Interior design: Nonna-maxxing for the young at heart 

The new nonna-maxxing design trend highlights an appreciation for artisanal dinnerware - the hand-made and the hand-painted - rather than fast-fashion items. Photo by CORI HALPERN INTERIORS

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The nonna maxxing trend has arrived as if right on cue.  

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Not that it ever actually disappeared from the kitchens of actual Italian nonnas, but its resurgence among interior design blogs coincides with our current cultural quagmire of economic anxiety and high inflation.   

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When young people cannot even afford a house, luxury becomes downsized, which is not to minimize nonna maxxing in any sense of the word. It’s taking pleasure in the small thrift finds, inherited treasures, and the unique minutiae of everyday living.  

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So what defines the interior design trend of Nonna Maxxing? First comes the colour palette – terra cottas, soft creams, and olive greens may sit in contrast with vibrant lemon yellows or tomato reds. A lemon-themed tablecloth would do nicely, for example.  

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Nonna-maxxing can be viewed as a backlash against years of decor with white walls and large open spaces. Photo by CORI HALPERN INTERIORS

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Next, imagine a kitchen built for “slow food” cooking, just like nonna might have – thick, well-used cutting boards (no plastics in this kitchen!), a basil plant in a hand-painted, terracotta pot, collected ceramics that don’t necessarily match, and heirloom furniture pieces.  

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This new design trend highlights an appreciation for artisanal dinnerware – the hand-made and hand-painted – rather than fast-fashion items purchased from places like Homesense, which ironically are often created to look “vintage”. 

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“The Baby Boomers are also starting to downsize and are therefore passing on family treasures,” explains Toronto-based Cynthia Ferguson of Cynthia Ferguson Designs. “With the backlash against fast fashion, we are seeing the same trend in homes. There is a real pushback against mass-produced furniture and vintage is all the rage now. Reinventing Mom’s favourite chair with a fabulous new fabric or giving Granny’s writing desk a new purpose as a bar perhaps, is an incredible new way to integrate family pieces into your home.”  

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Ferguson agrees that nonna maxxing has become a trend in part because of uncertain, turbulent times. “Decorating, like fashion, is greatly influenced by economic and social indicators,” she says.  

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“In my opinion, the popularity of nonna maxxing comes from people craving a return to familiar spaces that made us feel safe and cozy.” These include kitchens with open shelves displaying a collection of ceramic bowls or antique plates, hanging copper pots and pans, woven fiber baskets or place settings, and special glassware, such as Murano tumblers.  

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Nonna maxxing trend can also be viewed as a backlash against years of décor with white walls and large open spaces. “People are reversing their decorating decisions and the pendulum has swung the other way. Now I find clients are into cozy spaces – interiors where nostalgia has become more important, even as we speed towards an AI-driven existence in our daily lives,” she explains. 

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“As our lives become more digital and screen-focused, people want interiors that are grounded in the past. Vintage and antique pieces add soul to a room, keep furniture out of landfills and allow you to savour a memory while owning it as yours.”