{"id":122933,"date":"2022-09-27T00:32:58","date_gmt":"2022-09-27T07:32:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/?p=122933"},"modified":"2026-04-01T01:45:10","modified_gmt":"2026-04-01T08:45:10","slug":"minimalism-vs-maximalism-interior-design-2022","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/daily-living\/minimalism-vs-maximalism-interior-design-2022\/","title":{"rendered":"Maximalism vs. Minimalism: Survey Shows Minimalism Is People\u2019s Favorite Interior Design Style, Despite Experts Touting Maximalism"},"content":{"rendered":"

Interior design is an ever-changing field and, at the start of each year, we all enjoy reading the predictions and betting on the top trends of the coming year<\/a>. For instance, while minimalism has been all the rage for a few years now, expert designers continue to foresee its demise and the escalation of its opposite \u2014 maximalism<\/a> \u2014 in a grand, post-minimalist<\/a> era. But, is that truly what people want for their homes?<\/p>\n

To find out if the predicted trends are in line with what people prefer, we recently surveyed our website visitors \u2014 renters looking for apartments on rentcafe.com<\/a> \u2014 regarding their preferences on interior design, color schemes, and the general home aesthetic they want and enjoy. Of the more than 12,000 survey respondents, the vast majority reported that they opted for the minimalist style \u2014 calm color schemes, soft lines and a relaxing atmosphere \u2014 thereby drawing a striking contrast between trends and reality.<\/p>\n

Most Interior Design Experts Predicted Maximalist Styles as the Most Popular in 2022<\/h2>\n

At the start of every new year, designers and influencers across social media love to denounce the classics and praise the new. So, to check on the status of the predictions made for this year, we researched more than 100 interior design publications and articles that covered the topic of 2022\u2019s trendiest design styles.<\/p>\n

We then filtered the publications even further, selecting only the most visited websites to see what the biggest names in interior design had to say about the minimalism versus maximalism paradigm for 2022. We found that 31 out of 53 big names predicted that minimalism would be out of style in 2022. These influencers also signaled the rise of maximalism, grandmillennial, cottagecore and cluttercore \u2014 all eclectic, busy design styles.<\/p>\n

Notably, from the vintage, grandma-inspired designs to the glorification of admitted clutter as an expression of self, these trends embrace the idea of a home being a constant stimulus that energizes and keeps us away from everyday boredom. And, while some staples were predicted to remain in the spotlight \u2014 such as black accents, abundant houseplants, luxe textiles or versatile furniture pieces \u2014 they\u2019re more akin to features than styles in and of themselves.<\/p>\n

In Reality, Minimalist Styles Are the Winners, Survey Shows<\/h2>\n

Next, let\u2019s see how that compares with what the survey participants had to say.<\/p>\n

Calm & Soothing Color Schemes Were Respondents\u2019 Clear Favorites<\/strong><\/h3>\n

When asked about color preferences, nearly three-quarters of respondents (73.5%) said they wanted a calm and soothing color palette<\/strong> in their homes. Clearly, color schemes that accommodate a versatile design and those that can be easily maintained tend to be the favorites. Specifically, neutral, muted hues and off-whites \u2014 combined with subtle, contrasting accents \u2014 usually make for the best color schemes to implement in homes and apartments. Conversely, colors that were dark and moody or vibrant and bold were far behind, preferred by only 15.2% and 11.3% of respondents, respectively.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n