There has been chatter in the world of interiors lately about making our homes more fun. Stylish, always, but with the perfect pinch of silliness that makes a space feel characterful and unique. Have you recently seen a hairy chair or a fish-shaped centerpiece you suddenly can’t live without? Dubbed ‘silly-maxxing,’ this up-and-coming design approach quenches the collective thirst for a more whimsical space.
“Interiors have gotten so polished that sometimes they forget to be interesting,” says interior designer and founder of House of Honey, Tamara Honey. Playfulness creates excitement and emotional connection. So, what started as incorporating an unexpected material or pop of color has now blossomed into a nuanced interior design trend that proves a truly stylish space isn’t afraid to get a little weird. “We want interiors that feel considered, of course, but also a little self-aware… Rooms that don’t take themselves too seriously,” Tamara adds.
In terms of design, ‘silly-maxxing’ is less about adding loads of outlandish decor, and more about learning to experiment with scale, color, and contrast — the unexpected moment, the slightly off-beat object, or the bold decision that makes a space memorable. As we know, all the best things are a little silly, strange, and eccentric.
What Is ‘Sillly-Maxxing’ in Interior Design?
Even the seating arrangement in this space challenges traditional form, making it more playful, along with the different colors and patterns.
(Image credit: Yoshihiro Makino Photography. Design: House of Honey)
After a long period of minimalism and ‘quiet luxury’ guiding aesthetics, the past couple of years have swung in favor of adventurous color trends and character-rich details. In our perfectly planned, high-strung world, letting loose and creating an exciting space in our interiors has become the antidote.
“Moments of playfulness or experimentation create spaces that people genuinely connect with and remember,” says interior designer Sophie van Winden, co-founder of London-based studio Owl. An unexpected color combination, an exaggerated shape, or a playful detail can bring warmth and humanity to a home, making it feel lived-in rather than overly curated.
Sophie van Winden is an interior designer who co-founded Owl Design with Simone Gordon in 2014. The London-based studio is known for its use of uplifting colors and patterns.
Like many design styles, silly-maxxing is a combination of a few different styles. It borrows from the joyful, child-like ethos of neotenic design; it has an elevated edge similar to the contemporary space oddity style; and sometimes you’ll find more obvious maximalist moments.
Designers like Charlotte Colbert have experimented with this refined, yet surrealist style for a while, and now we are seeing silly-maxxing bleed into contemporary homeware releases, including sardine decor drops and, most recently, Emma Chamberlain’s West Elm collection, with its enlarged buttons and pigeon-shaped vases.
The playfulness behind silly-maxxing often comes from pushing one element slightly further than expected. “Maybe it’s scale, maybe it’s color used with a little less caution, or sculptural furniture that feels almost exaggerated,” says Tamara Honey. There are ample ways to achieve this aesthetic, and techniques that will feel right no matter your home’s scheme.
Tamara Honey is a Los Angeles-based interior designer and the founder of a female-led design studio, House of Honey. Tamara founded House of Honey as a design studio to blur the lines between classic and contemporary, soulful and surprising, and to redefine what luxury looks like.
How to ‘Silly-Maxx’ Your Home
Typically, the biggest question with these kinds of trends is how they translate to the everyday home. How do you silly-maxx your space without it becoming distracting or gimmicky? Well, it centers on the concept of surprise.
“Scale, color, and form are the main tools that create unexpected moments and personality within a space,” explains Sophie. Respectively, this can look like a tiny mirror hung off-center over the fireplace, a color-drenched butter yellow kitchen with something shocking (like a teal sink skirt), or a sculptural accent chair (that may not actually be very comfortable to sit in).
Scale
Though small in comparison to the tall walls of this room, the mirror bring major impact.
(Image credit: James McDonald. Design: Bryan O’Sullivan)
“Scale in design is everything, and thinking about it should be the very first principle when silly-maxxing your home,” says interior designer Kristina Busko. Play with proportions that defy the norms for a more interesting space.
This doesn’t mean buying a coffee table or sofa that doesn’t fit in the room; it’s more subtle than that. A tiny artwork or mirror on the wall, a coffee table with oversized ball feet, or a vase with a giant handle. These small moments then become completely captivating.
West Elm UK
Isa Ceramic Wall Mirror
Habitat
Circle Ceramic Table Lamp
Tom Dixon
After Postmodern 1980s Dining Side Rope Chair Desk
Kristina Busko is an interior designer based in Spain and Poland. Kristina Busko graduated from the Academy of Art and Design with a Master’s in Interior Design and founded her studio in 2019. Her holistic design method embodies a collaborative effort, drawing inspiration from music, poems, and the world’s most unexpected corners. Kristina’s goal is to create spaces that resonate with the essence of life itself.
Color
The colors in this space are bold, but they all work in harmony with each other to create a distinct, and whimsical atmosphere.
(Image credit: Yoshihiro Makino Photography. Design: House of Honey)
Though decorating with color has definitely become more mainstream, people are often still afraid of fully committing to color, and “that’s when they head in the wrong direction,” says Kristina.
For example, painting just one wall reads as dated rather than stylishly silly. In the end, “people are usually disappointed with the effect of an accent wall, because to truly achieve joyful, stylish color schemes, you need to fully embrace the color and paint all the walls with it,” adds Kristina.
Of course, you can also find ways to add a colorful accent that blends more harmoniously than an accent wall. “Playfulness doesn’t necessarily have to mean loud; sometimes it’s about subtle tension or contrast that keeps a space feeling dynamic and expressive,” says Kristina. High contrast rooms work really well when a bold pillow, lamp, or rug does the heavy lifting.
SO’HOME
Hand Woven Wool Rug
Next
Noa Deep Relaxed Sit
Holloways of Ludlow
Artemide Nessino Table Lamp
Form
The abstract mirror, the seashell-inspired vase, the furry chair — all of these pieces have a playful form, yet still elevate the room.
(Image credit: Rachael Smith. Design: Owl)
When the goal is to add more personality to a space, “start with a calm, cohesive base and then introduce moments of contrast through sculptural forms or bespoke details,” says Sophie. “Oversized joinery, curved forms, or playful detailing can completely shift the mood of a room.”
Learning how to thrift one-of-a-kind treasures is a fabulous way to blend ornate pieces with more contemporary curves and shapes. A statement mirror over a vintage console or sleek chrome decor paired with cottage-inspired cabbageware on the table.
Good amounts of tension can really help make the silly feel more livable. “Think refined materials paired with unusual forms, or classic architecture interrupted by something irreverent,” says Tamara.
That balance in design is what keeps a space from feeling actually childish. “The goal is never novelty for novelty’s sake; it’s creating rooms that feel emotionally engaging and visually alive,” adds Tamara.
Dunelm
Freyja Ivory Faux Fur Accent Chair
Selfridges
Cactus Large Ceramic Vase
GEORG JENSEN
Stainless Steel Candle Holders Cobra, Set of 3
“The homes people respond to most aren’t necessarily the ‘perfect’ ones; they’re the ones with personality,” notes Tamara. A little humor, tension, or eccentricity gives a room life. To get you started, our Design Lab by Livingetc stylist has curated an edit of whimsical decor to shop.
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