Sparkling from Objects to Our Homes, Bedazzling & Gemmaxxing

The world of decorating is endless. From "bol-kku," decorating ballpoint pens with beads, charms, and stickers, to the recent "jel-kku," decorating jelly shoes, the act of decorating something is no longer unfamiliar. Anything that can be attached, inserted, or hung becomes a material for decoration.

What has been particularly noticeable recently are sparkling cubic zirconia and beads. Beyond daily necessities like cosmetic containers, headphones, and tumblers, sparkling decorations are spreading to mirrors, lighting, photo frames, and even furniture. Jewel decorations that used to decorate clothes and bodies are now entering personal spaces.

Following "Bedazzling," which refers to elaborately decorating objects by attaching rhinestones, cubic zirconia, and jewel-shaped stickers, the term "Gemmaxxing" has also emerged, describing the expansion of decorations to every corner of the home.


Making even small objects sparkle, 'Bedazzling'

Bedazzling is an expression derived from the English word "bedazzle." In the dictionary, "bedazzle" is explained as making a strong impression on someone or enchanting them through beauty or intelligence. Recently, in fashion and on social media, it is used to refer to the act of adding sparkling decorations such as rhinestones and cubic zirconia to clothes or objects.

The method is not difficult. You simply attach stones or beads of different sizes and colors to the object you want to decorate. From small belongings like mobile phone cases or earphones to various items such as glasses, cosmetic containers, shoes, and bags, many things are targets for decoration.

The materials used do not need to be expensive jewels. Mainly, decorations that are relatively easy to obtain are used, such as rhinestones made of glass or acrylic, pearl-shaped beads, and adhesive jewel stickers, including cubic zirconia (CZ) that resembles diamonds.

Because of this, recent Bedazzling is closer to using "sparkle" to transform ordinary objects into one's own unique style rather than focusing on the price or rarity of the jewels themselves. By adding decorations of desired colors and shapes to objects already owned, even identical products are reborn as items that reveal individual tastes.


The decoration of 'sparkle' that has continued for a long time

The act of decorating objects with jewels or materials resembling jewels is not a new culture. There are remaining cases from the past where sparkling materials were actively used for clothing, bags, mirrors, and cosmetics.

Peggy Hoyt's 1928 evening dress and Lanvin's 1923 evening ensemble show the decorative culture of the time, which emphasized light and movement by adding sparkling materials to clothing.

Sparkling decorations did not stop at clothing. A black evening bag from around 1915–1935 held by the Missouri Historical Society features a surface decorated with beads and rhinestones to create Art Deco-style straight lines and triangular patterns. Inside the small bag, a card wallet and a compact mirror were included, showing that even daily accessories, not just clothing, were elaborately decorated back then.

The method of adding sparkling decorations directly also became increasingly popular. In the 1970s in the United States, a household device called the "Ronco Rhinestone & Stud Setter" appeared, which could fix rhinestones and metal studs to fabric. Later, as products using similar methods became widely known under the name "BeDazzler," it combined with the DIY culture of directly adding desired decorations to T-shirts or jackets.

While different from Bedazzling, Korea also has a remaining culture of elaborately decorating daily necessities and clothing accessories using pearls, gold thread, and more. A representative example is the 20th-century "Pearl-embroidered Sachet with Floral and Butterfly Designs of Princess Consort Yeong" held by the National Palace Museum of Korea.

On red silk, plum blossoms, leaves, stems, and butterflies were embroidered with gold thread, and natural pearls were attached one by one on top. Pearls were attached not only to the plum blossom petals and centers but also to the stems, leaves, and butterflies, and dozens of pearls were placed around the edge of the pouch to create a three-dimensional effect. The small sachet itself, a harmony of silk, gold thread, and pearls, was a magnificent decorative object.

During the Joseon Period, pouches (hyangnang) used to carry incense were decorated with embroidery and knots, and in particular, royal pearl pouches were made by embroidering patterns with gold thread and then attaching pearls. The Encyclopedia of Korean Culture also explains that pearl pouches in the form of round pouches (durujumeoni) used in the royal court were embroidered with gold thread and filled with pearls on the surface.


Sparkle spreading into the home, 'Gemmaxxing'

Sparkling decorations are recently expanding their scope beyond small personal items to living spaces. Overseas design and jewelry media use "Gemmaxxing" as one of the expressions to describe this trend. Rather than a professional term established in dictionaries, it is closer to a neologism that has begun to be used around online platforms and media. It is a combination of "Gem" (jewel) and "-maxxing," which is used to mean maximizing something.

However, the meaning of Gemmaxxing has not yet solidified into a single definition. In the jewelry field, it refers to a maximalist style of wearing multiple large and flamboyant gemstones layered together, while some interior media use the expression to describe the trend of actively adding rhinestone or gem decorations to objects within the home.

Gemmaxxing in interiors is closer to adding sparkling elements to ordinary household items rather than bringing in massive gemstone decorations. This includes bordering mirror frames with small stones or attaching cubic gems of various sizes and colors to picture frames, vases, trays, and jewelry boxes. It also involves adding decorations to lampshades or lamp bases to turn them into unique objects.

It can be utilized in various ways depending on the space and object, such as bordering the edges of mirrors or picture frames with stones, or creating a point by gathering decorations of different sizes and colors on one side.

Recently, there has also been a phenomenon where accessories originally worn on the body move to home decorations. The American interior media Architectural Digest introduced a decoration style where old brooches are attached to lampshades or used on frames, mirrors, and cushions as "pin-terior design" this year. It is as if jewelry once worn on the body has moved to become decorative materials for decorating the home.

In this way, Gemmaxxing expands sparkling decorations, which were limited to personal belongings like mobile phones and earphones, into living spaces such as mirrors, lighting, and furniture.


Taste revealed by adding more, maximalism gaining attention again

Gemmaxxing is connected to the recently resurging maximalism in that it is a method of adding decorations to small items in the house, such as mirrors, lighting, or picture frames. This is because even without changing the entire space, adding a single sparkling stone or decoration can inject strong personality into an existing neat space.

While minimalism emphasizes simplicity and empty space by removing unnecessary elements, maximalism is a way to reveal an individual's taste and story in a space by layering colors, patterns, decorations, and collectibles. The American interior media Architectural Digest describes this as a "More is more" design.

This change is also appearing in recent interior trends. In the "2026 Trends Outlook," the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) presented "Maximalism Returns" as one of the major trends. The explanation is that interest is shifting away from the long-standing restrained design toward spaces with highly saturated colors, playful shapes, and visible individual personalities.

A similar trend is confirmed in the actual choices of designers. In a survey conducted by the global design platform '1stDibs' targeting interior designers in 17 countries, 39% of respondents predicted that maximalism would continue to be popular in 2026. It is not simply about filling a space with many items, but a way to create a personal story in a space by layering different patterns, materials, artworks, and collectibles.

This flamboyance also appears in various forms online. In Pinterest's "Pinterest Predicts 2026," "Glamoratti," which reinterprets bold 1980s styles, and "Brooched," which repurposes vintage brooches, were presented as major trends. Searches for "maximalist accessories" also increased by 105% compared to the previous year's period.


Completing "my own things" with my own hands by attaching gems

Bedazzling and Gemmaxxing are also easy to approach in that one can add a personal touch to objects they already possess without professional skills or high costs.

The interest in activities involving making and decorating by hand is also connected to this trend. In its ‘2026 Spring/Summer Trend Report’, the global handicraft platform Etsy introduced the trend of human touch and texture, such as crochet, embroidery, and stitching, as the ‘Soft Stitch Era’. It noted the movement of seeking items that are handmade or show characteristics of handiwork rather than uniformly mass-produced products.

The same report also identified ‘World of Whimsy’, which enjoys playful and personal designs, as a major trend. Searches for ‘whimsical jewelry’ increased by 84% compared to the same period last year, and Etsy linked this to consumption aimed at making ordinary everyday objects a little more special and enjoyable.

Bedazzling and Gemmaxxing are also connected to this trend in that they involve adding one's own taste rather than simply accepting the design of a finished product. This is why the sparkle that starts from a single small cubic stone spreads beyond the object to our homes. It is close to another decorating culture where one shows their own taste by adding a personal touch to familiar objects and spaces.