Have We Betrayed Minimalism? | Elle Decor

Finn Juhl’s home

And yet, the Nordic style defined by ergonomic and practical furnishings has gone down in history as the trend of sober minimalism, which, worldwide, really began to flourish in 2016. Since that year in particular, the trend of crafting interiors faithful to a streamlined neutrality with white walls and wooden floors — which answered the demand for hygge environments — has spread like wildfire. “In 2016, when the millennial generation was setting the trends and the color pink, inflatable flamingos, and neon lettering on the walls dominated the scene, the New Yorker published a piece explaining that it was the year of hygge, a Danish word that can’t be translated into English (or Italian) but that was used over and over again to denote the lifestyle to which people aspired at the time: a sense of domestic comfort and reassuring coziness that was translated through social media with images of books surrounded by mugs and sweets and bright, cozy white houses amid mountains of pillows, layers of blankets, furry rugs, pretty cacti and streamers of lights on the walls,” wrote IlPost. Three years later, this style that had homogenized the world’s spaces, from homes to restaurants, was titled “AirSpace” by journalist Kyle Chayka — a phenomenon supported by the Internet of Things and Airbnb. “This style dominated for 10 to 15 years, largely because of the amplifying power of the Internet: it was that of the middle and younger class, the most visible on the Internet, and not necessarily that of those who could afford richer, more luxurious homes. Even at the time of its highest popularity, in fact, eccentric and maximalist designs were appreciated in other contexts.”

Living to the Max, Gestalten

But that doesn’t mean the eccentricity was waning: the trend for extravagance was just looking for the right figures to interpret it. India Mahdavi, in 2014, designed the Gallery hall for London’s Sketch, attracting Instagramers from around the world. Three years later, Gucci Decor by Alessandro Michele appealed to the masses by reclaiming numerous historic pieces, including some of Richard Ginori’s finest tableware. Then, in 2018, the Memphis group’s 40th birthday was celebrated at the Salone del Mobile in Milan, reminding us that extravagant colors and shapes respond to the search for spirit. It was a green light, then, for decor. And in 2020 — annus horribilis — we returned to thinking about the object. Things also hold a sense of time, remembrance and affection, so we once again found homes overflowing with heirlooms in full view, with mementos of trips to Texas, and with Asian souvenirs breaking up Western tastes. Later, in 2022, Giulio Iacchetti published the book Semplici Formalità (“Simple Formalities”)“Objects are like that: if they’re desired and attended to with true passion, they stay. You don’t part with them. Unwanted things, on the other hand, are quickly abandoned. And this could also be said of people, unfortunately or fortunately,” wrote the designer. “Objects are human expressions,” he later told us in an interview. “After all, they are artifacts. And like all human expressions, they attempt to touch on eternity. It’s as if we were demanding a need for infinity from the things we make, think and write. We live by this nostalgia that goes beyond the human dimension. Think of classical objects: they transcend time. They’re no longer tied to one contemporary, but are tied to all contemporaries. This is the theme of the classic, but more generally in all objects there survives a longing for the infinite.” So we’re back to preferring do it yourself furniture, as it reminds us of someone’s hands and imagination at work. Finally, in 2023, the book Living to the Max – Opulent Homes and Maximalist Interiors came out — a tribute to ornamentation with a gallery of images (to browse through) featuring truly colorful, object-filled homes.

Trattoria del Ciumbia, Milano

We like this trend. And — it seems — we don’t want to part with it. In Milan, we dine at new trendy places, embraced by projects where interior design impresses more than a well cooked dish. Trattoria del Ciumbia, designed by Dimorestudio and opened in January this year, shapes an eclectic space that also reflects the style of the Milanese neighborhood it inhabits: Brera. There, among the intertwined streets filled with flowers, Milan’s artistic avant-garde — from Piero Manzoni to Nanda Vigo — hopped between bohemian clubs in the 1950s. And therein lies the inspiration for the project. It’s also theatricality and color for the starred restaurant Contraste, newly renovated by Studio Debonademeo. The project engaged all the spaces, and today the restaurant has unveiled colorful draperies and a maximalism of expression engaging in a dialogue with period details. Here, the (new) identity is served. Inside and outside the house.

Constraste, Milan