Maximalism is a design style that encourages excess. It is the polar opposite of Minimalism .

The visual aesthetic of maximalism has existed throughout history as a method of displaying status, wealth, and religious grandeur. While the specific term is modern, the practice of horror vacui (the fear of empty space) was a defining characteristic of the Baroque and Rococo periods. During the 17th and 18th centuries, architecture and interiors were designed with extreme ornamentation to evoke awe. The Victorian era further established this through the practice of eclecticism, where domestic interiors were filled with dense collections of commodities, furniture, and textiles drawn from various global cultures and historical periods.

In the contemporary era, maximalism experienced a significant resurgence following the 2008 recession. While the 2010s were largely dominated by minimalist trends such as "Millennial Minimal" and Scandinavian Design , the late 2010s and early 2020s saw a pendulum swing back toward excess. This modern iteration is often less focused on the display of expensive luxury goods and more centered on personal expression, nostalgia, and comfort. It manifests in internet aesthetics such as Cluttercore , Dopamine Dressing , and Gen Z Maximalism , which encourage the curation of sentimental objects and the rejection of sterile living spaces.

Considered an abstract concept in Post Modern Literature, the American Fiction: A-Z, Volume II describes the term The term " “maximalist fiction,” or maximalism, meanwhile, denotes fictional works, particularly novels, that are unusually long and complex, are digressive in style, and make use of a wide array of literary devices and techniques. " Maximalist literature lavishes their text with descriptions and information, and borrow from various techniques and genres to tell their story.