​Dopamine Décor that will Brighten your Bedroom Instantly

Have a good look around your current bedroom. What would you say your style is? Light and airy? Dark and moody? Glam boudoir? Whatever the style of the people you bought your home from was? Whatever your taste might be, we’re here to throw a cat amongst the proverbial pigeons with a burgeoning interior trend that’s going to brighten every morning. Forget greige, forget shabby chic, forget mid-century modern. Today’s interior trendsetters are leaning whole-heartedly into what’s been coined dopamine décor. Ready to hop on this happy trend? Slap a smile on your face and step right this way…

What is Dopamine Décor?

Named for the neurotransmitter that, when released into the brain, creates those happy feelings, dopamine décor is the injection of sunshine we all need in these dark days.

Dopamine décor: the concept

For far too many years we’ve been hanging on to the idea that our homes should be clean and minimalist. But at a time when we’re all a little prone to feeling down in the dumps, homes that make us smile are having a welcome renaissance. Modern interior schemes laugh in the face of wars, global warming and cost of living crises. Dopamine décor says, cheer up! Look on the bright side! Okay, so it won’t make the world a better place, but seeing a bright colour on the wall, hugging a fluffy cushion or spying a witty artwork might just help you to feel that bit more positive when life is getting you down.

Where the interior style of the Millennial was all about those sophisticated muted pinks, sleek, old money golds and nods to the 60s and 70s, dopamine décor takes things to the next level. This is unadulterated Gen Z and we love it.

Dopamine décor: the look

So what makes dopamine décor different? Here are our golden (or should we say neon yellow?) rules for bringing sunshine brights into your home:

• Maximise the maximalism: dopamine interiors take maximalism to the next level. They’re big and they’re bold. We’re talking love it or hate it Marmite rooms full of ‘where did you get that?’ talking points. These retro-dipped modern spaces layer up on everything, giving the eye something to be caught by in every corner.

• Clash those patterns: florals and stripes, checks and spots, geometric and naturalistic. Dopamine décor is all about bringing together a range of inspirations for a melting pot of modern style.

• Creating texture: this new look is supposed to be soothing for the soul, making your softs central to the scheme. Fun rugs in candy brights are often a centrepiece. Cushions are tactile – fluffy, crocheted, fur. Velvets, wools, silks and linens are stacked and swagged throughout.

• Colour is king: if it’s colourful it’s in the dopamine scheme. Clashing pinks and reds are popular, as are frosted purples and minty greens. The Pantone 2024 colour of the year, Peach Fuzz, really represents the trend.

• Stay sustainable: dopamine décor might take your mind off the troubles off the world but they’re still very much there, outside your front door. This interior trend is, therefore, just as much about caring for an ailing world as it is about looking good. A true dopamine home blends big buys with pieces from small brands, thrifted items and hand-me-downs.

• Add personality: a trend that kicks against off-the-shelf room schemes, this look demands you put something of yourself into every room. Who cares what anyone else thinks? If you love it, it’s in!

Why the Dopamine Décor Trend is Perfect for the Bedroom

Isn’t this all a bit in-your-face and unrelaxing for a bedroom? We hear you cry. We don’t think so. There are plenty of reasons your boudoir is the best place in the house to enjoy a drop of dopamine:

Go to sleep happy, wake happy

When your day is full of stress and challenges, starting and finishing with a smile is a must. A bedroom positively saturated in colour can help to give you a little pep in your step as you start the day. Likewise, when you pull on those pyjamas at night and spot that silly little postcard you picked up on a day trip to the seaside or tuck under a lairy purple faux fur throw (complete with red pom poms) you’ll feel your troubles melt away.

A personal space for your personal faves

Our absolute favourite thing about the dopamine décor trend? The license it gives you to be your own weird, wacky, wonderful self. The only rule of this trend is that there really are no rules. This is the signal you need to bring home that bright yellow gluggle jug, that David Shrigley cat print, that quirky toadstool shaped lamp. And the beauty of going all out, large print, funky flavour in your bedroom? It’s all completely yours and nobody can judge you for your taste (not, by the way, that you should care what anyone else thinks). Perhaps you feel the pressure to be prim and proper in the dining room, sober and simple in the living room. That’s fine. In the bedroom you can let your freak flag fly!

Maximalism can breed organisation

Look, we know better than most that clutter in the bedroom can be the thief of sleep. And, yes, with that in mind, a bedroom full of colourful, clashing knick knacks doesn’t sound conducive to rest. But hear us out. Dopamine décor’s maximalist vibe could just help you to get that bit more organised in the bedroom. In a scheme where soft furnishings are key, there’s space aplenty for a brightly coloured ottoman or blanket box in which you can stuff all those bits and bobs. Which other interior trend would positively encourage you to break out that kitschy trinket box to stash your everyday jewellery in? This is your opportunity to hide your office space or junk corner behind a loud and proud printed curtain or thrifted 70s foldaway screen too.

How to Create a Dopamine Décor Bedroom

Sold? We thought so! If you’re ready to bring a hit of sunshine into your own bedroom here are our top tips to help you create a sanctuary that will make you smile.

Colours that complement, not clash

While those dopamine décor interiors you see in magazines and on Instagram may look thrown together in a devil may care manner, the truth is they’re carefully considered. Those colours that seem to clash? They don’t, not quite. If you’re not of the artistic bent don’t throw caution to the wind and grab a bit of everything from your local interiors store. Instead take a look at a colour wheel or pick up a handful of paint swatches to help you understand what works. Alternatively, choose a bright, cheerful patterned wallpaper or bedspread and when accessorising stay close to the colours used there.

Get pattern clever

As with colour schemes, there’s a fine line between cute n’ clashy and headache inducing. Again, blending patterns well is a skill that many of us are lacking. And while that knowledge shouldn’t push you back into a matchy-matchy world of throw cushions and curtains, it should serve as a reminder that anything doesn’t always go. Our advice is to take care with colour when it comes to pattern clashing. Playing with scale is an easy way to get started (a ditsy floral with an oversized floral, large scale gingham with mini checks). Choosing one repetition, be it colour, scale or design, is a simple trick too.

Think comfort

Your bedroom is somewhere where you want to relax and get cosy, making it the ideal room in which to play with texture. Layer up that bedding in a variety of tones, patterns and textures. Chuck a cosy armchair in the corner. Install blinds but swag brightly striped curtains over them too. Dopamine décor gives you license to really go to town on texture, making it easy to create a room you can really sink into.

Love the Earth (but don’t scrimp on the essentials)

You know already that a key aspect of the dopamine décor movement is sustainability. So, we positively encourage you to get out to a car boot sale, to raid Grandma’s fabric stash and to take a paintbrush to plain and boring old furniture. However, there are certain bedroom essentials it really isn’t advisable to skimp on. Mattresses should be purchasednew and clean and chosen to suit your personal comfort level. A good, sturdily made wardrobe can last you for years to come. And when it comes to a bedframe? Take care when going second hand – if in doubt play it safe with a well-built new bedstead that’ll stand the test of time.

Our Favourite Dopamine Home Décor Pieces

What do you need to get that dopamine décor inspired bedroom overhaul underway then? In our opinion, this interiors trend can’t do without:

Wacky wallpaper

Whether it’s bright, blousy florals, naïve blobs or acid bright stripes, true dopamine décor fans can’t get enough of statement wallpapers. And where better to enjoy an oversized decorative motif than the bedroom? Fully committed? Go all out and paper all four walls! A little nervous? Opt for temporary, renter-friendly self-adhesive paper that can be simply peeled away when you’re ready for a change. Or paper the wall behind your bed while drenching the rest of the room in a bright, complementary paint colour.

Wonky ceramics

Handmade ceramics are a cornerstone of the dopamine look. But when we say ceramics we don’t mean pretty Lladro ladies and sophisticated, slim-necked vases. We’re talking the weird and wonderful, ugly bowls Auntie Jan might’ve made in pottery class. We’re talking uneven jugs you can still see the maker’s fingerprints in. We’re talking a plant stand in the shape of a donkey (or any other animal or vegetable you can think of).Seek out local makers and follow your heart.

A weirdo piece or two

Let us tell you about some dopamine décor pieces we’ve seen that we’d put in our own bedrooms. A vanity stool in the shape of a tooth. Oversized, framed tarot cards. A cheetah-shaped jug (with a mouth hole for pouring). A huge, vintage optometrists hanging shop sign. Lime green and white checkerboard bedding. Reclaimed fairground hoardings used as a headboard. When we say anything goes, we really do mean it. If it’s a piece that makes you happy, that’ll make you smile every time you see it, chuck it on in there.

A brightly upholstered bed

When it comes to upholstery, the brighter the better. Since the bed is the focus of your bedroom, it’s vital that you get this one right. And if we’re talking statement hues, there’s no better fabric to seek out than velvet, which gives the depth your bedframe needs to really carry off that bold colour. We love:

The Snooze Sunset bedframe in Opulent Olive which, with its simple curves, balances eye-catching colour with fuss-free lines – ideal for a maximalist room. Pile this bed with mustard or cerise linens and multi-patterned bolster cushions for the ultimate dopamine hit.

The Staples & Co Revitalise Eco Latex Pocket 3800 divan bed set in Bespoke Teal. Perfect paired with navy, deep pink or purple, teal is a perfect colour for thedopamine décor look. Looking great right now, this timeless bedframe in an always-popular tone will also suit years of changing tastes.

The Hypnos Luxurious Earth 02 divan bed set in Indian Gold is a beautiful choice for a happy bedroom that still feels calming and luxurious. Finished in velvet in a burnished shade of not-quite-mustard, not-quite-tan, this bedframe pairs wonderfully with rich, deep colours.

Create Your Dopamine Décor Bedroom at Bensons for Beds

Though we can’t redesign your whole bedroom for you, we can help you get started with the most important things you’ll need for that happy-go-lucky space that you’ll love waking up to. Pay a visit to your nearest Bensons for Beds showroom where our smiling staff will be happy to walk you through choosing the right bed and bedroom furniture for your space. Questions? Give us a call on 0808 144 6160.