Oh, swoon! Let’s talk about Dopamine Decor! According to The Cleveland Clinic, Dopamine is a neurotransmitter made in our brain and is known as the “feel-good” hormone. As part of the brain’s “reward system,” one might say that its original intent was to keep us eating and procreating in order to survive. Dopamine is released when we are doing something pleasurable, and ensures that we want to do it again.
According to Architectural Digest, when Dopamine is used with the word Decor, it is usually taken to mean decor with “brilliantly bold colors and patterns, eclectic prints, inviting textures, and is infused with nostalgia.” For some designers, it means “going all out.” Needless to say, Dopamine Decor will vary from person to person, and to be sure, it does. I would only question this variability if, for instance, someone with a beige and tan decor palette suddenly exclaimed that they had recently done their home in a Dopamine decor style. But let’s not quibble, and just take Dopamine Decor for what it is commonly thought to be - a wildly colorful, fun mishmash of colors and textures in the home.
Here are some examples:
This is certainly a prime and fun example of Dopamine Decor, with all of the fun colors happening in the room!
Here is another space, where each piece of furniture is another fun color, and there are countless doodads everywhere.
Here is another example which is far more sedate, but look at the colorful drapes and wallpaper in the background!
Here is an artsy version where there is a lot going on. I love the snow-leopard-covered bench …
Here is another more sedate example, but who doesn’t love an orange velvet couch?
With all that being said, I would be hard-pressed to decorate like this, as it’s too much of a jumble for me. If I were to do my house entirely in Dopamine Decor, it would probably look something like this:
Or this:
Or this:
My bathroom would look like this:
My kitchen, this:
And it would probably also include things like this:
And these:
By now, you’re probably all ready to cart me off to the Pink Funny Farm, but what can I say? I love pink!
What is Dopamine Decor to you? What things make your heart race and want to redo your entire house? Have you made a vision board? Do you keep ideas on Pinterest? I’d love to hear about it!