Homeowners turn to ‘dopamine decor’ to brighten moods before winter

A poll of 2,000 adults with their own place found 57 per cent believe their interiors directly impact their mood during the darker months.

And with 46 per cent bored of their bland white, grey and beige colour schemes, the living room is the top spot for a burst of brightness (63 per cent).

Bedrooms (36 per cent) and dining rooms (17 per cent) are also being given a colourful shake-up.

With cushions (45 per cent), statement wall art (36 per cent) and bold throws (30 per cent), the most popular mood-boosting buys.

While 18 per cent are braving patterned wallpaper for the first time.

Discover your Dopamine Decor style!

Caroline Woolmer, head of design at Lust Home, which specialises in vibrant colour and pattern wallpapers and commissioned the research, said: “Dopamine decor is really the natural evolution of the dopamine dressing trend – where people use fashion to feel brighter and happier.

“It makes perfect sense that this thinking has moved into our homes, especially in winter when we spend so much time inside.

“Bold colours and playful prints can energise us and instantly lift a room.

“Wallpaper is the ideal way to create happy walls. Whether it’s a full room, a ceiling or just one feature wall, it has such an impact and gives that warm, fuzzy dopamine feeling.

“And when the days are shorter and the skies greyer, it’s more important than ever to live in a space that sparks joy.”

Following the findings, the brand has also created a quiz to determine your dopamine decor style to see which bold look is going to bring you the most joy.

The study also found 58 per cent are determined to make their homes feel cosier as the cold snap approaches.

While 35 per cent see this time of year as the perfect excuse to ditch the beige and go bold.

Floral patterns (33 per cent), tropical prints (27 per cent) and abstract designs (25 per cent) are considered the most uplifting.

Whereas sunshine colours like yellow (42 per cent), orange (33 per cent) and pink (26 per cent) are ranked the best options for banishing winter gloom.

And when it comes to interior priorities in the colder months, 55 per cent put cosiness top of the list.

But despite a clear appetite for change, there is some nervousness for 63 per cent when it comes to introducing brighter patterns and colours.

Of those, 38 per cent worried their homes would feel too ‘busy’, while 27 per cent feared clashes with their existing furniture.

And 22 per cent admitted they simply didn’t know which looks would work for them.

‘Choose colours that make you smile and bring you joy’

Colour expert, Karen Haller, added: “A lot of people hesitate when it comes to bold colours and patterns because they worry their home will end up feeling chaotic, cluttered or overwhelming.

“It’s easy to stick with ‘neutrals’ because they can feel safe.

"But if bold colour feels like a natural way to express your true personality, remember it doesn’t mean going from beige, grey or white to a cacophony of colour overnight.

“Start small with accents. You could wallpaper the back wall of a bookcase, or perhaps one small nook or zone within a room, or even bring some colour to a door.

"These little splashes of colour can build confidence and transform a space without taking you out of your comfort zone.

“Pairing colours you might not expect, like pink with red or green with blue, was once called a ‘clash’.

"But it was never really about right or wrong, and it’s certainly not about following trends. It’s about choosing what feels right for you and how you want your home to feel.

“The most important thing is to choose colours that make you smile and bring you joy.

"If they lift your mood and give you those feel-good feels, then they’re doing their job.”