"I turned my home into a maximalist haven"
- 4 months ago
Woman decorated her entire home with bright colours and patterns to create maximalist haven - and says it's "impossible to feel depressed" there.
Salomé Ava Maisonnoire, 33, grew up with an interior designer for a mother - and found herself gravitating to "bold art".
So when the pandemic hit, Salomé used the extra time for a full maximalist makeover of her home.
With the help of her partner, artist John Lanthier, 31, over time every room was decked with bright tapestries, artworks and rainbow accessories.
Salomé, an e-commerce masters student based in Montreal, Canada, wanted to create "a place [she] would feel good in" and says she found a lot of the items in thrift stores and upcycled them herself.
Despite the striking decor, she said she is always on the hunt for new ways to add to her home and improve it even more.
Salomé, who is originally from Limoges, France, said: "Plain is not my vibe, I would feel boring to me.
"It’s an ongoing process, it took years to get to how it is now. I add more things as I find them.
"The feedback I receive it that is impossible to feel depressed in my place - and I strongly feel that way.
"If you're surrounded by what you see as beauty, you feel happy and like you're living a happy life. I do think it affects your brain."
Salomé moved to Canada from her home in France to study 12 years back.
She had been collecting items like her Indian tapestries ever since moving to Montreal, but it wasn't until 2020 that she decided to go all-out.
Over the lockdowns she designed her home in her unique style - often painting and re-painting until she achieved the desired look.
She met her partner John in 2021, at the art gallery where he works - and the couple quickly discovered they share a love of all things maximalist.
When he moved in she had the chance to use some of his bold, bright artworks in their home, and her vision came to life.
Salomé said: "I decided I could go bold with the décor.
"I wanted to make my home look like a place I would feel good in."
She often finds her items second-hand after scouring through markets and thrift stores.
She'll then often upcycle them herself to create a unique piece perfect for she and John's maximalist haven.
She said: "I choose the colours and John helps me paint and upcycle.
"This kind of décor its an investment in terms of time rather than money.
"You don’t have to pay a lot but invest a lot of time in finding stuff and upcycling new stuff.
"The home is constantly evolving but I always select items that fit that maximalist vibe."
Salomé admitted her home isn't to everyone's taste, but, much like her interior designer mother, has never been a fan of minimalism.
She said plain white rooms feel "like being at a hospital" whereas a mix of patterns and colours feels like "therapy" because it's stimulating.
Salomé Ava Maisonnoire, 33, grew up with an interior designer for a mother - and found herself gravitating to "bold art".
So when the pandemic hit, Salomé used the extra time for a full maximalist makeover of her home.
With the help of her partner, artist John Lanthier, 31, over time every room was decked with bright tapestries, artworks and rainbow accessories.
Salomé, an e-commerce masters student based in Montreal, Canada, wanted to create "a place [she] would feel good in" and says she found a lot of the items in thrift stores and upcycled them herself.
Despite the striking decor, she said she is always on the hunt for new ways to add to her home and improve it even more.
Salomé, who is originally from Limoges, France, said: "Plain is not my vibe, I would feel boring to me.
"It’s an ongoing process, it took years to get to how it is now. I add more things as I find them.
"The feedback I receive it that is impossible to feel depressed in my place - and I strongly feel that way.
"If you're surrounded by what you see as beauty, you feel happy and like you're living a happy life. I do think it affects your brain."
Salomé moved to Canada from her home in France to study 12 years back.
She had been collecting items like her Indian tapestries ever since moving to Montreal, but it wasn't until 2020 that she decided to go all-out.
Over the lockdowns she designed her home in her unique style - often painting and re-painting until she achieved the desired look.
She met her partner John in 2021, at the art gallery where he works - and the couple quickly discovered they share a love of all things maximalist.
When he moved in she had the chance to use some of his bold, bright artworks in their home, and her vision came to life.
Salomé said: "I decided I could go bold with the décor.
"I wanted to make my home look like a place I would feel good in."
She often finds her items second-hand after scouring through markets and thrift stores.
She'll then often upcycle them herself to create a unique piece perfect for she and John's maximalist haven.
She said: "I choose the colours and John helps me paint and upcycle.
"This kind of décor its an investment in terms of time rather than money.
"You don’t have to pay a lot but invest a lot of time in finding stuff and upcycling new stuff.
"The home is constantly evolving but I always select items that fit that maximalist vibe."
Salomé admitted her home isn't to everyone's taste, but, much like her interior designer mother, has never been a fan of minimalism.
She said plain white rooms feel "like being at a hospital" whereas a mix of patterns and colours feels like "therapy" because it's stimulating.