Dopamine décor favors emotions over aesthetics: Happy home, happy life

USA Today

02-05-2025

Matt Alderton
USA TODAY Network
When you're happy, your whole body knows it. Your heart races. Your face flushes. Your breath quickens. The butterflies in your stomach flutter.
And then there's your brain. When you're happy, its neural nooks and crannies flood with 'happiness hormones' like dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin. By eliciting feelings of joy, accomplishment, pleasure, satisfaction and self-esteem, they reinforce healthy habits that help you survive and thrive.
Sunlight, exercise, music, memories and pets are just a few of the many things that can stimulate happiness at the neurochemical level, research suggests. But happiness doesn't flow only from your activities. It's also an important byproduct of your surroundings.
'When you're looking at things in your environment, your retina is actively sending messages to your brain that directly impact how you feel,' explains Anita Yokota, a licensed family and marriage therapist, interior designer and author of Home Therapy: Interior Design for Increasing Happiness, Boosting Confidence and Creating Calm. 'So, it's really important to be intentional about what we bring into our homes.'
Indeed, a 2019 study by the Happiness Research Institute found that 73 percent of people who are happy with their homes also are happier in general.
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So powerful is the home-happiness connection that it went viral on social media in 2023: The hashtag #dopaminedecor had more than 173 million views on TikTok as of late January.
'Instead of triggers — things that increase our blood pressure and the stress hormone cortisol — dopamine décor is all about finding what I call glimmers: things that bring us joy,' Yokota says.
Although neither homes nor happiness are one-size-fits-all, a few universal design principles can help anyone create a space that makes them smile.
Show your true colors
Color can instantly change how rooms — and people — feel, says Chelsea Foy, founder and editor of the lifestyle blog Lovely Indeed and author of The Happy Home: The Ultimate Guide to Creating a Home That Brings You Joy. Her personal favorite, yellow, makes her feel energized and uplifted. 'There's a small bank of cabinets in my laundry room that I painted a mustardy yellow, and every time I pass by, it makes me smile,' she says.
Although warm hues tend to be stimulating and cool shades soothing, there's no 'bad' color. It's a matter of personal preference, notes Foy, who says even small pops of color can make a big impact. Consider creating an accent wall with paint or wallpaper; peppering rooms with bold pillows, lamps and accessories; or making flamboyant focal points out of rugs, artwork or furnishings.
'It could be a fantastic pink couch you found at a thrift store, or a painting that dominates a wall,' Foy says. 'Beige can be beautiful, but we need things that make our spaces feel vibrant.'
Don't be a square
Shapes also can be impactful, says industrial designer Ingrid Fetell Lee, author of Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness. 'Research shows that when we look at angular objects, the amygdala — the part of our brain that's associated with fear and anxiety — lights up. When we look at round shapes, that part of our brain stays silent,' explains Lee, who suggests round instead of square tables, mirrors and picture frames. 'If you notice the way you move in a space with sharp angles, you tend to be a little more cautious. You don't want to bang your shin on the coffee table, whereas in a space with lots of rounded shapes you feel very at ease.'
Sacred symmetry works
In 2016, scientists at the University of Chicago conducted an experiment in which they showed students pictures of either orderly or disorderly environments, then gave them a math test. The students who saw messy rooms were more likely to cheat, according to researchers, who cited asymmetry as a hallmark of disorderly spaces.
'There's something destabilizing about asymmetrical environments that influences the way we behave,' suggests Lee, who says you can bring more symmetry to spaces by decorating in pairs — two nightstands flanking a bed or two plants flanking a large piece of artwork — or by choosing wallpapers and fabrics with repeating patterns.
Clutter disrupts joy
A common cause of asymmetry is clutter. 'Clutter increases the stress hormone cortisol. … When we see clutter, it actually increases our blood pressure,' explains Yokota, who recommends using baskets, bins and trays to organize clutter in closets, drawers and pantries, and on surfaces like counters and desktops. 'I'm a huge proponent of using vertical space, so I also love hooks. … I put 3M hooks on the beautiful porcelain waterfall countertop in my kitchen because that's where my kids' backpacks land, and if I had to see a backpack on the floor there, it would drive me crazy.'
It's as important to remove emotional clutter as it is physical clutter, says interior designer Rebecca West, CEO of Seriously Happy Homes and author of Happy Starts at Home: Change Your Space, Transform Your Life. She recalls a recently divorced client, for example, who got rid of a bookcase that reminded her of her marriage. 'As soon as she put it on the curb, it was like 100 pounds had been lifted from her shoulders,' West says.
Embrace the element of surprise
Creating small moments of whimsy and surprise gives you little sparks of joy whenever you see them, says interior designer Betsy Wentz, author of Design Happy: Colorful Homes for the Modern Family. Instead of art, for example, Wentz likes to frame and hang colorful scarves or cool bedsheets. And for fun accessories, she applies tinted lacquer to mirrors, light fixtures and knickknacks.
'You can lacquer anything,' says Wentz, who recalls a grandfather clock she once transformed for a client. 'It had belonged to her husband's great-grandfather. We lacquered it and put in fabric panels behind where the pendulum swings. Now it's a really fun, unexpected piece. It looks like an antique, but it's a bright citron yellow.'
Wallpaper also can achieve a similar effect. You can put it on ceilings, in drawers, in alcoves or even in closets. For example, Lee cites a client who put butterfly wallpaper in the entryway closet where her kids store their coats and shoes. 'Now, whenever they leave the house, her kids say, 'To the butterflies!'' says Lee, who once painted big yellow cabana stripes in a closet of her own. 'I would forget about them, and then I'd open the closet and get a big burst of sunshine.'
Create community
Close relationships and social connections are the biggest determinants of happiness, according to the Harvard Study of Adult Development, one of the world's longest-running studies of adult life. To nurture them in your home, design spaces in ways that maximize social attachment.
'Instead of making your furniture face one way to the TV in the living room, consider having more of a circular furniture flow,' Yokota suggests. 'For me, swivel chairs give a big dopamine hit. Nowadays we have these open concepts where the kitchen and family rooms are connected. I love using swivel chairs in those spaces so you can easily interact with people on either side of you.'
Wax nostalgic
Scientists have found that nostalgic experiences activate not only the areas of the brain associated with memory, but also those associated with pleasure. That's why Foy likes decorating with personal mementos instead of meaningless bric-a-brac — sentimental souvenirs from treasured travels, for example, or framed artwork from her kids. 'I like looking into my space and seeing things that bring back good memories,' she says. 'Filling your home with physical representations of a life well lived … brings warmth to a space and allows you to see yourself in it.'