Maximalism 101: The Art of the Vignette
Photo by Donna Griffith
I love a moment! I love a grouping! I love a gaggle of treasured finds and sentimental gems! Cooly curated and considered, a brief moment of respite filled with artistic excess is right up my alley. And as a self-proclaimed maximalist, you bet layers and layers of more is more is my go-to recipe for styling the perfect vignettes.
Whether its a #shelfie moment or an over-the-top coffee table display, I am here for the textured layers, colourful patterns, and curated collections to show off all the things that I love. My tried and true tips though? I’m glad you asked!
When in doubt, layer up!
Photo by Donna Griffith
I have no rules when it comes to what to put in a vignette (if I love it, it’s in), but I tend to be more disciplined when it comes to how things are grouped. My favourite budget-friendly hack is believing you don’t need an entire collection to create something meaningful - just a few of the same objects…and always in odd numbers (5 horn cups, not 6!)...and always varying sizes and scale for visual interest! I’m also a big believer in layers, stacks, nests and piles to ensure that items are at varying depths and heights. For me, it’s all about engaging the eye. Whether it’s a vase with leggy branches or stacks of books, I like to draw the eye upwards and then ground it with something weighty like a tray or treasured object.
Embrace Art
Photo by Donna Griffith
This little vignette is from my living room. I love to hang little works inside a bookcase, on drapery panels behind a bed, or even just lean a piece against a pile of books. This piece here is by Toronto artist, Kaitlin Mason who captures fabric as an art form. Using coloured pencils. On plywood. Its modern and dainty scale against this stately gold gilded mirror is unexpected, but it works. Art is versatile.
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall
Photo by Kim Jeffries
Bold and loud, I love when a vignette is amplified by a reflecting mirror behind it. Mirrors bring on depth and perspective by magnifying colour and light. The corner of our Design Studio is an ever-revolving vignette featuring the pieces we have available for sale on our shop, and when set against this high-gloss leaf mirror, they positively pop!
Flower Power
Photo by Donna Griffith
Can you smell that? It’s spring! With budding season just around the corner, I am itching to add a little floral drama to my home. Blooms literally turn up the volume on the quiet corners of my home with the life they add. From hydrangeas to hyacinths, the beauty of maximalist decor lies in sensory overload, and nothing says “honey, I’m home!” like a bouquet of fresh-cut, sensationally scented flowers.
Switch it up!
Photo by Donna Griffith
If I earned a penny for every time my husband or boys asked, “you’re changing it…again?!”, I wouldn’t have to penny-pinch my decor budget by rearranging things, but I love it! I love moving things around, arranging and rearranging things. I love playing with new ways to layer and group things. I love the thrill of creating something new out of the familiar and known. And that’s the fun of vignettes! Just because you figured out the “perfect” vignette doesn’t mean it can’t change with the season or your own whimsies!
So, please! No more rooms with just furniture. Your home is not a showroom. It should reflect your travels, your passions, your interests. Add art to the walls, books to the tables, and little “objet” in between. The thrill of the hunt is the most fun part and displaying your “spoils” is the icing on the cake!
XO,