Scram, Millennial Minimalism—Giant, Stupid Novelty Decor Is Back

Imagine, if you will, the perfect 1989 soirée: The Bagel Bites are fresh from the microwave. Rick Moranis is there, being fed aforementioned Bites from a cartoon-sized fork held by Paula Abdul, who sits on a stool—or, wait! Is that a giant faux cob of half-eaten corn? Why, yes it is. Which, for the record, would not have been uncommon in the 80s, when such kitsch design objects abounded. You see, for a brief and jaunty window between the late 80s and early 90s, our favorite niche decor movement thrived: Big stuff. Especially pointlessly oversized stuff.

One of the top purveyors of big, pointless, joyful decor was ThinkBig!, a megamall fixture that specialized specifically in, well, massive versions of everyday objects. VICE’s own Marissa Rosenblum brought the now-defunct retailer to our staff's attention, remembering “some kind of store with big stuff” from her childhood. Now, we wonder how such a place—such a truly bananas business model—could have existed. (Oh, did it ever.) 

The brand was founded in 1979 by two friends, artists Phyllis Prinz and Bob Malkin. As People reported in 1982, “[They] gave up secure, high-paying jobs four years ago to sell oversize replicas of crayons, pencils, paper clips and other familiar items from a tiny shop in Manhattan’s SoHo district.”

“I loved pop art from the 60s,” explained Phyllis, “like Andy Warhol’s Campbell’s soup can. And I thought giant products would be more exciting than posters and prints.” Kids loved them. Adults loved them. It was the new high-low-brow aesthetic, perfect for the bachelor pad of Tom Hanks in 1988’s Big (which was indeed furnished by Think Big!):

What better way to manifest the weird transitional energy between the Time of Reagan (think: big, late-80s aesthetics) and the Era of Clinton (an ease into the loose 90s vibe)? Computers were exciting, but still big and clunky. The pop art world was consumed with consumption. Fashion was driven by Jil Sander’s loose tailoring and Michael Jordan’s oversized suits (the true MVP of The Last Dance). So, naturally, the emergence of pop art home objects that served few functional purposes—other than to bring the joy begat by a five-foot Crayola crayon—fits that comedown from the 80s quite well.

It was weirdly infantilizing (remember Pee-wee’s Playhouse?), but always gratifying to see; a Fisher-Price-adjacent answer to the energy, in a way, of the Memphis Design movement that was exploding during that period (and has recently been trending again). 

ThinkBig! sent out its last catalog in 1994, but found new life in 2001, when businessman Jeff Bruette purchased the rights to recreate much of the OG stuff from ThinkBig! under the new name of Great Big Stuff. (Which will indeed sell you an 11-inch paperclip.) 

These days, old school Think Big! decor goes for a pretty penny on collector’s' sites like eBay and 1stDibs. The only thing more fascinating than an oversized, $3,000 light switch? The person who buys it:

While not as present on our Instagram explore page as mustard yellow sheets or spray foam mirrors, big stuff decor is perhaps slated for a larger renaissance. Remember when the massive corn on the cob stool was the it-object of summer 2020? Who knows. Maybe after the mental and emotional exhaustion of the past 15-ish months, we’re ready for the simple joy of sitting on a big hamburger, yet again. 

So put on your propellor hat, and join us for a big, stupid shopping spree… 

Didn’t think we’d leave this out, did you? Not only are we lovers of all things corn here at VICE, but it appears a love for the “big lump with nobs” has even reached the home of Emma Chamberlain. The gall of the manufacturers (another big, 80s-stuff brand, Rotary Hero), to bring the mental associations of “stool” and “corn” so close together. We’re transfixed. Of course they have a burger version. 

Feeling crummy? Cuddle up to a little cracker. Or drive to San Francisco’s world famous Lombard Street, and chase it down the winding road like a millennial Charlie Chaplin. You’re welcome. (Hot tip: I also purchased a more sobering cracker pillow for my parents, and it’s very helpful for playing on the floor with their grandbaby). 

We must have the big bread. Much like the last loaf you tried to bake during your short-lived foray into quarantine baking, you must “tap it gently, leave it for a day or put it under the sun for 30 minutes, [and it] will return to what we describe,” according to the product description. 

While we wish there were a banana for scale, you can kind of get how massive this safety pin is by looking at the tape measure next to it. Unfortunately, you probably won't be able to pin up the sleeves on your short-sleeve Levi’s button-down. On the other hand, it makes for some pretty good home defense.

Tuck in with your tuber and just ~vibe~. 

“Unfertilized” is actually our favorite way to rest. It’s an egg, but also a blankie. Egg blankie!

Bring a little class into your living room. Nothing, as we all know, screams “tasteful” quite like a money stool. 

I, too, have a tough time pounding armagnac when my snifter is too… not-giant. We wish we’d found this long boi earlier than we did, when its 18-inch stature might have helped with socially distant drinking back in the darkest days of 2020. Either way, walking around with 14 ounces of liquor on top of a glass staff looks pretty sick. 

We think we know someone who’d be a fan (wink). Straight from the collective womb of Phyllis Prinz and Bob Malkin, this ThinkBig! original offers a snapshot of times past. 

“Anybody got a light?” Is an excellent way to intro yourself into a new group, regardless of whether or not you smoke. Imagine the people you could impress with one of these gargantuan fire starters.

An absolute ThinkBig! classic. We’d be remiss to draw up a list without it.

for first drafts…

…and if you make a mistake.

We just have one more question:

The Rec Room staff independently selected all of the stuff featured in this story. Want more reviews, recommendations, and red-hot deals? Sign up for our newsletter.