Neon colours, floral wallpaper, mismatched rugs, flower-shaped cushions, playful artwork and vintage furniture: #dopaminedecor is all the rage in the world of interior design if the six-million-strong hashtag on TikTok is anything to go by.
Dopamine is the feel-good chemical in our brain, which is released when we experience something pleasurable. Think a hot shower after a work out or the first bite of chocolate after lunch. When dopamine is secreted in large amounts, it creates feelings of pleasure and reward, and motivates us to repeat a specific behaviour.
Dopamine dressing is already entrenched in the fashion world. The term was coined by Dr Dawnn Karen, fashion psychologist and author of Dress Your Best Life, while psychologist Karen Pine explains in her book Mind What You Wear: The Psychology of Fashion: “What we wear affects how we feel so much that it can distort and determine our thoughts and judgements.”
Decor enthusiasts and bloggers have adapted this mood-enhancing concept by using cheery colours, pleasing patterns and nostalgia-inducing objects to make their home at once more pleasurable and personal.
Colour has been closely associated with emotions through the ages. Bright colours are said to boost serotonin, which can make you happier. Warm colours such as reds, pinks and oranges can stimulate creativity and energy, while the cool shades of blue and purple are said to have a calming effect.
“In a world full of turmoil and stress, this season’s decor trend is one full of vibrant colours that kick-start feelings of happiness and joy,” explains Suzy Chiazzari, colour therapy & colour psychology expert at the Holistic Design Institute in the UK. “Bold hues of red and orange boost energy and sociability, which can be combined with rich blues and greens to promote feelings of relaxation and good health.”
Unlike other interior trends, dopamine decor has no specific rules beyond dabbling in vivid colours. It’s open-ended and can include anything that has the potential to make you happy and give you a dopamine rush. Some choose to express themselves with kitschy statement pieces, while others may settle for a bright throw on the sofa.
One way to make dopamine decor more sustainable is by incorporating pieces you already own and have collected on your travels alongside other thoughtful purchases. Also keep in mind that the shades and textures you use in the bedroom should ideally be more restful than those in the living or dining areas of your home.
If you’re not sure where to start, there’s plenty of inspiration to be had online.
Interior designer and content creator Laura Hall of The Hexagonal House uses knick-knacks, vintage-inspired furniture and layering in every corner of her eclectic home. She uses colourful throws on velvet sofas, bright cushions in jewel tones, vases with fresh flowers and patterned mural wallpapers set against bright orange sideboards. “It might not be for everyone, but adding colour to my home brings me so much joy and a real hit of dopamine,” she explains in one of her posts.
A digital creator from Scotland, Betty of Forever Yours Betty, not only dresses in dopamine-inducing colours (think orange blush and lime green), but also uses a lot of geometric shapes in her decor such as flower-shaped lampshades and scallop-shaped cushions.
Tanvi Agarwal from Noida, India, the content creator behind Wanderer in Vogue, says: “I create all my spaces just by following my heart. One gallery wall is full of art, which depicts my love of travel and beach colours. I have also used boho cane chairs and arch mirrors to decorate my space.” Her living room is replete with turquoise blue accents, a floral floor rug, a peach sofa and art in colourful frames.
Influencer Maitri Mody of Honey, I Dressed the Pug, lives in a bright Brooklyn apartment that’s bursting with colours, from purple sideboards and baby pink velvet sofas to chequered carpets and even disco balls. She also has Mario Bellini replica sofas set against stools shaped like mushrooms.
This is also a trend that lends itself well to DIY enthusiasts. Kristin Marie of Thrift Maximalist, has a retro-looking floral staircase in bright shades of green and orange, which she has painted herself. Her bathroom walls, meanwhile, are painted to resemble a mural that takes in everything from an octopus to a poodle, snail and even a lollipop.
The bottom line of this fun trend, then, is to incorporate anything that makes your heart sing and is true to your personality. Richa Kapoor, a fashion designer from Chennai, lives in an apartment that melds vintage furniture with rainbow-hued colours. I am a maximalist, and love organised and eclectic clutter and bold colours and prints. My home has always reflected this, only now I know there is a name for it.”
The years Ramadan fell in May
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
SCHEDULE
Saturday, April 20: 11am to 7pm - Abu Dhabi World Jiu-Jitsu Festival and Para jiu-jitsu.
Sunday, April 21: 11am to 6pm - Abu Dhabi World Youth (female) Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
Monday, April 22: 11am to 6pm - Abu Dhabi World Youth (male) Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
Tuesday, April 23: 11am-6pm Abu Dhabi World Masters Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
Wednesday, April 24: 11am-6pm Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
Thursday, April 25: 11am-5pm Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
Friday, April 26: 3pm to 6pm Finals of the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
Saturday, April 27: 4pm and 8pm awards ceremony.
Henrik Stenson's finishes at Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship:
2006 - 2
2007 - 8
2008 - 2
2009 - MC
2010 - 21
2011 - 42
2012 - MC
2013 - 23
2014 - MC
2015 - MC
2016 - 3
2017 - 8
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
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Upcoming games
SUNDAY
Brighton and Hove Albion v Southampton (5.30pm)
Leicester City v Everton (8pm)
MONDAY
Burnley v Newcastle United (midnight)
Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage
Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid
Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani
Rating: 4/5
Pari
Produced by: Clean Slate Films (Anushka Sharma, Karnesh Sharma) & KriArj Entertainment
Director: Prosit Roy
Starring: Anushka Sharma, Parambrata Chattopadhyay, Ritabhari Chakraborty, Rajat Kapoor, Mansi Multani
Three stars
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Tonight's Chat on The National
Tonight's Chat is a series of online conversations on The National. The series features a diverse range of celebrities, politicians and business leaders from around the Arab world.
Tonight’s Chat host Ricardo Karam is a renowned author and broadcaster with a decades-long career in TV. He has previously interviewed Bill Gates, Carlos Ghosn, Andre Agassi and the late Zaha Hadid, among others. Karam is also the founder of Takreem.
Intellectually curious and thought-provoking, Tonight’s Chat moves the conversation forward.
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
All you need to know about Formula E in Saudi Arabia
What The Saudia Ad Diriyah E-Prix
When Saturday
Where Diriyah in Saudi Arabia
What time Qualifying takes place from 11.50am UAE time through until the Super Pole session, which is due to end at 12.55pm. The race, which will last for 45 minutes, starts at 4.05pm.
Who is competing There are 22 drivers, from 11 teams, on the grid, with each vehicle run solely on electronic power.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Kill%20
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg
Rating: 4/5
TERMINAL HIGH ALTITUDE AREA DEFENCE (THAAD)
What is THAAD?
It is considered to be the US's most superior missile defence system.
Production:
It was created in 2008.
Speed:
THAAD missiles can travel at over Mach 8, so fast that it is hypersonic.
Abilities:
THAAD is designed to take out ballistic missiles as they are on their downward trajectory towards their target, otherwise known as the "terminal phase".
Purpose:
To protect high-value strategic sites, such as airfields or population centres.
Range:
THAAD can target projectiles inside and outside the Earth's atmosphere, at an altitude of 150 kilometres above the Earth's surface.
Creators:
Lockheed Martin was originally granted the contract to develop the system in 1992. Defence company Raytheon sub-contracts to develop other major parts of the system, such as ground-based radar.
UAE and THAAD:
In 2011, the UAE became the first country outside of the US to buy two THAAD missile defence systems. It then stationed them in 2016, becoming the first Gulf country to do so.
