December 2025 Spoonflower Design Challenge Brief: Craft Maximalism
Entries: Dec 5 – Jan 6
Voting: Jan 8 – Jan 20
Results: Jan 22
“For this challenge we are looking for energetic prints that appear to come from an artist’s sketchbook creating an artisanal hand-crafted eclectic feel. Pattern wise anything goes, from hand painted stripes and spots to bold florals and abstract shapes. High-saturation color palettes and unexpected pattern mixing of multiple patterns is encouraged!” - Spoonflower Design Challenge Brief
My honest read on the brief + how to design for the vibe (because I really think this one is about STYLE, not subject matter).
I’m going to start this one with a little honesty: when I first read the Craft Maximalism challenge prompt, I felt a bit like a deer in the headlights. Not because it’s “hard,” but because the prompt is wide open in a way that can feel like… okay, what do they even want?
After sitting with it longer (and going down a Pinterest rabbit hole), it’s making a lot more sense. My interpretation is that this challenge is basically Spoonflower asking for more bold, energetic, eclectic, statement-making prints on the site - the kind of look where you walk into a room and the wallpaper says “look at me”. And honestly, that lines up with what I’m seeing all over Pinterest in 2026 trend conversations: eclectic maximalism, high color, big pattern, texture, “look at me” rooms and fabrics.
So if you’re participating, I’d treat this as a vibe brief, not a “draw this exact thing” brief.
My interpretation: this is a STYLE prompt, not a SUBJECT prompt
The title “Craft Maximalism” sounds like it might be asking for craft-supply motifs (scissors, thread, yarn, etc.). But honestly? It doesn’t really read that way to me once you get into the nitty gritty after reading, and re-reading the prompt several times.
It sounds to me like Spoonflower is mostly asking for:
big, bold, bright, saturated color
sketchy / loose / brushy hand-drawn energy
eclectic pattern mixing
busy, statement-print impact (wallpaper that owns the room, or fabric that feels like a main character)
So yes: the subject can be almost anything you want. It’s the treatment that matters. If you want to include “maker” motifs, you can - but I personally wouldn’t treat that as required.
Why this fits 2026 trend reports
This is actually where the prompt clicked for me.
Eclectic maximalism is showing up everywhere right now in interior and surface design trend reports: bold stripes, saturated palettes, layered pattern-on-pattern rooms, brushy textures, and wallpaper/fabric textiles that feel like an art piece instead of a quiet background.
That’s the feeling I think Spoonflower is trying to pull into this challenge: louder, brighter, more expressive, more handcrafted-looking statement prints.
Use my Pinterest boards for this (seriously)
I put together Pinterest boards for this challenge because this is one of those prompts where visuals make everything click faster than words.
When you’re looking at the boards, don’t ask: “What exact motifs should I copy?”
Ask instead:
What’s the scale doing? (probably bigger than you think)
How much texture is built in?
What makes it feel crafty/handdrawn?
How many patterns are interacting at once?
Where is the contrast coming from?
If you can name those ingredients, you can apply them to your motifs and style.
Final Thoughts: It’s Okay to Step Outside Your Comfort Zone
If this kind of prompt isn’t your usual style, that’s totally fine. Just remember that this is one of those rare times when more is actually more. Let yourself have fun with color and pattern, and don’t worry about making it perfect.
In the end, just aim for creating something vibrant, lively, and eclectic.
