Dopamine décor: how to get the look
Dopamine is described as ‘a chemical released in the brain that makes you feel good’. First, this post-pandemic desire to feel lighter and brighter hit fashion, with neon colours dominating the spring-summer 2022 catwalk collections. And now, it’s making its presence known in interior design. So what is dopamine decor? Well, it does exactly what it says on the tin – it’s design that makes you feel good.
The spectrum of how we interpret dopamine decor and what makes you happy is completely individual. It could be in form of one brightly painted wall or wallpaper. It could be a flurry of clashing patterns and textures or even a neutrally decorated room with one show-stopping piece of furniture. Perhaps it’s a touch of bling and sparkle, or neon stripes?
Whatever it may be, it’s a joy-filled trend that we’re here for.
Photo: Habitat
Five ways to pull off dopamine decor…
1. Start with your tablescapes
Tablescapes are a great way to introduce dopamine décor into your home, as they’re changeable. You don’t need to commit to anything big or permanent, you can just switch them up as you please. Start with a vibrant tablecloth and that will provide the backdrop to your look. There’s some incredible bright tableware on the market. Try FY! and Olivia Rubin for brightly coloured accessories.
Photo: YesColours
2. Try vibrant wallpaper
Ohpopsi has a brilliant range of bold large-scale wallpaper that can be the talking point of a room. The brand’s Creative Director has explained how their designs are ‘confident and unapologetic; they are bursting with character and personality so that you can create an inviting interior space to live, love and entertain in’. There’s everything from the nature-themed Ichika range to the colourful Abstract range.
Photo: Ohpopsi
3. Add statement lighting
Any interior designer will tell you that lighting is absolutely key to getting the mood of a room right and creating atmosphere. Why not have a bit of fun with it and add some serious statement lamps. The team at Pooky Lighting are masters in beautiful lighting and have a fabulous range of colourful treats in all shapes (from wizard hat to fluted fancy) and materials (from marbled paper to block printed cotton.)
Photo: Pooky
4. A show-stopping piece
Having one showstopper piece in the room is such a great conversation starter in dopamine décor. With over 1,500 locations worldwide and currently found popping up on London’s Old Brompton Road, Jonathan Adler has the most incredible own line of colourful contemporary furniture and bill themselves as being ‘dedicated to bringing Modern American Glamour to your life’.
Photo: Jonathan Adler
5. Play with bright accessories
Rugs can bring a room to life and add character and warmth. Forget bland rugs and invest in something vivid and fun and super soft underfoot. Cue Studio Tuft. This Cotswolds-based studio. run by Jessie James, creates the most sumptuous rugs. She weaves the influence of mid-Century design and Bauhaus (which combines craft and fine art) into her work using the finest yarns with stand-out one-of-a-kind results.
Photo: Studio Tuft