Sign up for free to receive regular updates on Interiors. You’ll get a myFT Daily Digest email every morning, summarizing the latest news in the world of Interiors. Nowadays, clutter is no longer seen as a negative thing in homes, as long as it is displayed properly. In the past, aristocratic homes were filled with knick-knacks from all over the world, and today, thanks to mass production, we have even more stuff. However, there is an art to turning clutter into something beautiful: it’s called “cluttercore”. This trend is all about expertly arranging and styling objects, textures, and colors to create a maximalist look.
To achieve cluttercore, it’s important to maintain some order amidst the chaos. Every corner, surface, bowl, basket, or stack of magazines is an opportunity to create a visually appealing arrangement. Visual merchandisers are great at this. Take inspiration from Petersham Nurseries, who are masters at displaying plants and vases in large groupings.
Thomas Broom-Hughes, director of horticulture at Petersham, suggests grouping objects with a similar style and patina together. For example, if you’re displaying a collection of pots, stick to the same finish, such as terracotta. This same principle can be applied to any type of object in your home. The key is to pair like objects together.
“When using objects and plants in abundance, it’s a good idea to start with a statement piece, like a large plant or vase of flowers, and then build your collection of pots and objects around it,” says Broom-Hughes. “If you’re creating a display on shelves, start with larger pieces at the bottom and gradually decrease the size as you go up.”
Lucinda Chambers, former British Vogue fashion director and co-founder of Collagerie, has a home in west London that embodies the cluttercore trend. Her home is filled with patterns, ceramics, and artwork. She describes her style as “eclectic on a good day and a mix when life gets chaotic”. To create harmony amidst the excitement, she keeps clusters of objects to one tone.
“In rooms full of color, I tend to create a monochromatic shelf or mantelpiece,” she says. For example, she arranges white ceramics on her red living room shelves. “If you have collections of things, it’s nice to group them together so they can interact. If they’re very different from each other, it can become chaotic!”
Chambers suggests adding pops of color to neutral rooms. “I’m currently painting a room pale lilac and will be adding a neon orange chair and red candlesticks to disrupt what my husband calls ‘ghastly good taste’,” says Chambers. “I’m constantly rearranging things until they find their perfect place. And always give objects room to breathe by leaving space around them.”
Chambers finds inspiration in interior designer Tobias Vernon’s town house in Bath. “It’s a mix of styles that I love,” she says. “A modern painting paired with a mid-century modern sofa creates excitement while still feeling harmonious.”
The key to creating unity in a home filled with stuff is to sort and contain. It’s helpful to audit each room, mantelpiece, or tabletop one at a time, asking yourself what you like, what you don’t like, and what could be changed. Jodie Hazlewood from The House Upstairs suggests mixing animal print and bold colors to add texture and color to a room. She loves that fabric can be easily changed as your tastes evolve.
Balance is crucial when designing a room, says Hazlewood. She follows the maximalist rule of incorporating a stripe, small print, large-scale print, animal print, and plain fabric when mixing prints in a room. She also uses animal print in place of neutral colors, as it pairs well with bright tones and other prints.
Creating a cluttercore look is all about curating and clever storage. With a bit of effort, you can turn your clutter into a stylish statement. Stay updated with the latest stories by following @FTProperty on Twitter or @ft_houseandhome on Instagram.
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