Trend alert: Cosy Maximalism
Cosy Maximalism is a trend that has literally just appeared out of nowhere. Look at this data from Pinterest showing how searches for the term have absolutely exploded in literally the last few weeks. This is a trend emerging before our very eyes.
What is Cosy Maximalism?
An expression of personality through interior design which uses a curated collection of meaningful items to decorate a room and help it feel cosy, comfy and inviting. It’s a feast for the eyes and the mind. And is a world apart from cookie cutter Scandi-stylings of sleek lines and mid-century minimalism.
These are rooms that tell stories of travel, passion and music. Of gastronomy and the search for self-fulfilment, using pictures, books, fabrics and wallpapers. It’s a place which encompasses you. Your own Sherlock mind palace.
What is it not?
It is not ‘Clutter Core’ Cosy Maximalism is more than the aggregation of random elements into a room. That’s just hoarding!
Where did Cosy Maximalism come from?
Looking through the archives the term Cosy Maximalism hasn’t really popped up that much in the interiors and design media over the last few years. Kate Watson Smyth mentioned it on Mad About The House blog back in 2019, when she noted how the popularity of pared-back Scandi minimalism was giving way to a more expressive trend. A year before that it was used in a homes and interiors feature in a Yorkshire newspaper (Bradford’s Telegraph and Argus).
However recently it’s being used more and more on platforms such as Reddit: r/maximalism (first mention Feb 2022); TikTok – the place which spawned #Cottagecore – where it was used alongside that #, as well as others such as #cozymaxdecor; and of course Pinterest where it has just exploded.
Will it last?
We think it will endure. It fits a lot of current sensibilities around mental well-being, repurposing, passing-on of keepsakes. It’s more grounded in current values than last-year’s social-media inspired trends such as Barbiecore and Cottagecore:
Barbiecore – peaked August 2022, in decline ever since. Main audience demographic: female 18 to 24
Cottagecore – Peaked April 2022, in decline ever since. Main audience demographic: female 18 to 24
By contrast Cosy/Cozy Maximalism appeals to a more mature audience – the one with the spending power – rather than to a millennial audience who get bored and quickly move on to the next thing.
What does all this mean?
There’s an opportunity to benefit from this current surge of activity both across retail and media.
If you have products which fit into this trend, update your meta keywords, update your Press Loft keywords if you use the platform and update the product descriptions on your website to include it. Perhaps create a Cosy Maximalist collection on your webstore.
And keep an eye on our blog/socials for more emerging trends.
