The minimalist and Nordic decoration never goes out of style. Neutral colors, simple spaces that inspire stillness and tranquility. Although it is a deeply rooted trend, its most opposite counterpart is now making a name for itself: dopamine decoration.
This aesthetic emerged in fashion, based on the fundamentals of color therapy. That is, how colors can influence our mood. It consists of dressing in bright colors, mixing bright shades and patterns, with the aim of feeling happier. From there it takes its name, because dopamine is the hormone of happiness and satisfaction.
Little by little, the decoration has been embracing this trend, becoming a true phenomenon on social networks, especially on TikTok. Just by entering “dopamine decor†in the search engine, the screen is flooded with tons of inspirational videos to let happiness invade every corner of your home.
Dopamine decoration is based on decorating a room with the goal of making you feel happy when you enter it. It must recreate a happy atmosphere, which immediately lifts your spirits with a shot of energy.
For this, the best allies are bright colors and striking patterns. And one of the great keys to dopamine decoration is precisely daring to play and unleash creativity by combining tones and patterns with each other. A yellow wall next to another with a flower-patterned wallpaper; a bubblegum pink armchair on a polka dot rug, next to some checkered curtains. A duvet cover in an eclectic pattern combined with a lampshade with geometric patterns…
There are no rules for dopamine decoration. Her mantra is “more is moreâ€, always keeping in mind that the room should make you feel happy, but not saturate or overwhelm. For this, balance is also important. Checking that the colors fit well with each other and that the patterns are not excessive will help avoid falling into a room that is too busy.
For example, mix patterns of different sizes, some bigger and showier and others small and simple. The same with the colors, try that, although they are all very happy, they do not clash with each other. You can start timidly, combining furniture in more neutral tones with more special colors on the walls, or introducing more daring textiles such as cushions, rugs and patterned curtains. Also, go ahead and play with textures, such as a velvet sofa with a plush fabric rug. Lamps and vases with original figures will give a unique touch.
The paintings and decorative elements also take center stage. For example, with pictures of flowers, murals painted on the walls, fun figures or sculptures, and pictures with happy phrases. Another idea that works great in dopamine decoration is to include elements that a priori are associated with a more childish aesthetic, but that are ideal if they integrate well into the environment, such as a rainbow or animal prints. And, of course, plants and flowers are more than welcome.
