True minimalism has been out for a few years now, and with the roaring return of color in interior design, many fashion-forward homeowners are turning toward maximalism in their interior style. Creating a maximalist paradise in shared spaces like the dining room and living room can be simple for those who are naturally attracted to abundant patterns, textures and ornamentation, but private spaces can be slightly more difficult, especially when those spaces need to be incredibly safe — like a baby’s nursery.
Fortunately, even a nursery can fit into the maximalism design style. Here are a few must-have elements in a maximalist nursery that keeps both baby and parent healthy and happy.
Theme
While other maximalist spaces in the home might be inspired by a color or texture, the nursery is more easily designed around a particular theme. Theming the nursery around a subject like jungle animals or Victorian tea party gives parents-to-be some guidance on different elements and aspects of décor, and it helps make a maximalist space more readable — even when there aren’t quite as many items in the room.
Parents should not feel compelled to select typical nursery themes, like rainbows or dinosaurs. A maximalist nursery will fit better with the rest of the home’s décor if parents take inspiration from existing designs in their home and style their baby’s room to match their adult interests. Then, as the child gets older and begins forming their own opinions, the family can restyle the space together.
Wallpaper
Wallpaper is a maximalist’s best friend. Thanks to the rise of color, pattern and texture in interior design, there is an uncountable number of wallpaper options that suit the maximalism aesthetic. However, because busy wallpaper can be stimulating to young babies — which might interfere with their sleep — parents should try to keep the amount of wallpaper in the nursery to a minimum. It might be wise to hang wallpaper on a small accent wall in the nursery or to confine the wallpaper to an area of the room not visible from the crib. Alternatively, parents can choose a wallpaper with an oversized design that might not be as distracting to sleepy little ones.
Painted Ceiling
An increasingly popular way to add even more warmth and color to a space is to paint the ceiling. Because the nursery cannot be as jam-packed with decorative items as other spaces in the home, painting the ceiling is a good way to add visual interest within the nursery and ensure that maximalist feel. While parents are focused on the ceiling, they might consider installing or updating the ceiling fan in any room where the little one might snooze, as ceiling fans have been shown to reduce the risk of SIDS by a considerable margin.
Textured Rugs
Both parent and baby will appreciate a warm and cozy rug covering the cold, hard floor of the nursery, and to ensure that the rug fits the maximalist aesthetic, parents might opt for a rug with a soft and luxurious texture. While maximalists tend to gravitate toward rugs with a busy pattern and bright colors, it is important to consider how the texture of the rug feels. Not only should the rug provide visual interest, but it should be comfortable against the skin, as the little one is likely to learn to crawl over that texture.
Window Coverings
Babies can struggle to nap well when the nursery is light and bright from the sun streaming in wide-open windows. Thus, many parents opt to cover any windows in the nursery with shades or curtains. This provides another canvas through which savvy designers can impart maximalist flair. If using curtains, parents might look for fabrics with bright colors or busy patterns that match with their theme and wallpaper. It is easy to install light-blocking panels on the windows if the perfect maximalist curtains or shades do not adequately darken a room to help baby sleep.
Shelves
Maximalism encourages home designers to cover every surface in décor, but in the nursery, so many decorative items could prove dangerous. Low dressers and bookshelves should be kept relatively clear of items that might cause harm to a curious little one. Instead, parents might place decorative items on high shelves that are well out of reach.
A dedicated maximalist wants every room in their home to be filled with bright color, busy patterns and the feelings of excitement and joy. Even the nursery can fit into the maximalism aesthetic — as long as parents-to-be keep safety at top of mind.
