8 Maximalist Christmas Decor Ideas for Max Holiday Cheer

Majorly Deck Out Your Tree

Your Christmas tree doesn't need to be plain and simple if you're looking for an opportunity to go bold. "There is no place where you can have more fun being a maximalist than your Christmas tree," home Instagrammer Stacy Harvie notes. "I love a full and bright tree of vintage ornaments." You'll want to be mindful about ornament spacing and sizing. "The secret to get that maximalist look is to layer different sizes of ornaments," Harvie notes. "Separate your ornaments by size then add the big ones first, then the medium ones, trying to almost put them next to each other on neighboring branches." Small ornaments should hang from the same branch as the larger ornaments, she adds. "If that still isn't full enough for you, add bows to the branches!"

If you'd rather stick to one particular color scheme, feel free. "I recently took a trip to Newport to see the mansions all decked out for the holidays and I fell in love with how the trees were decorated in such an over the top fashion—covered in colorful poinsettia flowers," home influencer Clare McLaughlin says. "I took the same approach to my own tree and used a set of blue, sparkling faux poinsettia blooms." 

Make Your Existing Pieces Shine—Literally

Why not use what you have as part of your seasonal display? "If you already lean toward a maximalist interior style, use that to your advantage by incorporating those pieces directly into your holiday decorating," designer Natalie Papier says. "String lights on anything will look festive without adding to the clutter!"

Get Nice and Cozy

It's getting chillier and chillier outside, so there's no reason not to embrace lots of layers in the home! "I love getting more maximalist around the holidays with an extra layer of decor," designer Kevin O'Gara says. "I tend to add a layer of pillows and throws to my seating—my favorites are always warm, neutral velvets and cozy textures like faux mohair that I can use anywhere." And it's more than ok to keep your year-round textiles in the mix, home blogger and Instagrammer Kate Dreyer says. "Don't be afraid to layer your traditional Christmas decor with everyday patterns. You'd be surprised at how great a plaid pillow can look when paired with palm leaf or leopard print!"

Play Up Existing Tones

Dreyer also enjoys going all out within a specific color family. "Take your cues from the colors you already have in your home," she advises. "Our dining room is filled with pastel tones, so I added holiday decor in those same shades to complement the existing design."

Master the Art of the Tablescape

Home Instagrammer Sara Raak knows a thing or two about how to design a showstopping tablescape. "When decorating your table for the holidays, the key to any fabulous and beautiful table is to add layers with different patterns, textures, and colors," she says. "You can do this by starting with a tablecloth, adding in placemats, chargers, dinner plates, appetizer plates, and topping with beautiful napkins, flatware, stemware and placecards." And here, the maximalist philosophy that more is more totally reigns true, Raak promises. "The more layers, the more interesting your table!"

Mix Colors and Metals

By now, it's clear that the concept of layering is a tried and true must do for maximalists! "Layer what you love, mixing plaids, colors, metallics, vintage, and holiday favorites altogether for a festive display," home blogger and Instagrammer Katherine Medlin says. O'Gara is also a fan of having fun with metals. "I always mix metallics in my holiday decor so I don’t have to choose one over another, although I usually stick to chrome silver finishes that I find mix-in more easily with any gold tones," he says.

Home Instagrammer Cerissa Fitz also enjoys decorating with metal accents and enjoys pairing them with natural elements. When the holidays arrive in her home, "we deck our tablescapes and mantels with all the brass candles we have, varying sizes and shapes add to the charm, and weave in pine cones," she explains.

Jazz Up the Mantel

Let Santa arrive down the chimney to a beautifully decorated mantel! Home Instagrammer Kate Beebe shared some foolproof tips for going all out in this nook. "The key to decorating your mantel like a true maximalist is coverage, to an extreme," she says. "Fill every open space with something interesting to catch the eye." Home blogger and Instagrammer Jessica Brigham agrees. "A steady smorgasbord of pattern, color, and texture is a sure recipe for a maximalist's Christmas mantel," she notes. So where's one to begin? "Add a pre-lit garland to start; and don’t hold back on embellishing your greenery to set the tone for the room," Beebe states. "Adorn with ornaments, faux flowers, jeweled stems, and ribbons—or get whimsical by adding candy canes, miniature bells, or even disco balls, because that’s how I roll."

Have Fun With Art

But, feel free to reserve some pieces for the December and December only. "I have a collection of 16 special Christmas pieces I only display during the holidays," home Instagrammer Mel Shaver-Durham shares. Giving favorite works special treatment just once a year ensures you won't get tired of these pieces easily!