What is dopamine décor?

Dopamine décor looks set to be one of the biggest interior trends of 2022. Dopamine is a chemical produced in the brain strongly associated with feelings of pleasure. It’s also linked with attention, memory, motivation and enthusiasm. Dopamine décor, is, in short, the use of colour in the home to trigger feelings of happiness. It’s long been known that colour can have a powerful effect on the brain, influencing mood, behaviour and even our ability to concentrate; dopamine décor taps into the power of colour to induce happiness.

Times have been pretty tough for a couple of years now, and new cost-of-living stresses aren’t making life any easier, so it’s no surprise people are looking for ways to boost their mood. Pinterest, the go-to site for all trend forecasting and inspiration, has reported an increase of 85% in the number of searches by people seeking inspiration for bright and colourful room schemes this year – so is it something every homeowner should be considering?

If you’re planning on staying put, and want to make your home your happy place and connect with your own colour-loves, then yes, you should definitely go for it. A sunshine yellow hallway, a forest green sitting room, an azure blue bathroom – if they bring you joy, they’re a good thing. If by choosing colours that lift your mood you can make your home even more of a haven, head to B&Q, grab the paint pots and make your colour-dreams come true. If you want to, but you’re not sure you’re quite brave enough, Pinterest is, as already stated, a great place to find inspiration on decor for every room in the house. Perhaps take it one step at a time, with the classic statement wall in a bold, rich colour, before throwing yourself right at it, with a colour drench of walls, ceiling and woodwork.

However, if you’re planning on selling your home in the near future, maybe it’s not such a great idea. Not all colours will affect people in the same way – while a zingy yellow dress, or wallpaper – might make you smile, it could just be too much for the next person, who needs more calm in their environment. While rich green can wrap itself around one person like a hug, for another it can create feelings of claustrophobia. 

The impact of colour can be so powerful people lose the ability to place themselves in a home, to imagine themselves living there. Stepping into a dark blue sitting room could be a little overwhelming if your own preference is for pastels. You need potential buyers to be able to see themselves relaxing in your sitting room, entertaining in your kitchen and sleeping in your bedroom.

Best advice is, when preparing to sell your home, if you have tapped into using colour to boost your mood do a sense check on each room and consider taking them back to something more neutral. Neutrals – creams, pale greys, beiges and white – can be very calming. They are safe, non-challenging shades that won’t cause any stress or dismay. They allow people to ‘overwrite’, to imagine their own furniture and accessories in a space, which is hard when the space is otherwise so very much someone else’s.

Picture used from Bury Avenue, Whalley Range.

Eddie – Friday 27th May 2022.