Dopamine decor: how to design a joyful home

Sometimes people seek happiness via external means such as shopping, holidays or nights out. But it turns out the secret to a more joyful life could be much closer to home. In fact, it could lie within your home itself.

In essence, your home can make you happy. So, in this blog post, we’re looking at some of the ways in which we can bring more joy into our homes via colour, texture and daring design choices.

Joyful home decor can boost your mood

The way you decorate your home can have a significant impact on your mood, outlook and energy levels. A pop of vibrant yellow has the ability to lift the spirits, for example, and luxurious textures such as velvet or silk can soothe and reassure.

The power of colour to influence how we feel isn’t an exact science, but it is nonetheless significant.

“With colour one obtains an energy that seems to stem from witchcraft” – French colour advocate and artist Henri Matisse

Related read: The essential colour aesthetic guide from FibreGuard’s design team >

Dopamine decor choices are all about feeling good

One of the hottest looks in interiors this year has been ‘dopamine decorating’, the trend for introducing joyous pops of colour to lift the spirits. Known as the ‘feel-good’ hormone, dopamine is a neurotransmitter that acts as part of the brain’s reward system.

Associated with pleasurable sensations, dopamine can be released in response to joyous and unexpected interiors designed to make the heart sing. It's about selecting decorative pieces, furniture and colours that speak to us in a very personal way, that create a unique space and bring joy to our lives.

Whether it's a bright, vibrant hue that energises us, or a calming blue that soothes us, dopamine decor choices are all about finding the perfect balance to make our homes feel really pleasing to be in.

“How people want to decorate has recently shifted. We’re all craving a better outlook, and part of achieving that is to condition your own brain to think more positively, which you can do by surrounding yourself with things that make you feel happy. Cocktail cabinets that move and rotate, furniture that’s geared towards sitting together and being convivial, anything that is a bit playful and glamorous and dramatic.” – British product designer, Lee Broom

Related read: Evoke the joyful fun of Memphis Design interiors in your own home >

Designing joyful interiors is not just about utilising your own personal style and taste, but also about finding ways to make your space feel unique and reflective of who you are. It could mean adding items that make you smile, such as plants, art, or books, or selecting colors and textures that evoke a feeling of warmth and comfort.

It could also mean incorporating elements of nature into your design, like natural wood or stone, or even adding in a splash of color to brighten up the room. It’s all about creating a space that is special to you and brings you joy.

So, whether you're a fan of minimalist Japandi style or urban rustic interiors, remember to have fun as you develop your own style and show your personality through the interior choices you make.

Design a happy home with your favourite decor colour schemes

The uplifting power of colour has been shown to improve mood, increase productivity and boost mental health. It’s all about choosing colours for your home which speak to you individually and bring you joy.

“Look at your wardrobe and the personal things you surround yourself with to find the colours that really make you happy. These are the ones that make you feel great when you wear them and the ones that bring back happy memories of childhood.” – Marianne Shillingford, Creative Director, Dulux

Reflecting the colours of the natural world, greens are known to have a calming effect and can help reduce stress and anxiety. Likewise, blues can be a great mood booster because of their links with blue seas, blue skies and sunny holidays.

A great way to update your space is to add bold, contrasting paint in limited areas of your home. You could paint the door, skirting boards and architraves of your living room, for example, in a bright yellow to introduce an instant hit of ‘dopamine décor’. This approach has the added benefit that it can easily be achieved in a weekend.

An accent chair is another simple way to bring a pop of bright colour into your home. Why not go for a bold red armchair or a cobalt blue office chair? It’s less daunting to be daring with a single piece of furniture, and it’s easy to replace if you fancy a change further down the line.

Curved shapes can also play a key role in ‘dopamine decorating’. Sofas or chairs with rounded contours and wavy edges represent a fun and playful aesthetic. Add to that opulent velvet or woolly bouclé upholstery, and you’ve got a passport to comfort and relaxation.

Get all the senses tingling with your room design choices

It’s important to engage as many senses as possible when creating a joyful interior, rather than focussing solely on visual elements. And this is where soft, strokable fabrics and textiles come into play.

Tactile items such as cosy throws, fluffy rugs and lavish curtains will bring a sensual aspect to your home. These accessories can easily be changed around according to the seasons or simply when you wish to ring the changes.

Related read A Year of Textured Softness: Fabrics You Loved in 2021 >

Our suggestions:

• Dive into the cloudy soft world of chenille texture mixes
• Opulent velvets, in particular, are the perfect way to bring a cocooning, comforting vibe to your home. FibreGuard’s velvets are gorgeously soft to the touch as well as being stain-resistant, durable and easy to clean!
• Choose upholstery with distinctive textures that gives them a wonderful dimension - one of our velvet collections has a delicious nailhead texture that is just perfect
• Pair the curved sofa we suggested above with a textured bouclé upholstery. Our easy clean bouclé fabrics include beautiful yarn-dyed upholstery collections that feel so nice they could be chenille...and a very special, 'gentle' bouclé collection that boasts a soft, friendly hand-feel.
• Think outside the box by dressing up your walls with upholstery fabric wall coverings. This wall treatment technique is actually far more doable than you might think. It’s a nippy way to create a memorable interior with a built-in wow-factor. Hospitality designers who don't want to go subtle, we dare you to break out the graphics, shapes, geometric, animal patterns, textured wall coverings: everything. Get more wall design ideas.

Our stain-resistant performance fabrics are ready for joy

FibreGuard's stain resistant performance fabrics offer you the perfect opportunity to create a home that is both beautiful and functional. With our fabrics, you can add a touch of joy to your living space, while also protecting it from the everyday wear and tear that life can bring.

All of our collections are designed to last, ensuring that your home remains looking gorgeous for years to come. Whether you're looking for something bright and cheerful or something subtle and elegant, you'll be sure to find the perfect fabric to suit your needs in our collection.

So why not start creating your dream home today with FibreGuard?