Just when you thought streamlining, mid-century modern or minimalist style rules in decor today, here comes the polar opposite:

Maximalism is back.

In a big way.

"A state of excess has taken hold in the interior design world," says Bethanne Matari, a spokesman for lighting and furnishings manufacturer Currey and Company. It's "a layered style peppered with the offbeat, which some may compare to Aladdin's cave. Maximalism is not about clutter or hoarding, but about curated collections and displaying the things that make us happy. Rich color, embellished walls, vintage brass, gilding, flowers, antique rugs and flashes of red are all elements of the style, along with a mix of materials and patterns."

At the highly revered trendsetting Salone del Mobile exposition in Milan, there was color -- lots of it -- as well as pattern. Retro prints and lush florals on walls setting off sleek kitchens and baths. They were even on appliances, on furniture, inside furniture, on lampshades and on floors -- either solo or in modern patchwork mashups.

At the Kips Bay Decorator Show House, which just completed its May run in Manhattan, a spectacular staircase channeled Memphis (a 1980s furniture collective framed around blazing color, pattern and bold shapes) in a riot of pattern on walls and custom carpeting, designed by Sasha Bikoff. Ceilings in many rooms often enjoyed their own decorative spotlight. And that also was true at the Hillside Designer Show House in Greensboro, North Carolina, this year.

In Milan, fashion brand Etro's home collection featured its signature paisley, especially striking on a fabric-covered cabinet. Dutch designer Marcel Wanders' Globe Trotter collection for Roche Bobois was riveting in explosive patterns -- graphic and nostalgic at the same time. And you couldn't take your eyes off of the packaging for his new fragrance collection for Alessi, as you breathed in the delectable aromas.

The delightful fashion brand La Double J, known for its vintage prints, launched additions to its dinnerware line and introduced a smashing collection with Kartell, pairing its vintage-inspired fabrics with Kartell's signature clear and colored plastic furniture.

The Italian fashion brand Dolce and Gabbana added to its boldly patterned collection of limited-edition hand-painted refrigerators (and small appliances) for Smeg. Among the new pieces were a range and stove hood, as well as a new model fridge in a blue-and-white majolica pattern. And Alessandro Mendini created a showstopper for the Japanese company Sanwa: a simple cabinet with rounded corners and artistic geometry, painted in citrus shades -- with a micro kitchen inside, including a sink and cooktop.

Even at the spring High Point, North Carolina, biannual furniture market, maximalism showed up big time, with a collection at Maitland-Smith celebrating the late, legendary Tony Duquette. It was designed with Hutton Wilkinson, current president of Tony Duquette Inc., and a collaborator for more than 25 years. Considered the father of maximalism, Duquette's work is over the top, with stunning surface decorations like malachite, lots of gilt and materials like abalone, pen shell, coral, rock crystal, bronze and lapis lazuli, which were used to handcraft the accessories and furniture in the new collection (www.maitland-smith.com).

If you're thinking '80s excess ... well, OK! It took on many forms. Like the layering of florals in English country style, popularized by Mario Buatta, dubbed "the prince of chintz," and the modern, playful Memphis.

Ettore Sottsass and the group of designers behind the Memphis design movement, were known for explosive patterns in modern patchworks on laminate from the Italian company Abet Laminati. Furniture, ceramics, glass and metalwork originals are highly collectible at the online marketplace 1stdibs and featured in shows like The Collective in New York. A small group were on display in a Soho popup called Rachel's Dreamhouse during New York's design week in May. The walk-up loft space was full of Memphis spirit, starting with alternating brightly hued stairs.

For Jason Oliver Nixon and John Loecke, the gents behind the Madcap Cottage label and authors of "Prints Charming: Create Absolutely Beautiful Interiors with Prints and Patterns" (Harry N. Abrams, $35), it's about time. They've been evangelizing their brand of maximalism for a while, with several licensed furnishings collections. Their pattern-on-pattern treatments are equal opportunity, a symphony throughout their own home in High Point, where they live what they preach.

"It's so exciting to see this across the board -- from Gucci to Lilly Pulitzer at Pottery Barn," says Nixon. "It's really trickling down -- in fashion at H and M, on sneakers and handbags. Go into a Calico Corners (fabric store) and there's an explosion of prints and patterns from florals to graphics, Justina Blakeney boho to Thom Filicia. It's not just the playground of the 1 percent any more."

No doubt, there will always be the lovers -- and the haters -- of disparate styles. Pick a lane: Mies van der Rohe's "Less is more" mantra or architect Robert Venturi's maxim "More is more. Less is a bore."

"There's always some kind of maximalist movement going on," says Cecil Adams, vice president and creative director for Currey and Co. "Color makes people happier. It's uplifting. Chinoiserie, Hollywood Regency, the whole boho thing. In a way, it's sort of social, too. For someone who wants to embrace a lot of things, being bold in his/her own look. Like a Diana Vreeland red room. Those looks are never really off of the radar. They just send a stronger signal sometimes."

Jason Oliver Nixon loves to quote Mae West: "It is better to be looked over than overlooked."

"Who wants to be a shrinking violet?" he asks. His own mantra is: "Go big or go home." The Madcap Cottage book is a primer in putting patterns together.

So you think you can be a maximalist?

It all depends on your visual tolerance. If you loathe visual noise, maximalism to the max is not for you. But there are degrees. You can have a lot of stuff in a space and not feel, well, suffocated.

Consider, for example, going monochromatic. Keep it all in shades of blush, or your fave blue. Mix up textures, and choose accessories accordingly. It can be easy on the eyes.

Layer it. Pattern on pattern can look amazing when the prints are compatible in color and somewhat in scale. Go lush with artwork and accessories as well. As Nixon says, "Our living room may seem like too much at first, but it's really inviting."

Limit it. You don't have to totally commit to the overindulgent. Choose a statement pattern -- a wallcovering or a piece of furniture that's more flamboyant than your comfort zone. Actually, the maximalist-minimalist combo is an amazingly strong one, too. Keep everything else quiet, with simple lines and a carefully chosen "piece de resistance" for pop.

Decorate with your heart. Says Matari: "Each room should include the unexpected and tell the story of our lives, our travels and childhood, or any moment that defines who we are and how we live. With all the woes of today, it is nice to hunker down into a cozy room surrounded by what we love."

Sources

-- Sasha Bikoff, 646-524-5941, www.sashabikoff.com

-- Currey & Co. 877-768-6428, www.curreycodealers.com

-- Etro, www.etro.com/en_us

-- Golran, available at Moroso, New York, 212-334-7222, www.golran.com

-- Kartell, 212-966-6665, www.kartell.com/us

-- La Double J, www.ladoublej.com

-- Madcap Cottage, 917-675-4004, www.madcaptcottage.com

-- Moroso, 212-334-7222, www.moroso.it

-- Barbara Ostrom Associates, 201-529-0444, www.barbaraostrom.com

-- Seletti, 646-484-5606, www.seletti.us

-- Smeg, 212-265-5378, www.smegusa.com

-- Roche Bobois, 212-889-0700, www.roche-bobois.com

-- The Rug Company, 646-713-1209, www.therugcompany.com/us-en

-- Voutsa, www.voutsa.com

-- Nievera Williams, 561-659-2820, www.nieverawilliams.com

There are interior designers who shudder at the word "trend," dismissing it as conceptual spam. Yet, sometimes they inevitably are caught up in it with a proposal that just happens to fall squarely into the prevailing design zeitgeist, whether in color, style, pattern, material or attitude.

Tracking trends is a major global business, touching on every aspect of design. It embraces the home, kitchen and bath, surfaces, paint, textiles, wallcoverings, furnishings, garden and outdoor spaces, automobiles and even food. Everything from fragrances and makeup (scents, colors and packaging), the retail experience and shoppers' habits are tracked and analyzed for the next big thing that bloggers will rhapsodize about as soon as it is introduced.

Internet accessibility and social media have expanded the base of available information and ideas, as well as measuring what connects with consumers. Accordingly, their buying habits contribute to profiles of what is going on currently and what lies ahead in the months and years to come.

One of the most impactful arbiters is the Pantone Color Institute. Pantone color is a universally understood language, used by everyone from graphic artists to auto designers, and its forecast of groups of hues that will prevail is made two years out. It's the source of the much buzzed about Pantone Color of the Year (Ultraviolet for 2018), although paint companies and many others now launch their own stars. While the selections sometimes stir debate (like the color Marsala, a few years back), the influence is so pervasive, that once announced, you seem to see the hue everywhere. It even surfaced in a garden trend report that showed purple foods gaining traction.

Advertising agency JWT Global identifies emerging trends in lifestyle, tech, health, culture, food and wine, and retail throughout each year. Among recent topics: how the internet of things is shifting to the internet of eyes and voice. To wit: the iPhone X facial recognition for unlocking the phone, and Google-owned Nest's Cam IQ with built-in facial recognition to distinguish family members and strangers. Voice tech now is available in TVs, toasters, lamps and even a talking waste bin displayed at the Consumer Electronics Show in 2017. At EuroCucina, a massive biennial kitchen show in Milan, Bosch showed off Mykie (short for "my kitchen elf"), a robot you can talk to, which has a built-in projector that can screen recipes on your kitchen wall.

On a smaller scale, the Garden Media Group, based in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, follows trends that affect the home landscape, interior plantscaping, health and growing food. There's actually a science associated with a new look at purple foods -- antioxidants or anthocyanins, which are health-promoting chemicals that help protect cells, reduce inflammation and lower the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Some trends overlap -- in home design, the term "wabi-sabi" is used to describe interiors that are a little serendipitous. There's a movement in garden to adapt this Japanese practice of embracing imperfection -- especially not obsessing about weeds, deadheading flowers or perfect lawns.

Each year, those who travel to Heimtextil, an international textile exhibition at Messe Frankfurt in Germany, look forward to the annual trend report. This year's theme was Urban Space, and one of the conclusions of the research is that though the world is becoming more urban, its city inhabitants are becoming more nomadic. Millennials, in particular, are delaying the time when they put down roots and changing homes, cities, countries -- and jobs -- more than ever. This trend, along with one to smaller living spaces, makes modular design most desirable because of its flexibility.

At last month's EuroCucina, many of the kitchen displays focused on modular components, sliding counters and pocket doors, which could even hide full kitchens. A mix of materials that more closely resemble furniture showed a clearer connection to the rest of the house for a more homelike look.

Another urban trend identified by the NellyRodi agency, which has offices in Paris, Tokyo and New York, is urban farms springing up between city buildings. One near Paris is in a chateau formerly occupied by a toothpaste factory, attracting those interested in agri-food practices, co-working spaces, shared kitchens and chefs in residence.

NellyRodi also identifies an emerging experiential trend in retail. In London, for example, John Lewis has created a fully furnished in-store apartment called The Residence. Customers can even spend a night -- with private use of the space from 6:30 p.m. to 9 a.m., including an hour of private shopping time and a catered dinner, if desired.

The popular Pinterest platform, where consumers post their favorites images in multiple categories, has its own Top Trends to Try in 2018, backed by global data. Included in travel are one-day vacays, desert escapes and living la vida local -- i.e., getting authentic experiences in non-touristy neighborhoods. In the home, large-scale wall art, statement ceilings and mixed metals are among the popular votes.

Michelle Lamb, director of the Trend Curve, has been traveling the globe to spot new directions for 30-some years. On her radar: "A return to tradition," a neo-traditional movement that she says will appeal to millennials who may be starting to settle down with a home and children. "Art Deco continues to build. Its lines are just as clean as mid-century modern, which now is mainstream, rather than trend." At the same time, Lamb sees a countertrend of maximalism.

In palette, Lamb has reported from Maison and Objet on pink morphing into a neutral, and warm reds like Bordeaux emerging with nuances of other reds. A move to more earthy looks and a definite new wave of American West and Southwest appears to be on the horizon. Additionally, "space is a big consideration for a lot of people," so modular furnishings and multifunctional pieces will be in demand.

So what to do with all the trends? Don't be seduced by current fashions -- unless that Ultraviolet really is a personal fave. Whether it's color, style of a chair, you can't really go wrong if you buy what you like.

Sources

-- Ellie Cashman, 401-335-0683, www.elliecashmandesign.com/us

-- Effeti, www.effeti.com,

-- French Heritage, 800-245-0899, www.frenchheritage.com

-- Hannabi, www.hannabisofa.hu

-- Normann Copenhagen, www.normann-copenhagen.com

-- Roche Bobois, www.roche-bobois.com

-- Sanwa, info.sanwacompany.co.jp/en

-- Scavolini, 212-219-0910, www.scavoliniusa.com

Besides warming weather and blooming landscapes, the best thing about spring is refreshing. That is taking stock -- of your closet, your wardrobe, your house -- and thinking "reboot."

This is especially important outdoors, where you hope to spend much time grilling, entertaining or just being a lounge lizard. But besides amping up your sangria game or finding a new fave craft beer, take a gander at the furniture. One dramatic piece can make all the difference. You've got plenty of options.

Last fall at the Casual Furniture Market in Chicago, outdoor furniture manufacturers introduced much of what you'll see in retail stores this spring and summer. And along with products from European shows in Paris and Milan, you'll spot a wealth of trends.

Tops among those: duplicating what works indoors. Like bar carts, and double-duty pieces, such as chaises with shelves or side tables with extra-high storage for stacking pillows not in use. Sideboards and consoles, some with built-in ice buckets. Motion furniture, though not just gliders, swings and swivels. Actual recliners -- Klaussner debuted a power model one in a weave that works by remote.

In addition, we're seeing increasingly clever use of materials, including pairings that add immeasurably to the design -- like colorful porcelain tables with teak tops at Gloster. Porcelain tops that double for stone, in beautiful slab-like installations on long tables. Here again, Gloster introduced a dining table in a beautiful matte black finish with subtle white veining.

The idea of mixed media is playing out more and more, and that overused buzzword, "eclectic" (still the best catchall that everybody gets), has been ingrained outdoors. Take style notes here: Try to go beyond the suite for sweeter options. This is one reason small drink tables, garden stools and poufs have taken off -- they come in fireclay, concrete, metal, wood -- in modern looks with colors and patterns that lend personality. Blend materials in one grouping and ground it with a striking rug, just like a well-designed interior.

Who better than the "Million Dollar Decorator" to show you how? Martyn Lawrence Bullard designed a few outdoor collections for Frontgate, and the debuting examples look like a million.

"I work with clients that have a 'sky's the limit' attitude and know great design when they see it," says Bullard. "It's most important, for me, to have my personality stamped in every item. What we are doing is injecting that personality, that design into a very curated collection that can take high design to millions of homes."

For Bullard, it's every bit about comfort as it is style. "I really love to be outdoors sitting on indoor furniture," he says. "I want that luxury. I want that depth. I want that comfort."

Of course, there are Moroccan notes, whose signature geometric motifs often appear in Bullard's work, like tile for Ann Sacks and wallcovering for Cole and Sons.

"Moroccan design is having a bit of a moment," he says. "Big graphic fabrics in black and white, intricate tile work tabletops, variegated antique nickel hand-hammered finishes and geometric shapes of the Holland lantern (part of the collection) all spring out of my love for (Morocco's) influence.

Although there is much rooted in tradition, and even with materials, like metal and wicker looks, Bullard also imagined a modern grouping called Sloane, especially powerful in white. He teams the white powder-coated stainless steel seating with comfortable upholstered pieces and a touch of weathered wood for balance.

White furniture frames continue to attract attention, dramatic in all-white or set off with bold fabrics in colors or patterns that pop, as well as teak. Michael Vanderbyl's collection for JANUS et Cie has simple lines, and the teak grid insets are classic.

But look out for matte black or the deepest charcoal. As it is with interior furnishings as well as dinnerware, the no-sheen black is emerging as a striking tour de force. Barclay Butera's newest chair for Castelle Luxury embraces classic style, with a bit of Hollywood glam.

Woven looks still are robust, with some dynamic examples in media you wouldn't expect. At RH, for example, a new collection by Toan Nguyen features a bold weave of wood. It hits all the style points: large-scale and a weathered, driftwood-y finish.

Wicker weaves remain in vogue with tonal geometrics adding interest, and you'll also find them in traditional and modern shapes.

Rope and string offer another stylish counterpoint, especially in tandem with upholstery. A new sofa from Palecek called Avila has a teak frame and a woven frame with a grid pattern. The gray weave is set off with white upholstery.

Comfort, of course, remains key, especially evidenced by a lot of deep seats and modular sectionals with plenty of length for stretching out. There are plush chenille upholsteries, but no more luxurious covers than leather. At Maison and Objet in January, visitors were raving about the slouchy slipcover-look sofa and inviting chairs at the Italian brand Baxter. Performance fabrics continue to amaze, but this outdoor leather, especially in a fetching indigo-denim shade, stood out from the crowd.

In addition to outstanding performance fabrics, look to outdoor rugs for a bump up in technology. Brands like Tai Ping, Doris Leslie Blau and Perennials are among those that offer plush rugs that are wool lookalikes. And Liora Manne's new painterly rug, which looks like drops of pale-hued watercolor, is art underfoot.

Fire tables have far from flamed out. With more consideration to the tables, manufacturers are focusing on shapes and materials to set them apart. And lanterns have become more relevant -- as small architectural accents and mood setters -- either by real candlelight or a lookalike flickering with battery-operated pillars.

At Crate and Barrel, one pillar even has a timer to automatically turn off in five hours and relight at the same time each day.

For many, styling an outdoor space is getting a boost from Instagram, Pinterest and shelter publications for leads. Whatever style you fancy for your outdoor nest, it soon will be time to head for the most comfortable lounge out of the house. Let's get this summer party started!

Sources

-- Anthropologie, 800-309-2500, www.anthropologie.com

-- Baxter, at DDCNYC, 212-685-0800, www.baxter.it

-- Castelle, 855-612-9800, www.castelleluxury.com

-- Elaine Smith, 561-863-3333, www.elainesmith.com

-- Exteta, through Bradley Terrace, info@bradleyterrace.com; www.exteta.it/en

-- Fermob, www.fermob.com/en

-- Frontgate, 888-263-9850, www.frontgate.com

-- Gloster, 434-202-5521, www.gloster.com

-- JANUS et Cie, 800-245-2687, www.janusetcie.com

-- Liora Manne, 212-989-2732, www.lioramanne.com

-- O.W. Lee, 800-776-9533, www.owlee.com

-- Palecek, 800-274-7730, www.palecek.com

-- RH, 800-762-1005, www.restorationhardware.com

-- Woodard, 800-877-2290, www.woodard-furniture.com