.

Decorilla highlights material drenching as a key minimalist strategy—using a single material or neutral tone across walls, floors, and furniture to create cocooning, cohesive spaces. Soft beiges, sandy whites, and subtle taupes replace stark white, while organic woods, linen, stone, and clay finishes bring texture and depth.

Sustainable luxury is at the heart of this new minimalism. Natural materials, energy-efficient systems, and biophilic design—where nature itself becomes the decoration—are central. Skylights, indoor trees, and ventilation systems blur the line between indoors and outdoors, creating spaces that promote tranquility and well-being. This approach isn’t about austerity; it’s about stripping away the unnecessary to let quality, craftsmanship, and nature take center stage.

Maximalism’s Bold Return

On the other end of the spectrum, Maximalist design is surging back with confidence. No longer dismissed as cluttered or chaotic, today’s maximalism is highly intentional—layering textures, patterns, and colors to tell unique personal stories.

According to Big Wall Decor’s Maximalism Guide, one of the defining moves of 2025 is pattern drenching: wallpapering entire rooms—walls, ceilings, even furniture—with repeating motifs. Florals, toile, bold geometrics, and botanical prints transform spaces into immersive environments.

Color is reclaiming its hero status. Shades like mocha mousse, terracotta, and deep jewel tones are dominating maximalist palettes. These colors infuse spaces with energy, warmth, and personality, a stark contrast to the monochromes of minimalist interiors.

A subtrend gaining traction is Whimsigoth interiors — a mix of dark romanticism and fairy-tale whimsy. Think velvet drapes, arched doorways, ornate mirrors, and dramatic lighting. It’s a maximalist aesthetic that feels nostalgic yet fresh, allowing homeowners to escape into theatrical, emotionally charged spaces.

Curated Maximalism: Finding the Goldilocks Zone

Between minimalism’s calm restraint and maximalism’s expressive abundance lies a sweet spot: curated maximalism. Rather than filling a room with everything at once, homeowners are learning to mix patterns without chaos, layer textures thoughtfully, and create meaningful focal points.

Homes & Gardens notes that the key to curated maximalism is balance. Designers are layering velvet with rattan, pairing bold wallpapers with neutral upholstery, and using gallery walls to tell stories without overwhelming the eye. A carefully arranged mix of materials—like terracotta tiles, marble accents, and jewel-toned textiles—can create rooms that feel rich and vibrant but still cohesive.

This approach allows homeowners to explore maximalism while maintaining control. A living room might feature a patterned ceiling and bold curtains, balanced by simple flooring and a restrained color palette. Or a hallway could showcase a dramatic gallery wall alongside minimalist architectural lines. The result is spaces that feel expressive but curated, layered yet livable.

Technology’s Role in Both Trends

The design pendulum swing of 2025 isn’t just about aesthetics — it’s being shaped by technology. On the minimalist side, smart homes are becoming more seamless, with clean interfaces, hidden wiring, and unobtrusive automation. Newsweek reports that homeowners are integrating voice control, climate systems, and security features into pared-back interiors to maintain visual simplicity without sacrificing convenience.

Maximalism, meanwhile, is embracing interactive art and AI-generated designs to push boundaries. Homeowners are commissioning digital installations that respond to movement or sound, integrating projection mapping, and using AI tools to generate bold, personalized wallpapers and textiles. Decorilla notes that these technologies allow for unprecedented customization — making maximalist spaces not just decorative, but experiential.

This technological integration enables both minimalist and maximalist approaches to evolve. Minimalist spaces can remain uncluttered and serene thanks to hidden tech, while maximalist rooms can become dynamic, immersive environments.

RevArt Artist Spotlights and the Future of Design

As these two design movements thrive, artists are playing a pivotal role in shaping how they’re expressed at home. Minimalist artists are creating serene collections — often inspired by natural forms, quiet geometries, and subdued palettes — that complement Japandi and biophilic interiors. Their works act as focal points within minimalist rooms, proving that simplicity can be deeply expressive.

On the other hand, maximalist creators are embracing bold storytelling, designing statement pieces that command attention. Murals, vibrant canvases, and sculptural installations reflect the energy of curated maximalism. Through RevArt, homeowners can connect directly with RevArt artists to commission custom pieces that align with either end of the spectrum — or even both, blending minimalist architecture with maximalist art.

This collaboration between artists and homeowners represents the future of interior design: spaces that reflect individual identity, supported by technology, sustainability, and artistic vision. Whether you lean toward quiet luxury or bold maximalism, or find your own balance in between, 2025’s design landscape encourages authenticity above all.