From bland to bold: How women are ditching beige to spark joy
While some get a boost of happiness by exercising and getting enough sleep, others are turning to interior design with bold paint and eye-catching patterns.
It is a craze known as dopamine décor, which has more than 70,000 posts on TikTok, and involves adding bright, quirky items to your home for a happiness boost.
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Rachel Verney shares decor inspiration videos of her colourful Surrey home to more than 800,000 followers on social media, and she saw her popularity boom when she bought a bright orange sofa.
Known as The Shoestring Home, millions watch her renovation videos as she aims to make “aesthetic accessible” and help people create colourful spaces on a budget.
“It’s my happy place when I work on a project,” she said. “Sometimes I feel like an imposter as I’m not qualified to do the job.”
On Facebook, she has experienced “division” over her interiors as some find the designs too bold.
But while she might not have a degree in interior design, her ideas have been a hit with younger viewers, and she has made content creation her full-time job over the past year.
“Everything is so gloomy, and the world is a bit of a scary place at the moment – houses want to be joyful,” she said.
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that plays a crucial role in our brain’s reward and pleasure systems. Often referred to as the “feel-good” hormone, it influences mood, motivation, and attention.
Psychologist Natasha Sharma said vivid colours produced small dopamine hits, which, in uncertain times, provided a sense of optimism and reward.
She said dopamine decor allowed people to “externalise” their identity and boost their mood, giving a “heightened sense of wellbeing”.
Sharma, from Wolverhampton, added that a home dominated by grey or neutral tones could result in “feelings of emotional flatness”.
Nicola Brighton is among those making a living from the trend, creating kitsch prints and neon mirrors in unique shapes which are stocked in stores across the UK and US.
Since 2022, her business Printed Weird, which is based in Birmingham, has grown 62 per cent, and her designs frequently sell out as customers look for nostalgia to add to their homes.
“When you come home from work, and you’ve had a rubbish day, you can just look at things that bring you joy and happiness,” Nicola said.
She started her business from her mum’s spare bedroom seven years ago, fuelled by a love for colourful decor and a mission to put affordable items on the market.
“Through what you love, why not put that silliness on your wall? It’s an extension of your personality and will bring you joy,” she said.
But while Google searches for dopamine decor have risen more than 110 per cent in the past year, estate agents warned the trend could put off potential buyers.
Paul Fox Estate Agents, based in Lincolnshire, recommended a neutral colour scheme over bold hues, adding that “timeless” shades helped sell homes quickly.
“First impressions are everything, so by ensuring that the home is painted in popular colours, you are likely to attract buyers,” the agent said.
