Dopamine décor, is it just a trendy phase or is it here to stay?

You’ve probably seen the phrase “dopamine décor” coined by many a trendy influencer, you know the ones with the pristine, colourful and quirky homes, looking achingly cool and effortless, but what does dopamine décor actually mean… really?

Let’s start with dopamine, the chemical messenger and hormone in the brain that is most notably involved in helping us feel pleasure, reward, it’s the feel good chemical. You know when you do something you really love, or smell the freshly baked cookies as you take them out of the oven, and feel instantly happy, that’s dopamine right there, working its magic. But what does this have to do with your home décor? Great question…

Your home is where your day starts, it’s where your day ends and your décor and the general feel and energy of your home have such a huge impact on us on a daily basis, more than you might realise. Now you might think that dopamine décor means you have to decorate your home in bright colours, buy into all the trends of changing your décor and accessories every month to fit with the changing seasons, but that really isn’t the case. If you love dark interiors and painting your hallway bright pink with leopard print carpet isn’t your thing (which I actually think would look f*cking fantastic by the way), I don’t blame you, we are all individuals, we all have individual taste and sense of style and that’s what makes life so fantastic! And that is what dopamine décor is about, it’s about expressing yourself through your home décor and choosing pieces that bring you joy and make you smile.

Imagine waking up every day, or coming home at the end of a tough day at work, to a house that brings YOU joy, not decorated for the next buyer, or painted in the current “trends”, but a space that is designed and decorated how you want it. You don’t have to completely rip out the entire space or paint every wall in bright and bold colours, it could be as simple as choosing a cushion or piece of artwork that makes you smile, that feels like it was made for you. Whether that’s a luxurious dark living room with candles and velvet sofa, or a turquoise kitchen with pink cupboards and accessories, if it makes you happy then do it.

And that’s why I believe dopamine décor is here to stay! It has no boundaries, no rules, no trends to follow. It’s about expressing yourself and decorating with personality, your personality! If your home can evoke that feeling of pure joy and happiness, every time you walk through the door, how can that be a trend that will phase out and why would you want it to!