When we first wrote about an emerging decorating style called 'dopamine decor' back in 2022, it was hard to see beyond it as another 'viral' design trend. However, cut to 2025, and not only are the tenets of dopamine decor still as relevant to design today, but the name has stuck with it, too. Why? Because it's about using color in ways to bring you joy, and joy is never going to go out of style.
However, since that first report on this interior design trend three years ago, it's fair to say it has evolved — new colors have become popular, some that designers were gravitating towards back then have receded. But at its core, dopamine decor has stayed the same. "More people now have the language to talk about design in relation to their feelings," says the designer Ellen Cumber, founder of Golden Design. "Clients come to me and say they want their homes to feel happy, or calm, or joyful."
