I wouldn’t necessarily call myself a maximalist. I know that I’m definitely NOT a minimalist. I like my stuff and I like to keep my stuff.
I’m, what I’ve coined, a middlemalist.
I enjoy collecting things: books, tchotchkes from travels, those one-of-kind things you find while rummaging through the Homegoods stores. I haven’t turned much towards thrifting but only because my home already has a bunch of things that would be found in a thrift store, so I just shop my house.
I find a lot of comfort surrounding myself with the things I love. I know I’m not the only one. At its core, isn’t how we decorate our homes about looking at the stuff we own and like?
We can fill our walls with artwork that draws us for no explicable reason. We can place furniture in our rooms that tell generations of our family story. We can stuff our bookcases with figurines or vases or delicate crystal items that our parents got when they got married. We can fill other bookshelves with volumes and volumes of read and yet-to-be-read books.
One of my favorite things is to pack things away in order to rotate the visuals in and out as I feel like I need to refresh. It’s such a delightful discovery process to unwrap an item I love and had carefully stored away for a day just like this.
For me, middlemalism is about creating a calm and uncluttered home environment. It’s comfortable! Middlemalism provides margin and white space for your brain to rest and breathe enough to come up with those creative solutions to a problem you couldn’t quite put your finger on.
How can you achieve a middlemalist aesthetic, too? Here are three ways to get you started:
1. Lay a calm and cozy foundation
For this first step, think gentle, warm and a welcoming simplicity. Key elements would be your base colors - these can be neutrals, beige, white, etc. that can easily change with accent colors. However, if you have colors that you naturally gravitate towards, consider using one of those as your base and bring in other colors and patterns that would go with it. For example, my couch is a beautiful mid-tone blue. I’ve gone with purple accents to warm whites and richly patterned rugs that read more red but have a blue element, making it all go together. (I don’t mix the purple and the red together, though!)
Other key elements take cues from natural materials like wood, linens and woven textiles. Choose furniture that’s comfortable and you can sink into. Allow for open spaces to allow your home some space to breathe.
The main thing here is to lay the foundation of a home that feels settled, safe and quietly lovely.
2. Layers of texture and lived-in warmth
This step is where coziness deepens. Go through your belongings and add throws, quilts (shawls!), baskets, pottery or ceramics - heirlooms are perfect here, stack some books, add soft lighting like beeswax candles or a lighted diffuser. If you chose a beige neutral foundation layer, start adding some subtle patterns like a stipe, tiny floral, check or another that strikes your fancy!
The main idea for this step is evidence of your life, comfort and gentle homemaking rhythms.
3. Top off with your personality and some whimsy
This is the cherry on top layer! This is where you fill in some open spaces with artwork you love, whether it’s been passed down, painted for you or found in a thrift store. Display the treasured trinkets and objects that hold meaning for you. Rotate some accent colors to help freshen up a room. Showcase a charming antique or thrifted find you’re particularly proud of.
The beauty of this layer is that you get to decide the volume. If you lean slightly more maximalist in what possessions you like to see daily, add a gallery wall. Or two. Line your walls with packed bookcases if that’s comfortable to you. If you lean slightly to the more minimalist side of the spectrum, pull back the cherished items you choose to display and rotate from storage more frequently.
The main thing in this step is creating a home that quietly tells your story.
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I think there is variation in how we interpret quiet. For some of us, it’s almost total silence. For others, there’s a gentle and pleasant hum in the background. Middlemalism allows for each of us to choose what our version of quiet means in the way we visually tell our stories with our homes.
