Feature article
Dopamine design to colour drenching
The interior trends of 2024.
Last updated: 16 July 2024
If it’s time to refresh your home, look no further than Milan Design Week which was held in April this year. It’s the global Disneyland of design and a show stopping exploration of what’s hot, what’s ahead, and the ideas that will shape our design narrative in the year ahead.
In saying that, before you immerse yourself in the endless inspiration it’s important to consider a few things before picking up that paintbrush or choosing those statement pieces.
Interior design is very much a personal choice, which is perhaps why there has been a lot of chatter surrounding the latest trend: ‘Dopamine Design’.
Dopamine, if you don’t know, is a naturally occurring neurotransmitter that works in the brain, specifically in those areas associated with pleasure, satisfaction and motivation, which is why it’s generally credited with giving you a ‘natural high’ whenever you experience pleasure or achieve a goal.
Cover image: Muuto presented bold colour pairings in its project for Milan Design Week entitled ‘The Artful Home’. Greens, lilacs and blues formed the core colour palette.
Draga & Aurel’s ‘Tinted House’ at Nilufar Gallery. Image: Riccardo Gasperoni.
Dopamine Design, therefore, is anything that makes you feel good, that is, choose an interior design scheme that you gravitate towards and make it your own. Remember, aspirational homes are all well and good but shouldn’t necessarily be copied down to the tee, draw inspiration from what inspires you and combine those with your existing personal items to make your house a home.
Having said that design is entirely personal, and there are some caveats to that. Firstly: think about your lifestyle — it’s great to want a minimalist scheme but if you’ve got three kids under five, that’s never going to happen. Secondly: location, location, location (as the real estate agents are wont to tell us) — while this is not a fixed rule to choosing an interior design scheme, if you live by the beach you’ll probably be best choosing light, neutral tones rather than a Victorian-inspired maximalist scheme. Thirdly: what is the architectural style of your home? Again, not a deal breaker necessarily, but certain architectural styles, say 1930s California bungalow, lend themselves to certain interior schemes.
Right, now that’s all taken care of, let’s get down to the fun part — designing your interior and diving deep into the world of design that was on show in Milan.
An installation from Nilufar Gallery’s ‘Time Traveler’ exhibition that was curated for Milan Design Week 2024. Here, green is the hero.
Colour Drenching
Colour is making a comeback in a big way in 2024. Gone is the white on white on grey colour scheme, replaced by a whole new raft of neutrals that include blues and pinks (it’s a Barbie world after all), paired with darker, earthy hues of terracotta, caramel and plum. The colour catchphrase for 2024 is ‘colour drenching’, so don’t be afraid to go bold and big.
Biophilic design continues to rank highly, so shades of green are also big at the moment, teamed with both natural and synthetic plants for that “outdoors in” vibe.
Wallpaper, too, is getting its vibe on with naturalistic patterns, bold geometrics and luscious textures adding zing to feature walls — and even the odd ceiling or two.
‘The Artful Home’ dining room, a project by Muuto that presented a Scandinavian perspective on a Milanese apartment as part of Milan Design Week.
Organic Texture
Speaking of texture… whatever your style choice, layering differing textures in a space adds dimension to the scheme, as well as visual and tactile interest. Organic textures and shapes are a great big tick at the moment, so bring soft, natural curves into your home through furniture and accessories — mirrors are a simple and effective option — as well as rugs.
Artisanal craftsmanship is also something to watch for, so look at bringing in handcrafted pieces into your design scheme. This could be through the inclusion of hammered brass drawer pulls and handles or a marquetry tabletop, anything that speaks to honest, handmade artistry.
If you’re looking to create a classical or traditional interior design scheme, now’s the time to go ‘antiquing’, hunt around antique and second-hand stores for ornate mirror and picture frames, hand-carved woodwork, and even pieces of sculpture — these are all great ways of adding texture to your scheme and honouring the artisans of the past.
Crown Sofa and ‘Cosmic Butterflies’ table by Gal Gaon Studio at Niluar Gallery – from the Time Traveler exhibition for Milan Design Week.
Build on Legacy
This is a bit ‘left field’ but at its core, legacy, or authenticity, is what you’re looking to achieve with your interior design scheme and it is what lies at the heart of Dopamine Design. Whatever your base scheme, be it Classical, Art Deco, Maximalist or Minimalist, or even Brutalist, you’ll be wanting to create the most genuine and real version of that for yourself.
Choose pieces, therefore, that have authenticity built in. Why? Because these pieces will transcend ‘trend’ and become items that you can pass on to friends and family so that they can continue to inspire and serve their purpose.
As previously mentioned, design is a personal choice but if you absolutely love the design you choose, it will be apparent to everyone who visits your home.
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