Chapter 1 - Maximalism & it's history

I’ve been seeing some new trends around maximalism, especially in interior and home décor, so I thought let me dig a little deeper into this topic and share it with all of you.

Maximalism, as the term suggests, is about abundance. But this idea is not new at all. If you look at ancient history , during Egypt’s time (around 3000 BCE to 30 BCE), pharaohs used colourful clothing, decorated interiors, patterned objects, carvings, jewellery and so many detailed elements in their daily life. So this concept is not new; it has always existed.

The same thing appears in Greek history (800–300 BCE) and Roman history (500 BCE–400 CE) too. their love for silk, decorative textiles, detailed patterns on clothing, colourful uniforms, metal objects, pottery, paintings… everything shows how much they valued beauty and ornamentation.

You see similar things in Chinese history, especially during the Tang Dynasty (618–907 CE) and Ming Dynasty (1368–1644 CE), and in Indian history across the Maurya period (322–185 BCE), Gupta period (300–600 CE) and later Mughal era (1526–1857 CE) - rich materials, patterns, hand-carving, vibrant colours, and detailed craftsmanship everywhere.

So we can easily say maximalism existed long before the term was coined.

But why?I believe it’s human nature. We are naturally attracted to colours, patterns, shapes and details. Look at nature around us, a garden has thousands of colours, the sea has countless patterns on shells and fish, and mountains, trees and rivers show endless shapes and forms.

Nature expresses in abundance, and we learn from it. That’s why we create our homes - our nests, filled with patterns, colours and curated objects. From wallpapers to bedsheets to dinnerware, we want our surroundings to feel expressive and alive.

Before moving further, let me make one thing clear, when I say maximalism, I’m not talking about clutter, over-consumption or buying too many things and filling your home or wardrobe with items you don’t emotionally connect with.

When I say maximalism, I mean curation. It’s about reflection, something that represents who you are from inside. Maybe you choose a certain pattern for your curtain because it reflects your personality. It doesn’t need to be full of patterns or extremely colourful; it simply needs to reflect you. The same applies to every object in your home and wardrobe.

Dorothy’s living room featuring our Inlay Media Console and her curated objects.

There’s also a huge debate about maximalism vs minimalism.

I genuinely believe minimalism as a concept helps reduce over consumption in today’s fast moving world, and I support that idea. But minimalism does not mean you should live only with white and grey.

My belief is that maximalism also reduces consumption, but in a different way - through curation.

When you choose home decor or furniture pieces that speak to you, you naturally keep them for 20–30 years, maybe even pass them to the next generation. A piece of furniture should have a story; it should reflect you. That could be a minimal white piece with subtle patterns or a bold red one with floral vines - both are valid. It depends on you.

So my definition of maximalism is not against minimalism - both are rooted in the same idea.

Maximalism is simply more expressive, more open, more soulful.

Now let’s come back to the history of maximalism.

In recent historical references, many people mention the Victorian era (1837–1901), when houses, villas and forts were filled with curated objects, detailed furnishings, layered patterns, rich fabrics and decorative pieces everywhere.

In India, the Mughal period is the best example of maximalism - the Taj Mahal (built 1632–1653), made with white marble, inlaid with more than 30 types of semiprecious stones, using the same inlay technique (Pietra Dura) that we use today for furniture at House of Jaipur. Many artisans were brought from Persia (Iran), Italy and across India to create these intricate designs.

Taj Mahal

Similarly, the forts of Rajasthan - Amer Fort (1592), City Palace Jaipur (1729), Mehrangarh Fort (1459) are filled with paintings, carvings, mirror work, and detailed craftsmanship, beautifully blending Hindu and Islamic art. And all of this was done without Pinterest, only inspired by nature, peacocks, vines, flowers and life around them.

In the southern part of India, during the Chola era (9th–13th century), temples like Thanjavur’s Brihadeeswara Temple (completed in 1010 CE) show magnificent architecture with thousands of hand-carved figures across the entire structure. This is maximalism in its purest form.

So we can clearly see that maximalism has always been a part of our history.

Thanjavur Temple

But where are we now?

From 2012 to 2022, minimalism became very popular. People started living with bare minimum objects in white and grey tones as a reaction to over-consumption and modern capitalist pressure.

But after 2020, during the Covid years, people spent more time at home. They saved commuting time, stayed indoors and naturally began thinking more deeply about their homes.

They started choosing styles carefully, selecting curtains, finalising custom-made dressers or sideboards that truly reflected them. It was a natural behavioural shift not against minimalism, but a return to colour, pattern and curation.

Now we see people appreciating a colourful, pattern-filled, curated life again.

Restaurants like Bad Roman in New York (opened February 2023) are full of patterns, materials, lighting and reflections. it’s an experience, not just food. People visit to absorb the atmosphere.

Showrooms like Sabyasachi (flagship redesigned 2020 onwards) are filled with curated pieces, artifacts, furniture, rugs, chandeliers and textiles. People visit not only to shop but for the experience.

Sabyasachi's New York Store

Why do we feel good in such spaces?

Because it's similar to how we feel walking through a garden filled with colourful flowers, sensory richness makes us happy.

As you can probably tell, I’m a big fan of curation and things made especially for you. I love colours, patterns and craftsmanship. That’s why we are building House of Jaipur. We want to create furniture pieces that last generations, pieces that tell a story and feel soulful.

If you have an idea and want to create a handcrafted piece with materials like mother of pearl, bone, hammered brass, hand-painted mango wood or hand-carved wood, feel free to reach out. You can explore our collections and book a call here.

I’ll keep writing more about maximalism in next chapter, about modern home interiors and how maximalism is influencing today’s décor styles.

Hope you liked this, Feel free to share your thoughts and comments.

Thank you for reading.

And yes, we are currently running our Year End Sale: enjoy a flat 20% discount on all our products. Use coupon code YE20 to avail the benefit.