Not too long ago, I was scrolling through Instagram and found myself pausing at a picture that stood in stark contrast to the content that typically crowds my ‘Explore’ page. What I was looking at was the kitchen of English artist and educator Kath Hitchings. The vibrant, densely-populated space featured colourful chairs, quirky lights, patterned surfaces, plates that doubled as wall art and countless tea cups in every shape, size and shade. Intrigued, I decided to dig deeper and learnt that Hitchings’ unique aesthetic has a name–it’s called Cluttercore. The anti-minimalist décor trend, which is essentially about creating a beautiful, organised mess of sorts, has been making waves on social media for some time now. For proof of its popularity, look up #cluttercore and you will be greeted by close to 300,000 posts of homes that celebrate excess. To better understand the trend which is so much more than just maximalism, we reach out to five experts and ask them to not only explain what the term means but also share some tips on how the uninitiated can embrace it in their homes.
For those who are accustomed to subdued and sparse interiors, cluttercore, at first, can seem like pure chaos. However, upon closer examination, many discover that there’s actually a method to the madness. Snehal Mehta, one half of the duo behind interior design studio The SS Story, elaborates: “It might look like a lot of different things have been put together in a very random way but there’s actually a lot of precision–the kind of precision that’s not measured but visually felt and explored until the final, desired look is achieved.” This outcome, according to engineer-turned-interior designer Eshita Marwah, is often a space where the objects accumulated exude, above all else, a sense of familiarity and comfort. “I’ve lived away from home since I was very young and it’s the things that I’ve collected and moved with that give me a sense of belonging and familiarity wherever I go. Cluttercore celebrates individual style and taste,” she explains.
Study the many homes which have an aesthetic that falls comfortably in the ‘Cluttercore’ category and you’ll find that the one thing they have in common is a personal touch. While some veer towards nostalgia-inducing items like framed family pictures, travel souvenirs or books they’ve come to cherish over the years, others fill up rooms with furniture that tells tales about their personalities and preferences. “The sky's the limit with Cluttercore. The more significant idea is to create a space that holds everything that speaks to you, whether it’s art, photos, books or collectibles,” says Sarabjit Singh, founder and architectural designer of Villa Ortiga, a boutique architecture and interior design firm based in New Delhi.
Surrounding yourself with meaningful items that bring you joy sounds simple and even enjoyable but it can quickly become overwhelming if you don’t have a strategy in place. Nidhi Tiwari, founder of interior styling service Spaces and Stories, suggests starting by identifying a hero piece–one that binds all your belongings together. “The hero element is usually placed in such a way that it catches your eye as soon as you enter the space. It’s the focal point and can be anything from a large artwork to a multi-hued rug,” says Tiwari. While the centre of attention can vary from person to person, it has to be something that successfully sets the tone for the space. “It always helps if the hero is the largest, most colourful item so that it gives you a palette to work with. All the other elements can follow a similar colour story. It doesn’t have to be the exact same colours–it can be shades of it or even complementary colours,” adds Tiwari.
“THE HERO ELEMENT IS USUALLY PLACED IN SUCH A WAY THAT IT CATCHES YOUR EYE AS SOON AS YOU ENTER THE SPACE”Nidhi Tiwari
But, it’s important to note that if all your possessions come in statement, eye-catching hues, the room itself should be in a shade that brings balance to the busyness. “Always avoid using the same colours all over the space. If, for instance, I use bright props and objects, I can still use heavy patterns on the walls as long as they are in neutral hues. Soft, pastel colours enhance a bold palette,” says Karan Shandilya, principal architect at The Last Gold Fish Design Studio. Additionally, the introduction of certain objects can also assist in neutralising the space.
While Tiwari recommends plants and wooden finishings, Singh favours a cluster of mirrors–they add depth and can make crowded areas seem more spacious.
Once you’ve zeroed in on the primary and supporting pieces, the final (and most important) factor is arrangement. Cluttercore encourages displaying an abundance of objects but it’s more about strategically positioning them and less about piling them up sloppily in a corner. What distinguishes the trend from a generic mess is structure and this can be achieved through a few tried-and-tested techniques. “Play with proportions. Layer the objects in a way that you can see them all, even if they are close to each other,” says Tiwari. Marwah subscribes to a similar philosophy. “Grouping objects of varied sizes and heights adds interest to the space, seems more aesthetically pleasing and suggests some thought has gone into it all,” she concludes, reiterating that getting creative with chaos is what lies at the heart of Cluttercore.