Trend Discovery Story
Let me set the scene: It's midnight. My phone is blinding me, but there I am, scrolling Instagram, pausing on this wild post — not white walls, not beige couches, but this riot of color and patterns and weird, wonderful shapes. I actually did a double take. You know when you see something and your brain goes wait…do I love this? That’s what happened. Then, as if the algorithm had cracked my soul, I saw it again — at my friend Jenna's new apartment last Friday. Her living room? Neon-green velvet chairs, mixed with leopard print throw pillows, and a floral print lamp she thrifted. It shouldn’t work, but it’s magic. I muttered ‘am I allowed to want this much stuff together?’ Turns out, that’s exactly what’s happening right now.
The buzz is everywhere. Pinterest boards exploding with maximalist inspiration, design TikTok is all about 'more is more,' and even my local HomeGoods had some truly bananas patterned rugs stocked right up front. People are getting bored of playing it safe. So am I. After the last few years of calm, controlled spaces (seriously, how many beige dining rooms have you seen since 2020?), the world is craving something bold, something joyful, something alive. I think now is the perfect moment to stop playing it safe. Home should make us feel something again — right?
Main Trends Breakdown
Maximalism & Eclectic Joy
You probably already know the internet is obsessed. Thirty-three percent of designers are calling maximalism the trend for 2025, but let’s get real: what does it actually look like at home? For me, I so badly wanted to try it, but didn’t know where to start. So I started small — Marshalls, $34.99, grabbed a chunky floral velvet pillow in the wackiest fuchsia print. Tossed it onto my super neutral sofa, and I...hated it! Total clash. But here’s the twist: when I added a green leopard-print throw on the other end ($22, Target!) suddenly it looked intentional, not random. Lesson learned. Maximalism is less about perfection, and more about layering. Neutrals, brights, patterns, even a weird flea market sculpture — bring it all in. At Jenna's, she mixes a 1960s orange lamp with a sleek, black CB2 coffee table (splurge, $599, but she says it's her forever piece). The clash is the point.
Curves and Organic Shapes
I used to think I needed everything sharp and streamlined, but 2025 is all about softening up. Forty-seven percent of designers (that’s almost half!) are obsessed with curves and organic shapes. I mean, I've now developed a full-blown crush on the 'Ligne Roset Togo' sofa (if you have $6,000 to splurge, holy wow) but let's be real — my Amazon dupe in ‘Moss Green’ at $680 totally does the trick in my den. I recently impulse-bought an arched mirror from Urban Outfitters ($169, ‘Brass’ finish) and, not kidding, it made my 12' x 12' bedroom look double the size instantly. Oh, and wavy-edge side tables? HomeGoods, $49, and I almost missed my train because I couldn’t decide between wood or mirrored. (Got the mirrored. Zero regrets, so much fun in the morning light.)
Color Confident — Goodbye All-White!
Here’s my confession: I lived the all-white kitchen life. For five years. It was…fine. But I swear, every time I see a photo now of a kitchen in 'Sage Green’ (try Behr's ‘Nature's Gift’ #M410-4) or a bathroom with deep-blue tile, I feel jealous. Designers are calling the end of white everything — 71% want bold, nature-inspired color. Last month, on a dare, I painted my pantry wall in ‘Wild Terracotta’ by Sherwin-Williams (SW 6341), and the whole room glows now. It's tempting to go full color, but even a pop — a turquoise toaster, emerald glassware (Anthropologie, four for $36), or just colorful hand towels can transform things. My cousin painted one whole bedroom in ‘Acacia Haze’ (Sherwin-Williams SW 9132), and yep — everyone asks for the color. She did it herself and only spent about $60 on paint. Major upgrade for pocket change.
Textured Walls & Statement Ceilings
I’ll admit: I thought my friend Laura was out of her mind when she decided to plaster her dining room ceiling. Who looks up? Turns out, a lot of people. Textured walls and bold ceilings are huge for 2025. Think linen-effect wallpapers (Serena & Lily, $148 per roll, but so luxe), or DIY with joint compound and regular paint — my neighbor did her hallway with a giant kitchen sponge and a $10 paint sample from Lowe's (‘Tea Light’ by Valspar), and now it looks fancy-AF. And statement ceilings can be as easy as a bold color (‘Cherry Tomato’ by Benjamin Moore, anyone?) or a peel-and-stick wallpaper (IKEA, $19.99, surprisingly cool prints.) When you walk in and see that, it instantly feels like a ‘designer’ home.
Room Applications
This is where I keep learning by trial, error, and—let's be honest—occasionally panicking after painting a wall. Maximalism, for starters, loves living rooms. Last winter, I layered an old kilim rug (thrifted, $75, so proud), my existing gray sofa, and a pile of clashing throw pillows from H&M Home and Target (most under $30). It looked…loud. But once I mixed in a couple solid-color pillows, added stacked coffee table books, and junked my boring lamp for a secondhand black & gold Deco one (Facebook Marketplace, $40), suddenly it just felt alive and special. Try the same energy for bedrooms—a floral quilt, a pile of patterned cushions, and yes, that arched mirror I mentioned earlier.
Curved furniture honestly softens cramped apartments—my friend Rachel's living room is 11'x14', and her round ottoman (IKEA, $119) makes foot traffic way easier than her old square table. For small updates, swap out sharp-edge decor for vases and lamps with soft forms (CB2's 'Puff Table Lamp' is so cute, $149, but Target’s Project 62 ‘Globe Base Lamp’ at $45 is just as stylish).
Color? Kitchens love a painted island or colored stools (Wayfair has a rainbow under $90), and bathrooms look utterly transformed with a ‘statement’ shower curtain (Society6, $39, any pattern you dream of). Textured walls: if a full room feels like too much, try a powder room or just a skinny accent wall behind your bed. It’s like jewelry for your house!
The only real challenge I’ve faced: too many competing colors or patterns, and my place started to feel like a circus. Solution? Edit before you add more. If three things are clashing, try removing one, instead of buying more. I swear by the ‘two wild, two neutral’ rule now!
Shopping Intelligence
Here's what caught me off-guard: the best maximalist pieces are everywhere, including the big-box stores if you shop smart. My patterned velvet pillow at Marshalls? Under $40. But those bold, curvy couches I swooned over at West Elm ($2,500) have affordable lookalikes at World Market ($699) and even Walmart ($399 for a velvet mini-sofa—seriously!).
Linen-texture wallpapers are pricey, but I found a dupe at Target for $34 a roll (threshold brand, honestly can't tell the difference on a small wall). If you want to thrift, weekdays have the best finds before the crowds; Facebook Marketplace is a goldmine for Art Deco mirrors ($25-75) and 1980s glass lamps (so quirky).
I always check sales before pulling the trigger—wait for the mid-season clearances (especially at CB2, Anthropologie, and even HomeGoods) since a lot of the wild stuff doesn’t sell out fast. Online, you get color range, but I swear by seeing textures in person for pillows, wallpapers, and fabric. I did buy a big, sculptural lamp online only to realize it was too petite for my side table. Thank goodness for easy returns these days: Target’s and Amazon’s return policies are my lifeline when I mess up sizing.
Styling Reality Check
Honest talk—what looks dreamy in someone’s 3,000 sq ft Pinterest mansion does not always work in my small, city apartment. My first maximalist foray? Bought five wild pillows on impulse. Looked like a clearance rack exploded in my living room. My fix: keeping my sofa neutral and going crazy with the rug and accessories instead. And don’t even get me started on painted ceilings—I tried ‘Calypso Blue’ in my tiny laundry room, and it felt like a boxing ring. Ended up repainting, but I adore the cheery yellow (‘Lemon Twist’ by Benjamin Moore) I landed on for the entryway ceiling instead. Lessons learned.
If your space is small or open-concept, stick with one or two bold moves—a curvy headboard, a wow wallpaper—then keep the rest a little calmer. If you rent, skip the paint and swap in bold curtains (IKEA ‘Majgull’ in burnt orange, $49 a pair, no regrets), or go big with removable peel-and-stick art. Maximalism doesn’t need to mean spend-all-the-money. Half my ‘wild’ touches are under $100, and re-selling when I’m over it is easier than ever (thanks, Facebook Marketplace).
Get the Look Now
Need a starting point? Here’s what I’ve loved (and would totally buy again):
- Pillows: Joyful velvet prints from H&M Home ($12-30) and HomeGoods (just raid those bins)
- Curved Mirror: Urban Outfitters ‘Aimee Arched’, $169 (yes, it’s worth it!)
- Paint: Behr ‘Nature’s Gift’ (sage green, #M410-4) and Sherwin-Williams ‘Wild Terracotta’ (SW 6341) for instant color impact
- Wallpaper: Serena & Lily linen-looks ($148/roll if you splurge), or Target Threshold faux grasscloth ($34/roll, perfect for renters)
- Lights: IKEA’s curved ‘RANARP’ pendant ($49.99—high style, low price); vintage Deco pendants on Etsy if you want a splurge
- Seating: World Market’s curved velvet sofas and accent chairs ($399-699)
- Handcrafted Accents: Moroccan rugs from Revival ($199+), block print bedding at Anthropologie, and Society6 for art starting at $19
On a shoestring? Hit thrift stores for vintage lamps and mirrors—the funkier, the better. Try IKEA or Target for beyond-basic vases and side tables. My go-to hack for statement ceilings if you’re renting: giant stick-on decals (Etsy, usually $15-30). Don’t forget: late summer is prime time for sales as stores make room for fall—this is when you pounce.
As you swap in bolder pieces, stash old ones under the bed (or sell to friends). Want to ease in? Start with a wild pillow, a patterned lamp shade, or a painted cabinet. DIY art in wild colors works wonders—my friend made a giant canvas with $25 in supplies, and it looks so chic.
Resources & Inspiration
- 1stDibs' 2025 design trend roundup is everything maximalist and vintage — seriously inspiring, with bold pro picks and dreamy real-life spaces.
- Deco and Artsy scrape the trending Instagram and designer picks (curves, color, texture, nostalgia), with a ton of easy, actionable ideas I keep referencing.
- The AIA and DesignFiles dig into smart tech, sustainability, and comfort, with real stats and new product advances you’ll want for your next reno.