Say Hello to Home Decor Tips Filled with Color, Pattern, and Soul. In Relaxed Maximalism, we invite you to break free from the constraints of minimalist design and embrace the joy of a life well-lived through maximalist decor. From minimalist to maximalist home decor. In this comprehensive guide to creating a Relaxed Max home, we address the common concerns of those who want to avoid minimalist austerity without descending into cluttered chaos. How do you infuse your space with personality without sacrificing harmony? How do you mix colors, patterns, textures, and vintage finds to create maximalist décor? For fans of interior design books . Maximalism, often misunderstood as a style with no rules, is in fact a carefully curated approach that requires knowledge and experience to achieve harmony. Our aim is to entertain, inspire, and enable you on your journey to Relaxed Maximalism. Through beautiful photographs, sketches, top tips, and real room breakdowns, we guide you through every step of the decorating process. Inside, you’ll find: Tips to transform your home into a sanctuary of style and comfort. - A step by step into the world of maximalist interior design. - A home décor guide to discovering the freedom to express yourself like never before. If you liked How to Live with Objects , Design the Home You Love , or Secrets of Home Staging , you’ll love Relaxed Maximalism. “A beautiful and thoughtfully crafted book to help you max up your life!” —Becca Anderson, bestselling author of Badass Affirmations and The Book of Awesome Women “I am an interior stylist, interior decorator, and content creator. My love of interiors has moved slowly from hobby…to side hustle…to taking centre stage in my life!” Sarah Laming is an interior stylist and content creator. She began her working life in advertising and then teaching. Nine years ago, she began her studies in interior deocration at Chelsea College of Arts and has been styling interiors ever since. Her Instagram account @hometomakeyousmile has grown a following of over 1.2 million in only three years. Her more recent TikTok account has grown to 100K in a little over a year. Her reels and Tiktoks consistently go viral and have been viewed well over 100 million times around the world. Pooky Lights recently described Sarah as an “Instagram Interiors phenomenon.” Laming regularly partners with brands on content creation, she advises clients on interior design, and her work has been featured in magazines and on blogs. She was named as one of the Top 10 Maximalist Interiors Accounts by The Spruce, was one of Homes and Antiques Top 10 Interiors Accounts to Follow on Instagram in 2022. Recently, Bustle described her TikTok account as, “Maximalism but with a relaxed twist.” Laming’s style is a laid back, Relaxed Maximalism. It draws on the very British history of English country house design but with a modern twist. She lives in London, England, with her family and Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Welcome to the journey If you have picked up this book, I’m guessing that you don’t want a minimalist, perfect-looking home, where everything has its place or is hidden in a drawer! Polished, neat, immaculate styling just isn’t your cup of tea. Perhaps the Relax Max look might work better for you. How do you create your own Relax Max home – a space that is uniquely yours but doesn’t feel cluttered or overwhelming? If you are steering clear of minimalism, how do you not have a messy home?  How do you strike the balance between carefree, casual décor and a sense of order?  How do you mix pattern, colour and texture without it feeling chaotic? Where on earth do you even begin?! Relax Max embraces the fact that transforming the look and feel of your home is not a task, it’s a glorious journey – one that’s deeply personal.  This journey holds the potential to infuse your home with something special, making it as unique as you are.   In this book, my aim is to offer guidance and inspiration on this journey—for you to make your home truly yours, a place you love. Remember, it won’t always be perfect! Your home may (hopefully) have its imperfections, bumps, and scratches, and no doubt some unfinished jobs, but it will always be stylish and inspiring. Above all, it will be uniquely you! But, don’t worry, I won’t leave you hanging when it comes to the specifics. I'll delve into the particular choices you'll need to make in certain areas: how to choose colours and mix patterns, how to layer decor and style corners, and how to craft rooms that feel cosy yet whimsical. I'll guide you on finding vintage treasures and combining them with modern, practical buys. With these insights, I hope you'll be well-equipped to create your own "Relax Max" home—a home that makes you smile. Sarah x