Maximalist interiors are usually defined by a bold colour palette, layered patterns, whimsical collections of art and objets, and a ‘more is more’ approach to decorating. While they can certainly create impact, some might find maximalist spaces a little overwhelming – cluttered and chaotic, with no particular area for the eye to settle.
If this sounds familiar, may we introduce you to power decorating – a more curated approach to bold interiors that feels confident, yet restrained, and gives breathing space to fewer, more impactful pieces, colours and patterns for an altogether calmer and more considered aesthetic. The designers share the lowdown on this more refined and elevated take on wow-factor interiors, and their advice on how to make power decorating work for you and your home.
Decorate with confidence over excess
By its nature, maximalism is about excess – from pieces to patterns and colours – and ‘obsessive detailing’, according to Philip Vergeylen, co-founder of Paolo Moschino Design Studio. It is about creating harmony and warmth within a chaos of colours and textures, where the whole is more important than a single element.' He adds. With power decorating however, he says you need to know when to stop. 'If everything is shouting, eventually you don't hear anything. Sometimes, one strong pattern surrounded by quieter elements becomes much more powerful. [Power decorating] needs important protagonists to serve as focal points.’
Romanos Brihi, co-founder of Studio Vero agrees that power decorating is a different animal. ‘The word power implies confidence: one enormous piece of art, a saturated colour, an oversized sofa that gives the room real presence. It's not about having less, it's about the decisions being stronger and more committed. You can still have layers, but there's a clearer sense of where the drama is actually coming from.’
Where maximalism is about filling space, power decorating is about breathing space. Whether you are an art maximalist or minimalist this comes from the confidence to choose one or two bold, attention-grabbing pieces and allowing them to punctuate the space with intention, so the eye can settle, as opposed to darting around a room with no clear focus. ‘Rather than filling a room simply for the sake of abundance, power decorating is about making deliberate choices and allowing certain pieces to have real presence,’ adds Courtney Brannan, Principal at Champalimaud Design. ‘There can still be a sense of richness and drama, but it feels controlled.’
However, just because power decorating has a calmer aesthetic that calls for a more restrained approach, it doesn't mean rooms have to be devoid of personality. ‘I want a room to have conviction and character; it should never feel bland or anonymous, but equally it can still feel calm,’ weighs in Nina Litchfield, founder of eponymous design studio. ‘Power decorating is about creating a strong emotional impact without overwhelming you.’
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Curate your space with considered editing
While maximalism is a continually evolving look, allowing the opportunity to build on the layers over time, power decorating is about creating instant impact and, Philip points out, it only gives you one shot to get it right. ‘It is much more focused and tells one strong story instead of a cumulation of stories.’ It's true that both aesthetics embrace colour, pattern and personality, however, as Courtney weighs in: ‘The distinction is in the editing. Maximalism can embrace an accumulation of elements, whereas power decorating is more about choosing something with enough presence to anchor the room and giving it room to speak.’
Rather than adding impact with more pieces, in power decorating the impact is in the taking away, and leaving blank space – just like working on a piece of art – having space around a beautiful coloured glass vase allows it to really shine, rather than blending in and getting lost amongst an array of other colourful objects. ‘Power decorating feels more considered. It’s about making an impact through a few strong decisions, rather than layering lots of different things into one space,’ explains Claire Sá, co-founder of De Rosee Sa. ‘It appeals to someone who wants their home to feel expressive and individual, but perhaps in a more edited way.’
And don't shy away from mixing styles and periods in design. This can contribute to a wonderful tension and sense of individuality. ‘You can have something bold alongside something quiet, something contemporary alongside something antique. I think people still want that sense of wonder and the wow factor, but without the room looking as though it is trying too hard,’ adds Nina. ‘I wouldn't necessarily call power decorating restrained maximalism; I would call it edited boldness. The choices can still be incredibly powerful, but there are fewer of them competing for your attention.’
Philip sums up how to achieve this curated impactfulness, perfectly: 'First, be brave with scale. Second, create a hierarchy. Third, buy fewer but better things. Fourth, don't confuse decoration with clutter. Fifth, mix periods and provenance.'
Go bold, but balanced, with colour
Using bold colour in interiors doesn't have to mean gratuitously plastering every possible surface in vibrant hues, for maximum impact, it can actually be used to create a calming scheme, particularly when balanced with more pared-back shades and patterns. Romanos explains: ‘Maximalism tends to come from stacking pattern, texture and colour together. Power decorating uses colour in a much more singular way. A deeply saturated wall can carry a whole room without a single competing pattern in sight.’
The secret to making a bold colour feel intentional and powerful, according to Courtney, is to make it the focal point, rather than just another layer. ‘You might have a very strong textile, wallpaper, or painted element, but it is balanced by quieter moments elsewhere in the room,’ she explains. And don't presume that strong and bold have the same meaning Nina cautions. ‘It can be strong, muted and impactful all at the same time.’
Another effective way to keep wall colour intentional is to choose one that complements a striking oversized artwork. ‘There's this old assumption that a painting needs a white wall behind it to breathe,’ Romanos shares. ‘We've found the opposite is often true: a rich, saturated backdrop can make a piece come alive in ways white simply can't.’ And, he stipulates, commitment is key. ‘The real trick with bold colour is commitment. If you're going to do it, do it properly – no half measures.’
Choose artisanal and bespoke for a unique look
For a truly unique space, you shouldn't be looking to replicate something you've seen before on a shop floor or in a brochure – it should feel like a true representation of your personality. That can come from a combination of mixing styles to choosing hand-crafted or bespoke pieces that really speak to you, and work perfectly within your space. Courtney explains: ‘There is something inherently powerful about an object that feels singular to a space. Bespoke pieces allow us to respond to the architecture, proportions, materials, and personality of a project in a much more specific way.’
Following these principles and eschewing trend-led pieces and designs will ensure that your interiors stand the test of time and that you will still love them long after trends have come and gone. It's about reflecting personality in a very nuanced but confident way. Nina sheds some light on this. ‘Power decorating appeals to strong characters who want their personality to be reflected in their interiors. They want you to feel something when you enter the room.’ Bespoke pieces really play into that story as they have been designed only for that person and place. ‘Bespoke and made-to-measure pieces create the individuality that people are craving, but they also encourage a slower, more considered approach to decorating,’ Nina adds. This, in itself, is part of a wider movement, not only to achieve uniqueness, but also to value artisanal skills and sustainable methods, over mass production and waste.
Plus, there's something very special about having a piece made specifically for a place, Martin Brudnizki, Founder of eponymous design studio, points out. ‘Bespoke allows you to consider the proportions, materials, colour and craftsmanship as part of the whole, rather than treating each element separately. That level of consideration is what gives an interior its individuality.’
But, bespoke doesn't have to mean everything needs to be custom-made or expensive, Courtney reassures. ‘It is more about seeking out quality, craftsmanship, and pieces that feel distinctive rather than relying entirely on what is readily available.’ That feeling of luxury isn’t about how much money has been spent but many other factors. 'Luxury is something with character, something beautifully made, something you don't see everywhere,' explains Philip. It's the fact that you can go to someone else's house and know you won't find the same pieces, and that they really mean something to you on a personal level.
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Be brave with scale
Scale is an often overlooked design trick that can instantly take your space from ordinary to extraordinary, particularly when it comes to power decorating. ‘One oversized piece of art, a generous sofa or a large sculptural light can give a room real presence without needing lots of decoration,’ explains Claire. ‘It’s often about being brave enough to do one thing really well rather than trying to fill every corner.’
Philip adds: ‘People are often much too frightened of scale. They have a large wall and put a tiny picture in the middle of it. One enormous piece of art can completely transform a room.’ As well as making a strong statement, it can create a focal point in the room, upon which to build the rest of your look, so be as brave as you dare. ‘I’d take oversized over undersized every time. We've built whole schemes around one artwork before, letting its palette dictate everything down to the cornice colour and the rug,' Romanos shares. But, he warns 'hanging a big piece and calling it done isn't enough. The room has to talk back to it.' This means considering everything from the colour behind it, to the lighting and the furniture around it.'
Equally, the proportions of the room and the architecture should play into your choice as well. If a piece of furniture or artwork doesn't feel right for the space from the get-go, the chances are it will always feel ‘off’, so listen to your gut instinct and always choose pieces that you really love and are naturally drawn to.
Think art gallery over museum
The way pieces are displayed in a museum versus in an art gallery feels like an appropriate analogy for the aesthetic differences between maximalism and power decorating. Museum displays comprise multiple pieces that collectively make up a whole picture or story, much like the layered shelves and surfaces in a maximalist scheme. Meanwhile, in an art gallery, single pieces are placed on pedestals and walls, with plenty of space around them, worthy of a moment of their own – more in line with the power decorating aesthetic. Philip sums this up: ‘rather than maximalist collections that bring charm, power decorating has strong focal points, and understands where and how these should be positioned to have the biggest impact.’
Courtney explains how this translates to the home. ‘Objects should have a reason for being in the room, whether that is because they have personal meaning, exceptional craftsmanship, or simply create an important visual moment. A surface does not need to be completely filled to feel rich.’ This also feeds into our desire for more calming spaces which benefit from visual breathing room.
Nina expands on this idea: ‘We live in a world where we are constantly overstimulated, and although we may love many different things, we don't necessarily need to display all of them at once. Power decorating is about understanding what deserves to stay and giving those pieces space to breathe.’ But it's also important to remember that you have to be able to live in that space not just look at it, so always prioritise choosing pieces that feel beautiful and balanced but also bring you joy and comfort.
Power decorating is an aesthetic which invites contrast – it can be both bold and comforting, make a statement and feel restrained, be colourful and calming. Following the principles set out above by interior designers, its an opportunity to be brave in creating a space that is strikingly and unequivocally yours.
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