Mariana's More is More Maximalist Mid-Town Apartment

Meet Mariana Silveira - @the_decor_studio

Interior Decorating Consultant and Artist Mariana Silveira says of her decorating style: “I am a maximalist and always have been even before this style had a name. I like to display everything I love. And I’ve found that if you really love something, no matter what the object is, you can make it belong.” 

In taking a virtual tour of the two-bedroom Avenue Road apartment Mariana shares with her daughter, Antonella, and their dog, Bonita, the maximalist style is on full display. Stunning artwork covers nearly every inch of her gallery wall.

Throughout the apartment there is, as Mariana describes, “an eclectic, maximalist melange of everything that we like: art (of all kinds), midcentury-modern furniture, antiques, books (both my daughter and I are avid readers), collections of elements found in nature, especially of the marine world, mementos and so on.” Yet, the apartment bears no sense of clutter at all. Rather, I likened the experience of viewing the artfully curated space as a visual feast to the eyes.  

I was especially drawn to one painting, a beautiful portrait of a young woman and little girl painted upon a blue background and displayed in a gilded frame and wondered whether this was a portrait of Mariana and her daughter.

“I am a maximalist and always have been even before this style had a name."

When I asked Mariana about it, Mariana confirmed that the painting is indeed of her and Antonella, painted by Mariana’s best friend and gifted to her on her birthday a few years ago. Mariana says of the painting, “It is my most treasured piece.”

An elegant, old world atmosphere permeates Mariana’s décor, which may be due, in part, to her choice of furnishings.

Of her furniture choices, Mariana explains, “they are a mix of mid-century-modern and antique, one-time purchases all. I am against disposable pieces and sustainability is paramount for me, for both of us, really. In Mexico, where I am from, we have a saying, ‘lo barato sale caro’, which roughly translates to ‘the cheap costs more’. I love keeping my big pieces low key because my art is very prominent and somewhat bold.”

Green is Mariana’s favourite colour and there are splashes of that shade in furniture, art, and art pieces throughout the apartment.

Mariana draws decorating inspiration from “everywhere. In nature, in what I imagine things look like while I read, in film and in paintings.”

In her travels, she has purchased art in New York City and pottery from Mexico. She does, however, also enjoy shopping locally. “I like supporting local stores,” she notes. “And artist-made products have my heart. Whatever I buy, it is usually from Instagram. My go-to store for vintage is that of Jennifer Carbone @jkcvintagedecor.” 

"I am against disposable pieces and sustainability is paramount for me."

Art (in many forms) shapes Mariana’s lifestyle. She describes her typical daily routine as “after taking my daughter to school, I start working, either with face time design or art consultations or with my hands. For the past two years, I’ve been sculpting and selling my pieces over Instagram and at selected stores here in Canada and in the United States. (Mariana creates the Loba and Amazon sculptures found in the shop!) Then, I cook fresh for the day. We are foodies here. Then more work, get my daughter from school and we have a late lunch together. We love watching shows (like Gilmore Girls or Downton Abbey) or we read side by side with Bonita always between the two of us. Then we have a late dinner around 8 p.m.”

In addition, Mariana enjoys a variety of hobbies, including “reading, cooking, watching movies, listening to music, photography and making art of all kinds. These days, apart from my sculpture work, I have been making a lot of papier-mâché using the Mexican Piñateros technique.”

"I like to display everything I love. And I’ve found that if you really love something, no matter what the object is, you can make it belong."

That visual art is integral to Mariana’s lifestyle is clearly demonstrated in viewing her beautifully curated home and in her decorating philosophy. For a more in-depth view more of Mariana’s space and artwork, visit her on Instagram @the_decor_studio. 

Written by Francine Fleming

Hacienda pieces for the Maximalist Lover: