Minimalism is out but maximalism isn't the answer
There’s a third way and it’s how I design homes that truly feel lived in.
Have you ever walked into a space that looked “perfect”… but felt absolutely nothing?
No warmth, no story, no texture, just silence disguised as style.
I see it constantly in New York: the minimalist white box that photographs beautifully but feels like a waiting room. Or the opposite: the maximalist apartment overflowing with personality but impossible to breathe in.
Most people think the only options are:
- minimalist calm
or
- maximalist expression
But these are shortcuts, not solutions. As a designer, my work lives in the third space: thoughtful design, where the home reflects both who you are and how you want to feel.
Where most designs go wrong
Minimalism empties the home until nothing is left but surfaces. Maximalism overfills it until nothing stands out. But thoughtful design?
It’s intentional. Emotional. Edited. Deeply personal.
It’s not about more or less.
It’s about essence. I don’t strip spaces down or dress them up, I translate the homeowner’s mind, personality and goals.
A story from my practice
Last year, I designed a Brooklyn Heights apartment for a client who had spent years living in a minimalist space because she thought it made her feel “organized.”
Yet when I walked into her home, I could feel her anxiety in the air.
Her walls were bare.
Her furniture was functional but cold.
Her life looked tidy, but not aligned.
During our consultation, she confessed that she couldn’t relax at home.
“It’s so empty I can hear my thoughts too loudly,” she said.
So I didn’t bring in maximalism.
I brought in herself.
We kept the clean architectural lines she loved, but added depth and emotional texture:
a suede bench in Klein-blue (her favorite color growing up in France),
an oversized abstract painting by an Israeli artist she connected with instantly,
warm brass lighting that softened the room at night,
a sculptural side table that grounded the space without cluttering it.
When the installation was done, she walked in and whispered:
“This finally feels like I live here”.
Not minimalist. Not maximalist.
Just hers: thoughtful, intimate and alive.
How I get there
My process isn’t a checklist.
It’s a conversation: between your history, your desires and the energy you want your home to hold.
I notice the things you don’t:
- the way your eyes linger on a texture,
- how your shoulders drop when the lighting shifts,
- the objects you touch unconsciously while we talk.
I design for that version of you.
The one who emerges when you feel safe and seen.
The result is a home that feels curated, not cluttered; warm, not chaotic; layered, not overwhelming.
Your home deserves more than a trend
Minimalism and maximalism are aesthetics.
Thoughtful design is an identity.
If your home no longer matches who you are, or who you’re becoming, this is your sign.
📞 Book a consultation with me