For the longest time, I thought good decorating meant making safe choices and following the unspoken “rules.” But recently, I started paying attention to how rooms made me feel instead of how they looked online. That shift is what led me to dopamine decorating, and it’s been one of the most freeing and happy changes I’ve made in my home.
For a long time, I decorated my home the way I thought I should.
I followed trends. I saved the same neutral inspiration photos everyone else was saving. I compared my home to others before making a decision. And while everything looked fine… it didn’t always feel like me.
Over the past few months, something shifted.
I stopped chasing what was trending and started leaning into what genuinely brings me joy—color, texture, pattern, bold choices. Spaces that make me smile the second I walk into them.
Call it dopamine decorating, call it trusting your gut, call it breaking the rules. I don’t really care what it’s called. I just know my home is starting to feel better than it ever has.
So I’m sharing the decorating rules I stopped following and why I don’t miss them for a second.
Myth #1: Your Home Has to Follow the Trends
There’s always a moment in design. There is always going to be something trending.
One year it’s all-white everything. Then warm neutrals. Then organic modern. Then quiet luxury. Then suddenly everyone owns the same lamp and is using the same paint colors.
I used to feel pressure to keep up. If something wasn’t trending, I second-guessed it even if I loved it.
Now? I decorate based on how a space makes me feel. What catches my attention and brings that joyful feeling. Loving what I see matters far more than whether it’s having a viral moment on Instagram. Trends come and go. What you love tends to stick.
Myth #2: Neutral = Timeless, Color = Risky
This one kept me stuck for years.
Neutrals felt safe. Color felt like a commitment, or honestly, a little scary (which is kind of wild when you think about it). Nothing is truly permanent.
But here’s what I’ve learned: joy is timeless.
When I walk into a room filled with color and personality, I naturally gravitate toward it. I linger longer. I feel lighter. Even on gloomy days, those spaces lift my mood.
Color isn’t risky if it makes you happy. Living in a space that doesn’t excite you? That’s the real risk.
Incorporating color doesn’t have to mean painting an entire room. It can show up through paint, a rug, large furniture pieces, decor, or artwork. There are so many ways to bring it in at a level that feels right for you.
Myth #3: You Have to Play It Safe in Permanent Spaces
Bathrooms. Exteriors. Kitchens. These are the spaces we’re often told to keep “classic.”
But some of my favorite projects are the ones where I completely threw that advice out the window.
Office/Pool House
This space was a turning point for me. Instead of playing it safe, I leaned into warmth, texture, and finishes that felt inviting and lived-in. It wasn’t about resale. It was about creating a space our family actually wanted to spend time in.
For the first time, I bought a sofa that wasn’t leather, cream, or gray. It’s a rust red sofa. I added bold, artsy wallpaper and a colorful rug and somehow it all came together even better than I imagined.
The Poolside Mural
Painting a mural by the pool wasn’t subtle and it wasn’t supposed to be. It brings instant personality to the exterior space and feels like a little escape every time I step outside.
Honestly, it feels like I’m at my own resort every time I’m there because of the vibe it brings.
Wallpapered Bathroom
Wallpaper in a bathroom used to feel like a “don’t.” Now it’s one of my favorite yes moments. Pattern transformed that space from purely functional to genuinely fun and it makes me smile every single day. I love it when we have guests over and they come out of the bathroom talking about the wallpaper!
The Creamsicle Beach Cottage
Painting the beach cottage that creamsicle color sealed the deal for me. It feels joyful, nostalgic, and completely aligned with the way that home is meant to feel. It’s happy before you even walk through the door.
Myth #4: Your Home Has to Make Sense to Everyone Else
This one is incredibly freeing once you let it go. Your home doesn’t need to be universally loved. It just needs to be loved by you.
Some people won’t get bold color. Some won’t understand pattern mixing or playful choices. That’s okay. The goal isn’t approval. Instead it’s connection to yourself. When your home reflects what you love, it feels authentic… and honestly, it kind of screams joy.
What I’m Leaning Into Now: Dopamine Decorating
For me, dopamine decorating means:
- Choosing colors that instantly lift my mood
- Mixing textures and patterns without overthinking it
- Letting spaces evolve instead of forcing perfection
- Trusting my instincts more than the trends
I’ve noticed that I naturally gravitate toward these rooms. The ones I sit in the longest. The ones that feel like a deep exhale.
And that’s not an accident.
If You’re Feeling Stuck in Your Home
Here’s my biggest takeaway: Stop asking what’s trending and start asking what makes you happy.
Your home should feel like joy, comfort, creativity, and personality wrapped into one. If something makes you smile every time you see it, you’re doing it right.
Decorating doesn’t have rules. It has feelings. And I’m choosing the ones that bring me joy.
