How To Make Your Bathroom An Oasis With Dopamine Decor

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Your bathroom doesn't have to be a drab place where you do your business and leave. Instead, you can transform your bathroom into a sanctuary meant for comfort and relaxation. One TikTok trend has emerged, providing a new take on the heralded bathroom oasis concept in interior design. Rather than going straight to a biophilic or spa-inspired space, many folks are gravitating towards dopamine decor, a trend that puts emphasis on decorating based on objects that bring joy and inspire happiness. The dopamine decor trend is taking over TikTok, allowing homeowners to get creative by expressing their unique personalities in their spaces. Applying this concept to your bathroom lets you start your day in a joyful space full of vivid colors, bold motifs, and varying textures. 

Dopamine decor gets its name from the neurotransmitter dopamine, which is responsible for feelings of pleasure, satisfaction, and reward. The feel-good hormone is connected with this new design style because dopamine decor is meant to make you smile, even when you're doing mundane tasks like brushing your teeth. Bright colors, bold patterns, and playful decor stimulate a sense of joy and nostalgia. In the bathroom, this could look like fun checkered print rugs, childlike animal motifs, unique lighting, whimsical touches, or bright pops of color on the walls. If this sounds like a design style you wish to integrate into your space, then we have some enriching suggestions to help you pull it off.

The dopamine decor trend typically follows maximalist aesthetics for patterns, colors, and kitschy knick-knacks. However, there are no rules to this trend, so you can personalize your space in whatever way you like — though we'll share a few ideas to get you started. It's helpful to start with a color palette to help you choose elements like towels, shower curtains, and bath mats. You might also choose a theme, which could range from playful florals to pop art icons.

Accessories are an easy and low-commitment way to start your dopamine decor in the bathroom. Consider adding playful rugs with fruit or animal motifs. Items like this FROZZUR papaya bath mat or this Panstar tiger bath mat are fantastic additions to add playful personality while protecting your bathroom floors. Another option is to integrate colorful toilet seats in bold hues like banana yellow, lavender, hot pink, and bright orange. Carry this flashy color palette through to your shelving or hooks, opting for colorful and vibrant designs like these Veluckin mini cloud floating shelves. 

Bathroom tools and organizers marketed for children are great options when searching for whimsical and dopamine-inspiring bathroom decor. Try a strawberry-shaped toothbrush holder or a frog-shaped soap holder for the shower. Choosing a decorative toilet scrubber like this ADNIKIA cherry-shaped toilet brush holder is also super trendy. Other small dopamine decor ideas include playful art prints in vivid colors, boldly patterned shower curtains with coordinating hooks, and disco balls to bounce light around the room. Those craving a larger remodel might opt for a funky wallpaper print with intricate florals or maximalist animal patterns. Others might enjoy painting walls with bright, colorful murals or installing brightly colored and patterned tile on a wall or floor.

You don't need disco balls or bright hot pink colors to create a dopamine decor bathroom. Dopamine decor can release your inner designer, allowing you to choose pieces that genuinely make you happy, rather than simply following whatever is currently trending. Sometimes, these bathrooms can appear over-cluttered or like design fads, as pieces are purchased when they've gone viral but fall out of style quickly. Rather than going all in on dopamine decor, curate a more whimsical and playful aesthetic without going overboard by starting small.

Consider swapping bathroom fixtures with unique alternatives. One example could be upgrading existing switch plates and handles to intricate and ornate brass pieces. Or, try out fun patterns with items like this Yamxbfa floral switch plate. You could also swap out existing shower curtain rings for fancy options that feature charms like suns, dragonflies, fruits, or plants. 

For a simple dopamine-inspired look, change out your hand towels for more colorful options with funky patterns. Adding plants with unique flower pots, choosing colorful window treatments, or going bold with a squiggly mirror can all boost the dopamine decor in your space with small doses of design. If you want to add the trendy pink color to your bathroom without a whole renovation, update your color palette through small accessories like organizers, wall art, or shelves. Ultimately, you should choose bathroom decor pieces that make you smile and bring joy to your home, even if those items aren't featured in trending TikTok videos.