Jason Friedman and Ruby Friedman – Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty
Dopamine increases your happiness, alertness, concentration, and motivation. The best part? With the right stimulus, your brain manufactures it for you.
That’s why dopamine decor has become such a popular and powerful aesthetic when furnishing the home. Following the trend of “dopamine dressing” in fashion—where colors and textures can help activate the “feel-good neurotransmitter” in the brain—dopamine decor approaches interior design with a similar intention of galvanizing the mind’s intrinsic reward centers, and generating continuous feedbacks loops of joy, interest, comfort, and pleasure.
Here are four reasons why more people are being drawn towards dopamine decor when looking to buy a home, and four homes that perfectly illustrate the allure of this invigorating style.
It’s Personal
Kumara Wilcoxon – Kuper Sotheby’s International Realty
Dopamine decor is, at its essence, a maximalist design style that impels you to incorporate more of what makes you happiest. This liberating approach means you can proudly put your funkiest pieces on display without reservation—from the avant-garde side tables you got at that art fair, to the old-fashioned lamp you found at the street market. All that matters is your personal sense of wonder and fulfillment.
But while dopamine decor may thrive on moments of contrast, you should still strive for a sense of cohesion and coordination that unites your unique palette and furniture in a complementary way. Peer into this penthouse to understand how to put a signature stamp on a living space through mismatched fixtures and statement lighting, alongside contemporary art and pops of color.
It’s Motivating
Jason Friedman and Sandy Binder – Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty
Along with happiness, dopamine is associated with drive, motivation, and incentive—and so dopamine-inducing decor is ideal for fostering a productive space where you always feel creatively charged. This can be accomplished through bright and vivid hues, which are a hallmark of this aesthetic.
While geometric prints and vibrant palettes add vitality to your surroundings, how can you make sure it’s not too much? A good strategy is to choose a patterned accent you adore—such as a rug or a wallpaper—and let it set the tone for matching colors throughout the rest of the room. That’s what makes the kitchen in this country mansion such a fun and fruitful place to work.
It’s Relaxing
Jason Friedman and Rudi Friedman – Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty
While looks are obviously important in dopamine decor, feelings are also imperative—after all, interior spaces are designed in a way to improve physical and psychological well-being through your body’s natural biochemistry. That’s why this style also places a significant emphasis on textures and cultivating a sensory environment that’s as tangibly satisfying as it is aesthetically appealing.
As demonstrated in the living room of this chateau, an assortment of plush furnishings play well in these spaces, and allows you the freedom to embrace the highly subjective and eclectic side of dopamine-inducing decor. But you don’t necessarily have to opt for soft surfaces, as long as the pieces have the power to elevate your mood and lift your spirits.
It’s Nostalgic
Kathryn Maxwell-Pournaras and Marta Bruderman – Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty
Few moments spark more joy than a memory of a beautiful place, a wonderful time, or a beloved friend or family member. That’s why dopamine decor leans heavily into the nostalgia factor, featuring photographs of people you hold dear, pieces of art and furniture created or given as gifts, or vintage focal points that transport you back to a grandparent’s cottage or a childhood bedroom.
Quite simply, it’s a license to be as sentimental as you want. Create a vibe that resonates with you and those who know you best, and then bring it to life visually and corporeally. Just look at how the parlor in this estate captures the magic and whimsy of a bygone era, while bringing in sophisticated touches that make it novel, modern, and undeniably one of a kind.
Dopamine decor allows you to be bold, adventurous, and above all else, generous to yourself. It gives you permission to put your needs first when designing the spaces where you live, work, and play. That’s the fundamental charm of this style, and it’s why dopamine decor is a growing priority for homeowners and homebuyers alike.
Looking for more ways to increase dopamine? Frolic amongst the mood-enhancing foliage of a climate-resilient garden.
