DOPAMINE DECOR It’s my home and I’ll decorate it how I want to
T
he song lyrics “It’s my party and I’ll cry if I want to” are applicable to much more than just parties. What is yours – be it a party, a social media account, or in the case of this article, your home – gives you the right to do with it whatever you want, provided it does not harm others, of course. And if you are going to cry because you want to, draped over a sofa listening to “Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac on repeat, one thing will surely cheer you up: dopamine decor.
Textbook Dopamine Decor
Dopamine via Colour
Forecasted as one of the top home design trends of 2024, dopamine decor is a natural development from last year’s dopamine dressing fashion, characterised by vibrant colours, tactile textures and injected with nostalgia. Architectural Digest quotes Saniya Kantawala, principal designer at Saniya Kantawala Design, as follows: “This trend brings back memories of a carefree childhood when the bedroom walls had your favourite celebrity posters, playful signages, eccentric lights and objects that elicit a deep sense of joy.” A quick Google search will reveal a rather maximalist approach to dopamine decor, with more-is-more furniture and bright, contrasting colours. Yet dopamine – the neurotransmitter or chemical messenger which, when released into the brain, induces feelings of happiness – is completely subjective. If too many textures, over-filled living rooms and abundant gallery walls are unsettling to you, let this be your cue to explore what does indeed stimulate dopamine to you, and only you. Let’s look at some alternative approaches to designing your home around what truly makes you happy, without bordering kindergarten territory. COLOUR: The dopamine decor textbook insists that loud, bright colours make us happy. However, if you tend to become overstimulated by colour-blocked tangerine and turquoise (I don’t blame you), it does not mean you should discard colour entirely. Sad beige homes are where interior dreams go to die. The colour theory can guide you to include the hues that spark joy for you. Instead of covering a feature wall in saturated Barbie pink, try including a musk or elderberry shade of pink in elements like picture frames or closet doors. Green is known to evoke feelings of safety and growth. Hues like sage and malachite can surely do the trick just as well as a highlighter green can.
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