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    Masquespacio founders create home and office where “everything revolves around play”

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    The founders of Spanish studio Masquespacio have transformed a traditional Valencian farmhouse into their self-designed home and studio, with maximalist interiors that nod to the Memphis movement.

    Creative and life partners Ana Milena Hernández Palacios and Christophe Penasse renovated the 1920s villa, which was once a farmhouse on the outskirts of Valencia, to create a hybrid home and studio that reflects their maximalist approach to interiors.
    Masquespacio has designed a live-work space in Valencia”Everything revolves around the concept of play,” explained Hernández Palacios, who co-founded Masquespacio with Penasse in 2010.
    “We’ve been influenced by many styles over the last decade, from New Memphis to art deco and futurism,” Penasse added. “We can say that our private home is a mix of it all.”
    The ground floor holds the studio’s workspacesThe duo maintained the building’s original timber front door and white facade decorated with light-blue window frames and ornate grilles.

    Inside, the ground floor was reserved for their studio, spread across several interconnected meeting rooms in the former farmstead, known locally as an alquería.
    Masquespacio restored the building’s original hydraulic floor tilesHere, Masquespacio restored the building’s decoratively patterned hydraulic floor tiles alongside its traditional doors and windows.
    Painted in bright hues, they help to colour-code the different office spaces, filled with the studio’s characteristic chunky, lumpy and latticed furniture.
    There is a double-height interior courtyard at the centre of the home”As always, the project includes a mix of colours, textures and forms – one of the main aspects of all our designs, no matter what aesthetic we’re working with,” Penasse told Dezeen.
    At the centre of the home is a double-height interior courtyard illuminated by skylights, with exposed-brick walls painted in lilac surrounded by wiggly flowerbeds with lush statement cheese plants.
    From the courtyard, visitors can see up to an interior balcony on the first floor, which is accessed via a purple concrete staircase and contains the living spaces.
    The couple’s bed is encased in a green dome next to a hot-pink seating booth.The balcony reveals two sculptural objects – a giant green dome that conceals the couple’s bed and a curved hot-pink screen that hides a seating booth.
    This immersive furniture – Penasse’s favourite part of the project – creates a focal point that connects both levels of the house but also provides more private quarters for the couple despite the open nature of the overall plan.
    A mosaic of yellow tiles defines the bathroom”There are no wall partitions to hide our home [from downstairs] but it’s kept private by the bed’s form and a semi-transparent green curtain that allows us to take advantage of the natural light almost everywhere on the upper floor,” explained Penasse.
    The sleeping area is connected to the main living space via a tunnel-like corridor, which includes an all-yellow bathroom with triangular cabinets and walls clad with a mosaic of handmade ceramic tiles.

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    Opposite the bathroom is a colourful open-air terrace featuring circular windows and similar built-in seating to Bun Turin – an Italian burger joint designed by Masquespacio with boxy blue-tiled tables created to look like swimming pools.
    “Geometry can be found all over our house,” explained Hernández Palacios. “Everything is a game of circles and triangles.”
    The terrace follows a similar geometry to the interiorsThe light blue kitchen includes large, triangular alcoves and cupboards finished in natural stone and aluminium, designed to conceal utilities.
    There is also an island made from veiny marble and petite glazed tiles. Bespoke Masquespacio bar stools were wrapped in matching pale blue fabric.
    Triangular cupboards feature in the kitchenNext to the open-plan kitchen, the living and dining spaces include more brightly coloured furniture from the studio’s Mas Creations collection, which features the same twisted and angular shapes and soft upholstery as the pieces downstairs.
    Floor-to-ceiling curtains form a backdrop for a snaking lime green sofa, while dark green dining chairs with pyramidal backrests were positioned around a jewel-like glass table.
    Striking pyramid-shaped dining chairs continue the maximalist theme”Ninety-five per cent of the furniture and objects in our house are part of our Mas Creations collection, locally designed and produced by our studio,” said Penasse.
    Similarly bold projects from Masquespacio include a restaurant in Milan, Italy, with interiors that take cues from futuristic spaceships and the first Mango Teen store in Barcelona featuring vivid graphic shapes.
    The photography is courtesy of Masquespacio. 

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      Maria Vittoria Paggini’s gives her home “porno-chic” makeover for Milan design week

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      Designer Maria Vittoria Paggini has used colourful wallpaper and murals depicting nude bodies concealed behind peepholes to transform her home for Milan design week.

      Located in the 5vie design district in the heart of the city, Casa Ornella is annually redesigned by Vittoria Paggini who presents the project during Milan design week.
      This year, the property – which is also partly an art gallery, is themed “porno-chic”.
      Maria Vittoria Paggini has redesigned her home around the theme of “porno-chic””Casa Ornella is a maximalist house” said the designer, who is opening up her home to the public during the week.
      “Porno-chic stems from a strong need for rediscovery and self-awareness. To achieve this, I felt the need to bare myself and decided to use the metaphor of the naked body, pushing it to the extreme to make it invisible to the eyes,” she told Dezeen.

      “Going beyond that, porno-chic aims to be a style of ‘rebirth,’ a recognition of oneself through the home or any place to inhabit.”
      Tatiana Brodatch’s graphic wallpaper features in the living spaceThe interiors feature a living space characterised by artist Tatiana Brodatch’s striking wallpaper. Oversized spots and stripes in pink and purple hues form the backdrop for images of faceless, nude male sculptures touching themselves.
      Finished in Brodatch’s signature lumpy plasticine, the figures look like they are flying through space.
      Illustrative nude bodies decorate brown curtainsTwo boothlike, art deco armchairs with burl wood casing were positioned next to this feature wall, as well as a translucent table designed by Vittoria Paggini and topped with twisting, marble and Murano glass candelabras by Aina Kari.
      Visitors can see Brodatch’s wallpaper through a circular peephole on one of the corridors, which adds to the “sensual” atmosphere of the home, according to the designer.
      A naked mural lines one of the corridorsElsewhere, brown curtains illustrated with naked female bodies and a small but suggestive figurative sculpture sitting on a silver tray are reflected in a swollen gold mirror.
      One corridor is characterised by a large-scale floor mural of a nude woman, created as a set of abstract brown and pink shapes.
      The only private room is the bedroomThe only room not open to the public is the bedroom, which is decorated with a graphic, floor-to-ceiling mural of naked men surrounded by decadent architecture, influenced by 13th-century paintings.
      Visitors can view the bedroom mural, created by Milanese illustrator Damiano Groppi, through another peephole.
      A peephole reveals the room’s muralSugary pink walls, striped and chequerboard accents and multiple mirrored surfaces throughout the home add to its maximalist design.
      Casa Ornella also includes two more Vittoria Paggini-designed products, which are being debuted for the design week and take cues from “the world of jewellery”.

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      These are bulbous gold taps created for Milanese brand Manoli – positioned above veiny Gio Ponti basins in the bathroom – and slender light switches designed for Officine Morelli.
      According to Vittoria Paggini, these pieces are “what is most characteristic of the porno-chic style”.
      “They serve two different functions but have the same language that aims to communicate sensuality and timeless elegance.”
      Sugary pink walls feature throughout the homeThe annual Milan design week has kicked off in the Italian city, with projects on display ranging from a collection of everyday objects designed using algae and sculptural lights by Leo Maher that reference “a hot-pot of queer culture”.
      The photography is courtesy of Maria Vittoria Paggini.
      Casa Ornella is on display at Via Conca di Naviglio 10, Milan, during Milan Design Week from 15 to 21 April 2024. See Dezeen Events Guide for more architecture and design events around the world.

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      Method Architecture outfits its Houston office with vibrant mural

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      Texas studio Method Architecture has completed an office for itself in Houston with maximalist design, vibrant colours and a mural at its centre.

      The 8,612-square foot (800-square metre) studio was completed in 2023 with a reception area, open office plan, private and collaborative meeting spaces and staff lounges.
      Method Architecture has completed its self-designed studioLocated in the mixed-use East River development, designed by architecture studio Page, the office was designed to serve as an inspiration source for the studio’s clients.
      “Our approach was to pursue maximalism with the goal of creating an environment where our clients would feel safe expressing their bold and innovative ideas with us,” Ashley Bettcher, Research and Design Specialist with Method Architecture told Dezeen.
      The office was designed to serve as an inspiration source”Creativity has no limits and great design doesn’t necessarily need to cost more. Method’s new Houston office perfectly encapsulates that mantra.”

      The “ego-free” focus of the design is a nearly 50-foot multi-wall mural by local artist David Maldonado, known for creating nearly 20 pieces of public artwork throughout Houston.
      David Maldonado created a multi-wall mural for the studioWith pops of magenta, cobalt, and yellow, the mural features icons from the city and state like the skyline, a rocket for Johnson Space Center, a bluebonnet as the Texas state flower, and the neighbouring Buffalo Bayou.
      The artwork also slips in custom motifs representing the studio, such as Method’s rubber duck mascot.
      Light grey flower-like acoustic baffles hang from the ceiling”This feature piece of artwork helps set the tone for the remainder of the office including bold colors, geometric patterns and shapes and a secondary mural designed and installed by Maldanado featuring drip paint in mirroring colorways located at the back of the office,” the team said.
      The mural is complemented by a 3D-printed wall installation behind the reception desk composed of the studio’s signature “M” logo and the raw ceiling with exposed mechanical lines all painted a vibrant shade of fuchsia.
      Clients pass through a half-arched portalLight grey flower-like acoustic baffles hang from the ceiling adding to the maximalist design. Light blue bicycles are mounted on one wall as another unique installation.
      From the reception area lounge, clients pass through a half-arched portal – created with custom millwork and embedded lights – into the main office space which includes rows of desks over custom greyscale carpet.
      Hotel desk stations accommodate hybrid work stylesHotel desk stations accommodate hybrid work styles for both in-office and at-home work.
      “Cozy architectural work booths are nestled amid the bustling breakroom and office areas, offering a quiet refuge for more private work, private conversations or meals with coworkers,” the team said.

      Ten maximalist interiors that are saturated with colours and patterns

      The workspace is flanked by six meeting rooms: a large creative conference space, three medium-sized conference rooms and two smaller huddle spaces.
      The all-white conference room was left intentionally blank to showcase the client’s material selections with tunable white lights to adjust the light temperature for each project.
      An M-shaped window cutout opens the conference room to the rest of the officeAn M-shaped window cutout opens the conference room to the rest of the office.
      In the break room, bright blue suede fabric adorns the walls to provide an unexpected texture and pale blue lamp shades – reminiscent of the shape of inverted cupcake liners – serve as a geometric juxtaposition to the rounded banquette boxes.
      Bright blue suede fabric adorns the walls in the break room”Plush, psychedelic-inspired fabrics in meeting booths and distinctive light fixtures keep the space feeling light and fun to inspire creative design,” the studio said.
      In addition to being designed for flexible workflows and teams, the space features multiple sustainable and WELL features like ample daylighting, repurposed materials and ergonomic furniture.
      Other recently completed projects in Houston include Nelson Byrd Woltz’s grassed park that bridges a six-lane highway and Modu’s design for a wellness building with a self-cooling exterior.
      The photography is by Ana Larranaga, Method Architecture.
      Project credits:
      Architecture: Method ArchitectureMEP: Telios EngineeringGeneral contractor: Burton ConstructionFurniture: AGILE Interiors, MDI, OP,Flooring: Interface, Shaw ContractTile: Trinity Surfaces, La NovaTextiles: Knoll TextilesMasonry: Upchurch KimbroughDemountable partitions: DIRTTCountertops: CAMBRIAMural: David MaldonadoLighting: Lighting Associates Inc.Signage: ARIA Signs

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      YSG draws on beach clubs of Ibiza and Cancun for redesign of Sydney coastal home

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      Australian interiors studio YSG has updated a holiday home in Sydney’s Palm Beach suburb, layering it with a maximalist mix of colours, patterns and textures.

      The 400-square-metre house belongs to a young family who wanted a place to escape during the holidays while still providing space for remote working.
      YSG renovated a holiday home in Sydney’s Palm BeachThe home’s original furnishings were included in the sale but the clients were less than enthused by the nautical colour palette, seashells and model yachts.
      “The weathered features and cliched seaside tropes, amongst other things, deterred their visits,” said Yasmine Ghoniem, founder and director of YSG.
      Its living and dining area are separated by a small stepYSG took cues from the rustic beach clubs of Ibiza and Cancun for the revamp, with a touch of French Riviera refinement to create “a palpably playful mood for entertaining”.

      The house was given a full overhaul, with worn floorboards sanded back to reveal warmer timber accents while windows and doors were replaced with more slimline versions.
      Details from a painting in the lounge were carried over onto the wallsIn the sunroom, tongue-and-groove panelling was removed for a more contemporary look while a mirrored wall was taken out because it caused the room to overheat.
      A new rose-tinted marble floor extends to skirting height, amplifying the sense of space while helping to keep the room cool. In the kitchen, YSG added a stone island “that recalls the ombre shades of a freshly poured tequila sunrise”.
      Chequerboard tiles surround the poolThe couple also asked for a second master suite, so that they could each have their own retreat while working remotely.
      “We designed integrated marble and timber desks, enabling both to simultaneously work privately from their rooms whilst enjoying views from the upper level,” Ghoniem said.

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      For the all-important exterior areas, which wrap around the house on each level, YSG provided a material refresh by removing the old heavy paving and weathered grey timber as they distracted from the views.
      The pool area now features a chequerboard pattern of tumbled marble cobblestones while the dark blue pool tiles were replaced with a lighter finish and the chrome fence posts were powder-coated in a soft white tone to prevent glaring reflections.
      The home’s stone kitchen island is made from thickly veined stoneYSG added a playful painting in the living room that acted as a starting point for the home’s entire interior scheme, including the colour palette of ochres, yellows, and reds.
      Its motifs such as palm trees and fruit are repeated throughout the house across prints and cushions, as well as being hand-painted onto walls and doors.
      The home also has a second lounge areaEven the painting’s chequered top border is continued as a hand-painted datum line across the living room to enliven the otherwise plain walls.
      Ghoniem also repeated the same device on the side of the raised step that lead to the dining area, “artistically acknowledging a trip hazard”.
      The bedrooms were designed to provide space for remote workingIn the sunroom, hand-painted swirls soften the beams while in one of the master bedrooms, the vertical red lines of a nude painting were playfully continued onto the wall above the artwork.
      The rich material palette features many types of marble, including Giallo, Toledo and Tiberio along with honed travertine and French wash walls, while the textiles include linen and kimono silk.
      Chequerboard tiling also features in some of the bathroomsYSG has completed a number of projects across Sydney, including another house in a coastal suburb with tactile finishes and a penthouse for a couple of empty nesters.
      The photography is by Prue Ruscoe.

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      Ember Locke hotel channels Kensington’s decadent heyday

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      Warm saturated colours and maximalist touches are combined inside Locke Hotels’ latest outpost in west London, designed by local studios Atelier Ochre and House of Dré.

      Occupying an imposing Victorian mansion block in Kensington, the Ember Locke hotel was designed as a homage to some of the area’s historic architecture.
      Atelier Ochre and House of Dré have designed the Ember Locke hotelAmong the references brought in by the designers were the art deco Kensington Roof Gardens and the now-defunct Biba department store, which rose to popularity in the Swinging Sixties.
      “We wanted to create interiors that are an extension and interpretation of the neighbourhood, a space that reflects the cultural heritage of Kensington but also somewhere that shows the area’s evolution over time,” Atelier Ochre founder Pauline Dellemotte told Dezeen.
      “We wanted to delve into the world of bold patterns, rich colours, eclectic furniture and art deco details, to tap into the sense of opulence that once dominated the Kensington scene.”

      The hotel accommodates 121 serviced apartmentsInstead of traditional guest rooms, Ember Locke accommodates 121 serviced apartments over eight floors, alongside a bakery, restaurant and conservatory cocktail bar, a stage for live performances, a co-working space, a gym and a garden.
      Its interiors were designed to offer a contrast to the hotel’s location on bustling Cromwell Road – home to three of London’s most important museums including the V&A and the Natural History Museum.
      Velvet banquettes in the rooms are trimmed with ultra-long fringingThe building’s original arch-topped windows are mirrored in the arches and curves found in each room, from tubular-backed banquettes and chairs to the sculptural meandering clothes rail of the deconstructed wardrobe.
      “The curved edges of the banquette, the rotating mirror and the wardrobe rail are attempts to combine the unlikely trio of playfulness, comfort and practicality,” said House of Dré founder Andreas Christodoulou.
      “We’ve introduced some bold furniture and sculptural objects to spark a sense of curiosity and playfulness, and to allow guests to interact and reflect themselves within the space,” Dellemotte added.
      Each apartment also has a small kitchenetteThe velvet banquettes are trimmed with ultra-long fringing, echoed by the fringed pendant lights that hang low above the circular table in each room to zone the seating area.
      Brass detailing across coat hooks, wall lights and clothes rails adds to the sense of opulent modernity.

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      An intense colour palette, which layers red, orange and mustard tones, is offset by the deep green of the apartment kitchenettes, highlighting the more practical nature of this area.
      “With the fringing and warm earthy colours, the rooms flirt with maximalism but still possess the calm and contemporary sophistication that one would expect from a Locke hotel,” said Christodoulou.
      The bed is separated from the kitchen via a cotton curtainHeavy recycled-cotton curtains in a claret colour, custom-created by London textile company Yarn Collective, track around the walls and create a flexible room divider, separating the bed and kitchen areas when needed.
      Many of the communal spaces feature art by local and up-and-coming artists alongside specially created works by House of Dré.
      Striped shower curtains jazz up the bathroomsThe project was a close creative collaboration between Dellemotte and Christodoulou.
      “We are old friends who met at a previous practice,” said Dellemotte. “Our friendship grew to include exciting collaborations across hospitality projects, where we combined our passions for design and art.”
      “At Ember Locke, we’ve been given the opportunity to blend the interior aesthetics and art curation of the spaces with the overall branding of the hotel in a holistic way.”
      Surfaces are finished in a salmony peach colourLocke Hotels already has a number of other outposts in London. Among them is one in Bermondsey – with interiors designed by Holloway Li to echo sunny California deserts – and one near St Paul’s Cathedral that is housed in a converted 1970s office block.
      The photography is by Kensington Leverne

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      Curtains for minimalism as John Pawson goes maximalist

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      Minimalist British designer John Pawson has ditched his pared-back aesthetic in favour of full-blown maximalism, Dezeen understands.

      Pawson, who is not an architect, had become famous for his minimalist designs and was awarded a CBE in 2019.
      But a source close to Pawson informed Dezeen that he has now embraced bold colours, clashing patterns and animal-print furnishings after a dramatic change-of-heart.
      British designer Pawson has historically been known for his minimalist designs”I went to the Pawsons’ place in the Cotswolds recently and it’s like night and day,” the source said. “They’ve wallpapered over the white-brick walls and stuck some garish curtains over the windows.”
      “And the soft furnishings, my god. You can barely move for patterned rugs and blankets.”

      Possible social-media link
      However, not-an-architect Pawson appears to have chosen to maintain a minimalist approach in his relationship with the media.
      Asked if he could explain his reversal in tastes, he replied: “No.”
      The source speculated that Pawson’s shift in style may be linked to social media.
      Pawson has now transformed his Cotswold home into a maximalist colour-festIn 2018, he surprised some by releasing a book of vivid photographs, telling Dezeen at the time that he had discovered a love of colour through Instagram.
      “Maybe he’s moved on to TikTok,” the source said.
      Maximalism has been a re-emerging trend over the past couple of years, partly driven by its popularity on the video-gallery platform.
      His studio declined to answer questions about whether Pawson – who, again, is not an architect and Dezeen would never suggest anything to the contrary – will apply his new-found personal partiality to maximalism to commercial projects.

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      However, a spokesperson said: “When are you doing another Hot List? John would really like you to do another Hot List.”
      Pawson, whose most high-profile projects include the Novy Dvur monastery in the Czech Republic and the Design Museum in London, ranked at number six on Dezeen’s Hot List of newsworthy designers and brands in 2017.
      Last week, a Deyan Sudjic-authored biography of Pawson’s life and work was published, but did not mention his switch to maximalism.
      The photography is by Gilbert McCarragher, with additional input from Studio Merlin.

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      “Maximalism is a manifestation of a desire for a different world”

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      A return to the frivolous aesthetics of the British Empire tells us that all is not right in the world, writes Samuel Johnson-Schlee, author of the book Living Rooms.

      In a moment where climate breakdown, economic uncertainty, geopolitical crisis, and many other things threaten to destroy the things that the middle classes take for granted, there appears to be a renewed interest in the extravagant, the ornate, and the rococo.
      For instance, Lulu Lytle, whose design studio Soane Britain – named presumably after the influential architect John Soane – is remarkably upfront in its use of an imperial aesthetic; it even has a range called Egyptomania.
      It makes sense that Boris Johnson chose this designer for his controversial Downing Street flat refurbishment, given that they share a nostalgia for an era of British power and colonial plunder. Why though, in a moment where it feels like there is more awareness than ever of the violence and injustice wrought by the British Empire, are we returning to such an aesthetic?
      We return to the ornate for some of the same things that were sought from similar aesthetics in the past

      On 15 October, the Leighton House Museum re-opened in Holland Park after a major refit. Previously something of a secret, the museum’s publicity machine is now in full swing. The house of a neo-classical Victorian painter, Frederic Leighton, was designed to reflect his enthusiasm for that generically foreign Victorian obsession, The Orient.
      The most magnificent room in the house is the so-called Arab Hall. This room was an extension to the house built between 1877 and 1881, designed to display textiles and ceramics gathered from Leighton’s trips to Turkey, Egypt, and Syria.
      Some of these objects were purchased, others were “procured” by a friend in the East India Company. A wild array of tiles cover the walls and beneath the golden-domed ceiling, a small fountain burbles. This should not be mistaken for a simple marker of admiration for different cultures – as the great critic of orientalism Edward Said puts it: “European culture gained in strength and identity by setting itself off against the Orient”.
      Why are we drawn back to this aesthetic? It is too simple to attribute it to nostalgia alone and should be seen in the broader context of the trend for maximalism. We return to the ornate for some of the same things that were sought from similar aesthetics in the past.

      Studio Job opts for maximalism inside new Antwerp headquarters

      If you scroll through Instagram you will find many of the elements of the bourgeois home of the nineteenth century. Pot plants, gallery walls, velvet, wallpaper, lace: the basic language of the fashionable urban middle classes from the early decades of industrialised capitalism are making a comeback. Perhaps we are doing something akin to the Orientalists, setting modern life off against an impossibly distant other in order to better come to terms with the world we live in.
      The designers House of Hackney are purveyors of a pattern-clashing William Morris redux; it is as if Dennis Severs’ house had been processed through a succession of lurid Instagram filters. However, they do not tend to dwell on their obvious historical influences.
      On their website, their Wallpaper Plantasia, a multi-coloured riff on the landscapes of French Toile du Jouy, is described as: “our vision of an idyllic landscape, completely untouched by man”. Instead of claiming authenticity via craftsmanship or historical detail, they are reproducing the back-to-nature fantasies of people like philosopher Jean Jacques Rousseau who, reeling at the alienation of the coming Industrial Age, idealised the life of the pre-cultural ‘savage’ [sic].
      There is also an element of the surreal in the current trend for maximalism
      This untethered enthusiasm for an imagined naturalness recalls bourgeois Victorian crazes for natural history, such as the vogue for ferns known as pteridomania, which launched dozens of designs, including the decoration on a custard cream biscuit. The House of Hackney designers wear their romanticism on their sleeves, their expensive products offer a way of introducing a reconstructed pastoral life within the confines of an East London home.
      There is also an element of the surreal in the current trend for maximalism. In a recent article on this site, the live-in premises of Studio Job present what the designer Job Smeets refers to as a ‘visual assault’.
      In the Design Museum, the exhibition Objects of Desire draws our attention to the history of surrealism and interior design. Particularly striking are the dream-like interiors that Salvador Dalí helped design for Edward James’ Sussex home Monkton House. Plush colour-clashing rooms include chairs with hands, telephones with Lobsters on top, and Mae West’s lips transformed into a sofa.
      One of the best objects in the exhibition is a green carpet decorated with the footprints of James’ wife after leaving the bath. The effect of such extravagance is to create a kind of dream world, a space where it seems that the rules of reality are suspended and that all of your wishes might be fulfilled.
      We create a space in which we can retreat from all the terror outside
      We are looking for the same things in this aesthetic as the bourgeois did in their nineteenth-century apartments. The philosopher Walter Benjamin compared the homes of wealthy city-dwellers in the nineteenth century to the inside of a compass case, the body held in place by folds of violet velour. He described the wildly busy world of knickknacks, doilies, chintz and velvet as if it were the manifestation of a kind of religion, calling these objects ‘fallen household deities’ arranged to protect the householder from the violence and cruelty of the world outside. The same world that these people were profiting from.
      By cultivating somewhere to live that is dream-like, natural, or utterly different from our everyday lives, we create a space in which we can retreat from all the terror outside. And just as was the case in the nineteenth century, the more money you spend the more protected you can become, hidden amongst your excessive home décor.

      Ten maximalist interiors that are saturated with colours and patterns

      I’m not making a judgment, I am as susceptible to a brightly coloured wall and a clashing floral pattern as the next person, but it is important to recognise that even the most apparently frivolous design is shaped by the present moment. In contrast to the optimism that accompanied the slick minimalism of the nineties, the terrifying situation that we live in today has conjured a desire for the wealthy to hide themselves away.
      But it is more than simple escape that drives this trend – I think unconsciously we are reaching for something. Maximalism is a manifestation of a desire for a different world, and if we can reflect critically on the kinds of things we are reaching for, we might also be able to find greater impetus to act to prevent the coming of the world that is so frightening.
      Sam Johnson-Schlee is an academic and writer living by the sea in North Essex. He teaches Town Planning at London South Bank University. His first book, Living Rooms, is published by Peninsula Press on 10 November this year.

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      Ten maximalist interiors that are saturated with colours and patterns

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      Clashing colours, statement furnishings and mismatched patterns feature in this lookbook, which rounds up ten flamboyant interiors that embody the maximalist aesthetic.

      Maximalism is a style of art and design that rejects the rules of minimalism. Instead, exuberance is celebrated and anarchic use of pattern, colour and texture are encouraged.
      According to Claire Bingham, author of the book More is More, the style can be attributed to the Memphis Group – the 1980s design and architecture collective known for their bold postmodern creations.
      However, as demonstrated by this roundup, maximalism continues to make its mark today, as designers apply the aesthetic to the interiors of our homes as well as to public spaces.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing brutalist interiors, walk-in wardrobes and colourful living rooms.

      Photo is by Benoit LineroHotel Les Deux Gares, France, by Luke Edward Hall
      Contemporary pea-green walls stand in stark contrast to chintzy wallpaper and soft velvet sofas in the rooms of the Hotel Les Deux Gares in Paris.
      According to its designer Luke Edward Hall, the aesthetic is intended to be “anti-modern” – harking back to a Paris of the past.
      Find out more about Hotel Les Deux Gares ›
      Photo is by Adrián LlagunoCasa TEC 205, Mexico, by Moneo Brock
      The bright-coloured works of Mexican architect Luis Barragán informed the look of this maximalist-style home in Monterrey, designed by architecture studio Moneo Brock.
      Inside, striking wallpaper prints are juxtaposed with geometric tiling and colour-blocked walls, such as in the kitchen and dining room where a large floral mural takes centre stage.
      Find out more about Casa TEC 205 ›
      Photo is by Günther EggerRookies, Germany, by Stephanie Thatenhorst
      Designer Stephanie Thatenhorst challenged the conventional look of healthcare facilities when designing this kid-friendly optician in Munich.
      Intended as a “noisy, wild and unique paradise for children”, it marries a bright blue carpet with geometric wall tiles, U-shaped neon lights and display areas covered in apricot-coloured fabric.
      Find out more about Rookies ›

      Schiphol airport lounge, Netherlands, by Marcel Wanders
      The flamboyant rooms of the Schiphol airport lounge were all given a distinct look when renovated by Marcel Wanders, a creative best known for his uninhibited maximalist style.
      Among them is an animated seating area that references canal houses in Amsterdam. Its finishes include wall panels resembling giant stained-glass windows and a cartoonish lamp that mimics a street light.
      Find out more about Schiphol airport lounge ›
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      Photo is by Prue Ruscoe with styling by Alicia SciberrasPolychrome House, Australia, by Amber Road and Lymesmith
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      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing brutalist interiors, walk-in wardrobes and colourful living rooms.

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      Marcel Wanders draws on Dutch history for overhaul of Schiphol airport lounge

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      References to Dutch culture and history are woven throughout the VIP centre of Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport, which has undergone a maximalist revamp by designer Marcel Wanders.

      The airport lounge comprises a sequence of rooms including a library, drinks bar and smoking room, all designed by Marcel Wanders and his studio to have a distinct theme.
      “We wanted each room to be able to exist on its own,” explained Gabriele Chiave, the studio’s creative director.
      Replicas of famous Dutch paintings are displayed in Schiphol’s VIP centre”Of course, the main thread throughout is Dutch heritage and culture,” he continued. “But we decided on main themes like art and innovation that inspired generations of designers.”
      “This travellers’ lounge offered an opportunity to share Dutch culture with the world,” Wanders added. “It introduces people to our history and our masterpieces.”

      As travellers enter the VIP centre, they come into a relaxed lounge area designed to loosely resemble the national Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.
      The workroom features trompe l’oeil wallsDisplayed on the walls are replicas of paintings by different Dutch masters, set against backlit glass walls that were installed a decade ago during the last renovation of the lounge by local practice Concrete Architects.
      Across the room are banks of coffee-coloured sofas, which like the rest of the furnishings throughout the centre were selected in collaboration with Dutch design brand Lensvelt.
      One of the seating areas was designed as a celebration of Deft Blue potteryMore reproductions of significant Dutch artworks are found in the centre’s workroom, where travellers can sit down with their laptops or take private phone calls.
      Here, a trompe l’oeil effect on the walls creates the impression that the room is finished with traditional boiserie, half-varnished in a rich yellow ochre hue.
      Another lounge area showcases digital portraits of famous Dutch cultural figures – both real and fictional – including artist Vincent Van Gogh, violinist Andre Rieu and cartoon bunny Miffy.

      Marcel Wanders uses mismatched patterns and oversized furnishings for Doha hotel

      Guests can also retreat to the VIP centre’s Deft Blue Salon, which takes its name from a style of Dutch tin-glazed pottery that’s typically adorned with intricate blue-and-white designs.
      Living up to its name, the room was fitted with patterned blue wallpaper panels and dotted with a few Deft Blue vases.
      The smoking room hints at the Netherlands’ connection to the tobacco tradeElsewhere in the VIP centre, there’s a smoking room that nods to the Netherlands’ historical ties to the tobacco trade and a seating area designed to reference Amsterdam’s canal houses, with a streetlamp-style light and fake stained-glass windows.
      Other amenities include a library, drinks bar, games room and a serene sleeping room.
      Amsterdam’s canal houses informed the look of this loungeWanders is known for his striking maximalist aesthetic, which can also be seen in his interior design for Doha’s Mandarin hotel with its mismatched patterns and oversized furnishings.
      Stateside, the designer has previously created a diamond-patterned facade for the Louis Vuitton store in Miami, referencing the brand’s iconic monogram logo.

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