My top 5 maximalist websites
Contents
After highlighting my favourite minimalist websites, I felt compelled to look at maximalist design. I love this design style. It fills me with joy whenever I see it. I won't linger on this introduction, so let's dive in and learn more about maximalist web design.
What is maximalist design?
Maximalism is a design style that follows one mantra: more is more. Instead of asking what to include, we assume the answer is always 'Yes'.
Acclaimed music producer Phil Spector is famous for his 'wall of sound' approach to making records. Maximalist web design follows a similar proxy. Each element on a page builds on the last to create a feast for the senses. Maximalism explores every avenue available to make a powerful, all-encompassing digital experience.
What are the hallmarks of maximalist design?
It's easy to say, 'You know maximalism when you see it'. But it's true. It's unmistakable.
We could leave it there, but that's not as informative as I like to be. So, let's break down the key elements of maximalist design.
- A vibrant colour palette brings everything to life on a page. Expect bright colours and lots of them.
- Expressive typography creates dynamism and impact. Headings are often oversized, bold, and bright, with the body copy just a smaller version.
- Exciting images and illustrations create a more extravagant and artistic feel to the sites.
- Lively and interactive animations enrich the website experience by engaging the user in a more playful way than most websites.
- Significant use of rich media adds to an enriched experience that engages all the user's senses.
How does maximalism compare to minimalism?
On the face of it, minimalism and maximalism are opposites. Where minimalist design uses only what is necessary, maximalism makes everything necessary. And yet, the implementation of the elements on the page is similar.
I like to compare these two styles in terms of tattoos. Maximalism is like a full-body tattoo with lots of individual designs and filler designs in between them. Minimalism is like someone having "sticker tattoos" where they leave space between the individual designs but do not skimp on detail within the illustrations.
Minimalism and maximalism are very similar in their focus on key page content. My top five minimalist websites show plenty of elements that wouldn't look out of place in a maximalist design. The key difference is that minimalism strips everything away to focus solely on the content. Maximalism, on the other hand, adds more to a page to complement and enhance the content.
When to use maximalist design
Maximalist design does not work for every brand. It is a vanishingly small number of brands and styles where maximalism truly works. The most common use of maximalist design is in the creative industry. Think artists, creative agencies, and musicians. These websites act as a mood board brought to life. The chaotic nature of the website reflects the creative brain it promotes.
Anywhere the website experience matters as much as the content is an opportunity to use maximalism. A music festival, art project, or film promotion can work well for a maximalist design. These bring a lot of rich media and unique experiences to the website that elevates it beyond the usual website content.
A maximalist website is not something you can skimp on. You must be all in. You must bring the media, content, style, and, above all else, attitude required to pull it off.
Why do I like maximalism?
In my world of tech and design, there is a constant movement to reward refinement, automation, and minimalism. Maximalism brings a fresh energy and attitude to an increasingly bland and grayscale world. Bright colours, engaging interactions, and rich media experiences breathe new life into our digital worlds. There is a danger with minimalism that we strip too much back and lose our brand's personality in the design. Maximalism keeps those in and doubles down on them. I like maximalism because it is a valuable middle finger to an over-indexing on minimalism and refinement. It is web design's punk movement.
My top 5 maximalist websites
Ellen Porteus
When I picture a maximalist website, this is what I think of. This site uses every method possible to bring Ellen Porteus' artistic style and personality to life. Everything from the butterfly cursor to the subtle hover animations in the flowers on the home page hero section feels like an insight into the mind of Ellen Porteus.
Few websites possess the vibrancy and self-expression that this website has. You can tell that Ellen was thoroughly involved throughout the process, contributing to the storytelling, illustration and animation. As you learn more about Ellen and examine her work, you understand that maximalist design was the obvious choice when designing her website.
Choreus
The Choreus website focuses solely on its artists. Their names and work are front and centre. They use maximalist design to get eyes on the artists' work and highlight how to hire them.
Immediately, the home page confronts you with a full-bleed slideshow of the artists' work. As you scroll down the page, the large text and engaging animations guide your attention to hiring these artists.
Everything on this website is loud and shouts about the ease of their process and the quality of their artists. Again, maximalism feeds into this approach and makes sense as the only logical design choice.
Pest Stop Boys
I mentioned earlier that maximalist design works best in the creative industry. The Pest Stop Boys website brings maximalist design to a new and surprising vertical: Pest Control.
This website uses vibrant colours, large typography, and fun illustrations and animations to bring a new perspective to what many may see as "dirty work". The modern, vibrant design highlights their unique approach and brings pest control into the 21st century through maximalist design and an engaging web experience.
Slosh Seltzer
CPG (Consumer Packaged Goods) is another industry where you may not expect maximalist design. Slosh Seltzer brings interactivity to a new level with this unique 3D experience.
The scrolling animations keep you actively moving through the site. The audio that plays alongside makes this site a feast for all the senses. The flowing and bubbly animations leave you craving their seltzers and knowing Slosh Seltzer is a modern brand focused on delivering a fantastic customer experience.
The Geek Designer
This website is an homage to everything I love. Its unique design brings back the fun of the early internet. This site draws on the 90s MySpace bio style and a pixelated Atari aesthetic to create a unique website that pays homage to the millennial design evolution.
Visiting this site, I see animations, typography, colours, and media all working together to create a maximalist masterpiece that triggers a strange combination of nostalgia and inspiration.
