Just the mention of the word cluttercore might have some people tilting their heads. To others, the word "clutter" might invoke mental images of dirt, dust, and chaos. While this maximalist aesthetic is essentially anti-minimalism, the design trend is far from dingy but, perhaps, actually bordering on chaotic. 

This interior design trend skyrockets through social media apps like TikTok and Instagram, with the content gaining thousands of watches and likes. So, what exactly is this eclectic maximalist design trend? Read on to discover exactly what makes the aesthetic TikTok rooms of cluttercore so enticing and inviting.

What is Cluttercore?

This exciting and innovative movement is a maximalist aesthetic design trend for living spaces that has gained massive traction in recent years. A breakaway from minimalist design that has been the mainstay in design for decades, cluttercore boasts eclectic groupings of well-loved objects throughout your living space. 

A cluttercore room contains explosions of colors and texture to create a clutter aesthetic using methods such as a: 

• Mismatched wall of clutter art all in different colored frames

• Bookcase stuffed with tchotchkes and knick-knacks

• Furniture from every decade sharing the same space in a breakfast nook

The mental imagery from these descriptions may sound overwhelming, and that is more or less the point of this eclectic maximalist design trend. 

The heart of this maximalist house trend is cocooning yourself in your living space with beautiful things that bring moments of joy. By surrounding yourself with things that bring you comfort and happiness, cluttercore physically and mentally encapsulates you with all of the things that make you smile.

Elements of Cluttercore

1. No Clutter, Just Cluttercore

While “clutter” is in the name, cluttercore is not unwashed dishes hiding under the bed or stacks of mail sprawling over the kitchen table; it takes the cluttered room aesthetic to a whole new level. 

This anti-minimalism trend leans more toward the appreciation of mismatched and disjointed pieces rather than the accumulation of trash. In a cluttercore apartment, a variety of colorful and mismatched bowls could be neatly stacked in an open-facing cupboard. 

Think of this design trend as more of a museum where every piece sits right next to each other rather than being placed several feet or rooms apart. All of the things that cocoon you in joy and bliss are sharing space, and that collection of colors, textures, and patterns is what highlights the cluttercore aesthetic.

2. Eye-Catching Pieces

While the minimalist clutter trend will have you hiding even your most essential devices in cupboards to create a stark and empty environment, the anti-minimalism spirit of this trend begs you to put all of your loved pieces on display. 

Not only does every loved piece create an opportunity for conversation, but visibly interacting daily with the things that bring you joy creates an atmosphere of comfort within you and your home.

The eclectic maximalism of this trend welcomes every person’s style. While a minimalist house might have two of the same size and color pillows on a couch, this design aesthetic welcomes you to heap any and every size, shape, color, or patterned pillow on your couch.

3. Mixed Patterns, Textures, and Colors

This eclectic maximalist design trend is inherently stimulating and eye-catching. Say you have a beautiful zebra print blanket that you’ve kept since you were a child, and you recently bought a floral print throw that you just had to have. You love them both and want to display them in your home but you’re not sure if they quite “go” together. This design trend will have you layering the zebra and floral print blankets over your couch, as well as throwing on some loud and vibrant couch pillows in varying sizes.

Some people might call this a design faux pas. However, cluttercore design welcomes the mix of everything that brings you joy. After all, you are the one person that spends the most time in your home, why not make it a comfortable reflection of you and all that you love?

4. A Cocoon of Happiness

If you happen to scour the internet for cluttercore design tips, you won’t necessarily find any, since this anti-minimalism design trend is essentially in the eye of the beholder. With that being said, the final, and arguably the most important aspect of this maximalist aesthetic, is that it is a reflection of you and all that brings you safety and comfort. When you listen to which objects in your home bring you the most joy and put them on display, this maximalist aesthetic will eventually follow.

With a better understanding of what cluttercore entails, it becomes clear that this eclectic maximalist design trend is more about essence than it is about certain objects. During the pandemic when most everybody had to stay inside for extended amounts of time, pandemic decluttering took place in many homes. 

Whether it was going through all of the boxes you never had time to go through or rearranging the house on a whim, the time spent indoors made people reevaluate how they lived and started curating spaces to make them happier and more comfortable. While living in a world that is constantly changing and consistently uncertain, welcoming a design trend that fosters a comforting and safe environment might be exactly what everyone needs.