How to Embrace the Cluttercore Design Trend Without Going Overboard?
Minimalist designs once ruled the world of interior decor throughout the 2000s and 2010s. Generation X was quite happy with this ‘less-is-more’ design approach and preferred their interiors to reflect peace, simplicity, and sophistication.
But hey, that was nearly 16 years ago! It’s 2026, and design trends have evolved a lot. Gen Zs like to flaunt their true colors rather than conform to conventions. And that’s exactly the reason why the cluttercore home design trend has made a comeback in the world of interior decor.
However, you really need to be careful with the bold aesthetic, as it’s very easy to go overboard and make your interiors feel like a mess! So, to help you out, we’ve jotted down some of the best practices to embrace the cluttercore design. Let’s stick till the end to learn it all.
What You Need to Know about Cluttercore Design?
Despite its name, cluttercore design doesn’t mean surrendering to an interior decor that looks like a mess! Rather, it means surrounding your interiors with objects that make you happy or trigger special memories.
Wondering what the difference looks like, right? Well, Cluttercore design is more of an ‘organized mess’ rather than a ‘disorganized chaos.’ So, you’re not actually adding items at random. Instead, you are curating a visual hierarchy with every little (or large) thing you have, and embracing an anti-minimalist home decor design.
Best Practices to Embrace the Cluttercore Movement
Wishing to embrace the cluttercore design, and actually embracing one has a lot of differences. And since this design trend falls on the bold side of aesthetics, you can’t afford to go wrong!
So, to guide you, here are some of the best practices to imbibe a cluttercore decor that can help transform your interiors into your personal gallery-
- Experiment with what you have
Experimentation is the foundation of a cluettercore design.
However, that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to start buying random things for the sake of it! Take a good look around your home and see what you already have. Frame up those family photos and stack them on the wall. Or, pull out those trinkets and arrange them alongside different objects to add some depth to the overall decor.
- Layering is crucial
Layering is one of the key aspects of cluttercore design, and is a crucial element to make your interior decor look like an ‘organized chaos.’ And layering involves creating clusters that create a visual hierarchy.
Sounds complicated? Well, it isn’t! Just make sure to create the clusters meaningfully. For instance, put the larger items behind, and the smaller ones up front. Also, if you have a bookcase, stack your favorite books horizontally, as well as vertically. Along with that, group the decorative items in odd numbers like 3, 5, or 7. This creates a visual depth, which can be an effective conversation-starter!
- Create negative space
Chaos plays an essential role in cluttercore home aesthetics. But if you cover every inch of your interiors with decorative elements, it might become visually overwhelming! Not just that, but it might also feel ‘too much’ as your eyes would always be busy scouring through the entire room!
That’s exactly why you need to create negative space. It serves as a ‘visual silence,’ and allows your eyes to rest. For instance, if the lower shelves of your bookcase are stacked, keep some space on the upper shelves to balance out the visual clutter.
- Being sentimental is the key
There’s a simple hack to embrace the cluttercore style of home interior decor- listening to your sentiments!
Yes, you read that right. The main idea behind a cluttercore design is to fill the space with the things you love, or things that you have memories with. So, your sentiment plays a big role here!
Therefore, don’t just pick out and throw in things at random to fulfill the cluttercore design idea. Rather, put those items on display that you have core memories with. It could be anything- a group photo with your friends on a vacation, a family photo with your cousins during a get-together, or a memento that you bought from somewhere you visited.
- Choose the color palette wisely
Remember that you will probably be using a variety of colorful elements to decorate your interiors. So, make sure to choose the background colors wisely. Using too many contrasting colors might just spoil your efforts completely!
Also, it is very important to let your cluttercore designs speak for themselves. And the best way to do that is when you limit yourself to using 2 or 3 neutral background colors. If you want to accentuate, opt for similar hues in your furniture and rugs for a cohesive look.
How does this help? Well, this unified color palette serves as the perfect adhesive that binds your decor items perfectly. This approach can make your decorative items pop, thereby injecting a rhythmic flow into your interiors.
Tip: If you can’t decide what colors to stick with, here are some of the popular color palettes of 2026 that you can take inspiration from!
Things to Avoid while Embracing Cluttercore Home Design Trends
As mentioned earlier, it’s very easy to go overboard if you’re embracing the cluttercore decor. So, you must set some clear boundaries to make sure that your interiors don’t look like an unorganized mess-
- Don’t forget about functionality
It’s fun to decorate your interiors. But you also need to remember that your interiors should be functional as well! So, don’t use up the spaces that you actually need for decoration. For instance, if you work from home, your work desk needs to be usable, and here are some ways to upgrade it and spare it from the decorations. And your dining table doesn’t need a 10-minute cleanup routine every day before your meals!
- Don’t buy random stuff
The main focus of embracing cluttercore design is to surround yourself with things that are meaningful to you. So, don’t keep buying and throwing in random objects, as you’ll be missing out on the core value of the design.
- Don’t leave your interiors cluttered!
Your decor might look like an ‘organized mess.’ And that’s allowed. What’s not allowed is you leaving your interiors cluttered for no reason! For example, don’t just put important documents or keys at any random place. Rather, keep them organized to make sure they are found when you need them.
Following these designers’ tips on cluttercore design would surely help you embrace the design principle, along with balancing everyday functionality with the comfort of your favorite treasures.
The cluttercore decor is way different from a maximalist style or dopamine decor, for that matter. It is inherently a lot more intimate and aims to reflect your personality more than impressing your guests! And that’s what makes it one of the must-try design trends to follow this year.
F.A.Qs
- How is Cluttercore Design Trend Popular in 2026?
The Gen Zs like to flaunt their personalities and be bold about it. And this temperament is what led to the comeback and popularity of the cluttercore design trend in 2026.
- What is the difference between Cluttercore and Maximalism?
A maximalist decor focuses on adding a bit of grandeur and opulence, which might at times feel like you’re showing off! On the other hand, a cluttercore decor focuses on reflecting your personal story!
- What is the 70/30 rule in interior design?
The 70/30 rule in interior design is what helps you create a balanced aesthetic. It says 70% of a room would feature a dominant style or color, and the rest 30% would accentuate its contrasting elements.
- What is the golden section in home interior design?
The golden section, or golden ratiorati,o is an interior design principle, which is also referred to as the ‘60/40 rule. This approach states that in every crowded area of your room, you should have a generous portion of ‘visual rest’ to maintain equilibrium.
- What is Cluttercore?
Cluttercore is a style of interior decor that celebrates the idea of ‘organized chaos.’ It means decorating your interiors with items and elements that have a deep personal connection with you.
As a lifelong DIY enthusiast, Alex Barton is never afraid to go the extra mile to save a few bucks! From seamless interior decor hacks to effective DIY home renovation tips, he shares a myriad of his experiences for you to unleash your creativity.
