Minimalism had its moment: now designers say this aesthetic is dominating 2026 - Silicon Canals
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Minimalism had its moment: now designers say this aesthetic is dominating 2026 - Silicon Canals
"Remember when everyone's Instagram feed looked the same? White walls, one succulent, maybe a single black coffee mug on an empty marble counter. For years, we stripped our spaces down to their bones, convinced that less was always more. But walk into any design showroom today, and you'll see something radically different: rooms drowning in color, walls wrapped in texture, spaces that actually look like humans live in them."
"The pandemic played a huge role here. When we were stuck at home for months on end, those pristine white boxes we'd created suddenly felt less like sanctuaries and more like prisons. We needed warmth. We needed personality. We needed our spaces to do more than just photograph well. There's also a generational aspect at play. While millennials embraced minimalism as a reaction to their parents' McMansions and overconsumption, Gen Z seems to view it as performative and restrictive."
Interior design has shifted from minimalist, sparse aesthetics toward a colorful, textured maximalist revival that emphasizes personality and warmth. Spaces now prioritize layered fabrics, saturated hues, and curated collections that make rooms feel lived-in. The pandemic intensified the turn away from pristine white environments by revealing their sterility during prolonged home confinement. Younger generations, especially Gen Z, view strict minimalism as performative and prefer interiors that showcase individual interests and stories. Designers blend select minimalist principles with abundant color and texture to create modern maximalist spaces that feel personal rather than cluttered.
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