From Minimalist Restraint to Stylish Freedom: How Three Recovering Minimalists Rediscovered Their Pizzazz

It used to be a home, but now it’s “a sterile museum.” That’s how Colleen Bennett, a North Carolina–based designer and founder of
CBB Design Firm
describes her ongoing work. Recently, she helped clients dispose of approximately three decades’ worth of possessions, only for them to feel an emptiness within their own home afterward. Consequently, they reached out to Bennett to assist in infusing character back into the area after decluttering. “It didn’t take long before they understood they were unable to entirely do away with
everything
,” says Bennett.

Architecture + Design

Minimalist Interior Design: Everything You Need to Know About This Intentional and Pared-Down Style

Frequently perceived as a rejection of extravagance, this style encompasses much more than just white walls and sparsely furnished spaces.

Ten years ago,
minimalism
was on the rise in ways previously unseen. In 2015,
Time
listed Marie Kondo as one of the world’s most impactful individuals; Netflix aired its widely watched docuseries
Minimalism
The subsequent year saw many houses become sleek, modern, and efficient—but somewhat bare—by the close of the 2010s. However, some adherents to minimalism, such as Bennett’s clientele, soon discovered that this style did not necessarily ensure the joy it had promised.

Today there are echoes of a similar minimalist sentiment:
Massive purging
are gaining momentum, indicating an upward shift. As these patterns continue to grow, we can observe “صند
de-influencing
” and “
underconsumption core
” are disrupting TikTok and Instagram feeds, which feast on fast fashion and an e-comm empire. To be clear, these are mostly positive things. There is nothing wrong with living with less, and consuming more consciously is better for the Earth. But as certain minimalist tempers make their way back into popular culture, it’s worth questioning whether life as a more thoughtful consumer has to look like an empty room. Perhaps a happy, healthy home actually needs a junk drawer, random clutter, and lots of, well,
stuff
. Below,
AD
conversed with three design enthusiasts who embraced minimalism about why they reverted to their previous styles.

Brian Patrick Flynn

Minimalist from 2015–2023

A space devoid of layered textures and patterns ends up feeling bare. For an interior decorator, this can be a challenge.
Brian Patrick Flynn
, that silence was spirit-breaking. The
Atlanta-based HGTV designer
lives in a 1965 midcentury-modern ranch with his husband, their baby, and dogs. He’s known for his bold, colorful, and playful designs. But in 2015, Flynn and his partner were DINKS (double income, no kids) and wanted to try living in a very “austere home” that was more about celebrating the vintage ranch’s angles.

What attracted me to minimalism was the concept of including only essential items needed for daily activities within a space,” he says. “I took the less-is-more philosophy quite seriously, painting all the floors and walls in the primary areas an ultra-white color and omitting area rugs altogether to maintain a highly minimalist look.

For several years, he enjoyed it immensely. “Each room contained everything needed to fulfill its role, with an additional standout oversized item.”
art
to balance it all.”

However, with the onset of the pandemic, “It was then that I began to understand how happiness derived from [color] comforted me during these unpredictable periods, prompting an appreciation for my young nieces’ and nephews’ elementary artwork. This led me to contemplate transforming every area into something far more exuberant and individualistic.”

Currently, the house seems more genuine. “To put it simply, I feel much more ‘myself’ since my home is filled with items that no one else possesses,” he explains. “Moreover, being a father to a one-year-old daughter means each area is designed playfully and child-safe. These qualities along with minimalism just don’t complement each other.”

Flynn’s house is noisy once more due to bold statement pieces and expansive entrances. “To create an impressive entryway for the living room,” he explains, “I commissioned doors that stand at ten feet tall with arches and channels. The previous doors were perfectly adequate, yet this monumental design element fills me with delight. Additionally, the substantial collection of artwork displayed around these doorways greatly enhances my happiness.”

For people aiming to revitalize their homes, Flynn mentioned that his favorite technique is to
reupholster furniture
.”Finding a durable item isn’t always simple nowadays, so I prefer to hold onto things whenever feasible and simply change the material,” he explains. The parlor of Flynn has been updated with a bespoke Norwalk sofa covered in teal Sunbrella performance fabric placed under a square frame measuring 48 inches by 48 inches.
Karen Musgraves
Pop Art inspired rubber duck artwork.

He still adores the school artwork sent by his nieces and nephews. He says, “It’s incredible how much a bit of matte finish and a proper frame can enhance a basic pencil drawing or fingerprint art.”

Col Connelly and Ari Garcia

Minimalists from 2014-2017

Col Connelly and Ari Garcia shun minimalism as a Gore-Tex jacket would repel raindrops.
queer couple
have become popular for their home renovation videos, particularly their
purple “catio
“—a patio tailored for their felines. The
Chicago
During its peak, homeowners felt coerced into adopting minimalist lifestyles, but in the end, they claimed that this approach turned out to be unsuccessful.

We both admired minimalism and felt a great deal of guilt about it.”
maximalist
tendencies,” the couple tell
AD
over email. “The trend felt like if you had too much ‘stuff’ then you’re messy and materialistic. Even though we didn’t necessarily agree with that, we still felt the pressure to have less in our surroundings.”

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Maximlist Interior Design: All You Should Understand About This Vibrant and Dynamic Approach

Characterized by vibrant hues and designs, these interior spaces exemplify the delight found in adopting a less-is-not-enough approach.

Although the KonMari Method at that time focused on getting rid of items that no longer brought happiness, Connelly and Garcia immediately felt remorseful about the process due to the sorrow caused by the loss of their scarce possessions.
vintage finds
felt much worse than the joy of a
tidy home
“It was nearly like an all-or-nothing scenario,” they comment. “There were many items we would not have let go of otherwise. This also prevented us from getting close to
garage sales
, which is the true tragedy.”

The journey toward healing for this couple revolves around transforming their living space into a testament of their shared experiences, filled with vibrant memories, heartfelt mementos, and quirky knick-knacks they once felt ashamed to desire. They have decided to embrace these elements instead.
thrift
on
Facebook Marketplace
or at garage sales has helped displace some of their former guilt around adding new items to their home. Now, the pair say that more than 95% of the things in their home have been purchased secondhand or passed along from a friend as a gift or a trade.

Now that we permit ourselves small keepsakes, it’s delightful to find them scattered throughout the home and recall memories,” they explain. “We enjoy having fun and feel thrilled to relive all our shared adventures via these miniature items we collect over time. In short, when we reach 60 years old, our estate sale is bound to be quite something.
lit
.”

Erica Reitman

Minimalist from 2018-2024

Former interior designer
Erica Reitman
has balanced maximalism and minimalism akin to a complicated love triangle
Jane Austen
–level yearning. The
marketing agency owner
Currently resides in a 750-square-foot house in Northeast
LA
However, over the past six years, her family divided their time between living there and in Mexico. The dwelling there was extremely simple.

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One-of-a-kind art pieces, paint hues, and fabrics transform these areas into exceptionally captivating environments.

It was like having two different personalities sharing one space,” she explains. “We’ve been owners of our Los Angeles home for a decade, and it has always had quite distinct characteristics.
maximalist
at the end of the spectrum. I dove in completely.
boho
In those days, there were tassels.
pampas grass
There were numerous baskets.”

In 2018, she relocated with her family to Mexico, initially settling in San Miguel de Allende before moving onwards.
Mexico City
—and did not bring anything along: ‘They left behind all furniture, artwork, and trinkets,’ she explains. Their urban dwelling featured polished concrete flooring, bare cement walls, and large windows—an almost complete contrast to their residence in Los Angeles. ‘To indulge my penchant for maximalism, I would return periodically as though visiting an old friend.’
weird ex
I wasn’t quite over.”

Minimalism offers a calming mental state by eliminating excessive clutter. However, it has also gained recognition for this aspect.
greige
The trope that Reitman discovered is not an absolute principle. “I incorrectly believed that if I desired a
neutral palette
, it had to be minimalist, and if I wanted color, I had to be maximalist—like those were the rules,” she said. “Spoiler alert: They’re not. And I now know you can go maximalist and neutral.”

The previous year, Reitman relocated back to Los Angeles permanently and marked this as the moment when she moved away from minimalist living. She recalls, “As soon as I stepped inside, I thought, ‘Man, I really missed having all my things around me.'” By saying “all my things,” she doesn’t refer to clutter; instead, she means carefully selected antique items, unique trinkets found at flea markets, and those special possessions that seem so valuable they might have been sourced from an upscale platform like 1stDibs.

However, boho? She’s unfamiliar with her nowadays. Reitman now focuses on achieving equilibrium in decoration using neutral colors that still incorporate abundant textures. Additionally, every item is sourced through thrifting.

I’ve also gotten quicker at letting go of things that are no longer useful,” she says. “My former self used to keep ‘just in case’ items. Now, I donate or resell them as soon as possible.
get the ick
Do I still have a decoration closet rather than a linen closet? Yes, I do. However, we don’t have to discuss that.”