Dopamine décor: colourful kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom ideas

Posted on 19th June 2023

Bright blues, vibrant greens, zesty oranges and yellows, and lovely lilacs – these mood-boosting hues look lush on their own and even better when mixed and matched.

If you are looking to uplift the mood in your kitchen, bedroom, or bathroom and inject a pop of personality, it’s time to embrace dopamine décor.

In colour psychology, bright oranges and yellows breathe optimism into a space while blue and lilac ooze calmness. Greens are known to evoke a grounding feeling and pale pinks are set to add a romantic touch to any room.

But where should you start including these dopamine-inducing tones in your home? Fear not – we’ve got plenty of ideas…

Dopamine décor ideas for the kitchen

To boost your dopamine levels in the kitchen, opt for chunky appliances drenched in burnt orange and chilli green. And, if you’re ready to go big, paint your cupboards in a rich blue shade and contrast it by using pale pink square tiles on the walls and contrasting grout. We love how the project below features mint green paint on the upper half of the walls and yellow steel beams.

Don’t be shy, go all out in your dining room with the help of darker hues such as violet and fern green – be it for wall coverings, tableware, seating solutions, or lighting. Apart from adding interest, these vibrant colours will put a smile on your face every time you walk in.

For the finishing touches, modern plates, pots, and pans, all wrapped in statement colours will instantly add a sprinkle of positivity to your kitchen or dining area.

colourful kitchen with dopamine décor, blue cabinets and pink tiles — Office S&M were asked to create a joyful and colourful escape from grey London in this kitchen. Green paint is used on the ceiling to encourage the homeowners to gaze upwards, assuming a more positive posture.

purple dining area with yellow dinnerware — Studio side table, £65; Textured ripple 12-piece stoneware dinner set in Sage, £55, and Abstract pasta bowl, £3.75, Habitat.

green and yellow kitchen — Wall painted in Carnaby Yellow, £55.95 for 2.5 litres; kitchen painted in Amsterdam Green, from £26.95 for 1 litre, and Graphite Ticking fabric, £34.95 per m, Annie Sloan.

Shop the look

We’ve rounded up some of our favourite bold appliances, vibrant cookware, and dainty tableware to help you design a kitchen infused with colour…

kitchen tableware, appliances and drinkware in dopamine-inducing colours — 1. Terracotta ombre glaze jug, £25, Mint & May. 2. Scalloped small plate, £12 each, Spicer and Wood. 3. Masterclass 5 litres cast aluminium casserole dish in Lavender, £74.99, Kitchen Craft. 4. Curve coupe in pink, £42 for a set of 2, Five And Dime. 5. Fiorentina 120 dual fuel cooking range, from £26,985, Officine Gullo. 6. AB30LOR5 fridge-freezer in orange, £1699, Smeg. 7. Paris-rama manual wooden pepper mill in Saffron Yellow Gloss, £42.99, Peugeot. 8. Masterchef wall hood, from £2378.40, Westin. 9. Charlie charcoal oven in Green Chilli, £4950, Cheeky Charlie.

Dopamine décor ideas for the bedroom

Using colour can help you achieve anything from an uplifting bedroom scheme to a calming sanctuary. Some popular colour combinations at the moment are pink and green, lilac and yellow, and pink and terracotta.

For a relaxing feeling, pick upholstery materials, bedding, cushions, and floor coverings in pastel shades. Plus, soft greens and blues are the ideal hues for nailing a calming bedroom scheme.

But if you’re colour confident, then why not create a feature wall behind your bed using an energising colour such as lemon yellow or aqua blue? And, any pattern goes – from candy and awning stripes to lousy florals. So, get creative!

striped bed linen set in lavender, red, yellow, green and blue — Kip & Co Majorca stripe woven linen pillowcase set, £75, Antipodream.

dopamine décor in a mint green bedroom — Bedroom painted in Premium Walls & Ceilings matt emulsion in Aegean Aqua and Scarlet Tanager, £18 for 1 litre each, from Valspar.

Shop the look

Browse through our selection of colourful linens, glass lights, tactile bed frames, and rich paint emulsions to refresh your bedroom…

dopamine bedroom décor ideas — 1. Ebb & Flow Smykke Coloured glass wall light in Ivy Green and Gold, £429, Lime Lace. 2. Tampa wave ochre rug, from £74.99, Carpetright. 3. Blanc D’ivoire Lea quilt in Sky Blue, £300, Sweetpea & Willow. 4. Joyful Lilac, £21 for 1 litre of emulsion paint, Yescolours. 5. Vivien emperor velvet 2m-wide bed in Forest Green, £2009, Pepper Sq. 6. The Oscar Tiny Tots cushion in orange, £50, Evie & Skye. 7. Mustard Made The Lowdown locker in Lilac, £289, Rose & Grey. 8. TukTuk paint, from £51 for 2.5 litres, Andrew Martin. 9. Ruby set of two 100% Turkish cotton stonewashed Oxford pillowcases in Terra, £23, Sazy.

Dopamine décor ideas for the bathroom

Whether you want to play it safe and mix and match complementary shades, or want to go bold using the colour blocking technique, it’s important to let your creativity flow when decorating with dopamine-inducing shades.

So, why not dare to go bold in your bathroom with sun-kissed baths, bright yellow basins, and terracotta tiles? This way you will get the holiday feeling at home all year-round, not just during the warmer months. Finish this look with tall house plants that love humid environments and accessories crafted from natural materials.

Using teals, powdered blues, and vibrant purples is another great way of achieving an escapist retreat. Pair these colours with copper or gold brassware and glass accessories embellished with swirl patterns.