'I transformed my sad beige home with dopamine decor. This is how.'

Hi, my name is Cass, and I live a sad beige life. 

Well, until TikTok told me it was sad, I probably would have called it a 'chic neutral' life, but alas, it's been rebranded by the internet, and not in a cute way. 

I wear mostly black, white or cream, my home exists in shades of cream and flax, and I love a plain cappuccino. Sue me! 

The rise of Scandi and Japandi in interiors, as well as the 'old-money' aesthetic on Instagram had us all locked in a 'sad beige' vice, and we loved it. 

Watch: Shannyn Weiler on interior design flaws. Post continues below.

But recently I've been breaking out of the cage. 

For the last year, I've been religiously watching the addictive home videos of Gabbi Deiuliis (@gabbidei). Gabbi's home is a cacophony of colour, texture, light, reflectiveness and a touch of glitz. It's mesmerising. 

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A post shared by Gabbi Deiuliis (@gabbidei)

I began to wonder, is it time that I finally exit the sad beige trend and embrace the tsunami of maximalism that beckons on the internet? My bank account fears that the answer is yes. 

But how do I do this without looking like a rainbow threw up on my rental apartment, you ask? Don't worry, I asked the experts before attempting this myself. 

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A post shared by Gabbi Deiuliis (@gabbidei)

According to Gabbi, who is famous for her colourful home, she's always been a colour lover. 

"I've just always been drawn to colour," she told Mamamia. "I know they call it dopamine decor, but it makes me happy every day to just be living in a place that is vibrant. 

"I've always been naturally drawn to mixing patterns and textures together, especially in bedding. I think that's where it started…and then it just evolves."

For Gabbi, the key to beginning to embrace the maximalist or 'dopamine decor' – as it's known, in that colourful spaces make us feel good – is to see the joy in the fact that nothing has to match. 

"When you think too hard about it, that's when people get stuck. They end up buying the matching furniture sets because they're like, 'Everything in this room has to go together'," she said. 

"That's kind of the trap. If you look at it the opposite way, you're like, 'Nothing really has to match', and then it ends up looking more curated.

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A post shared by Gabbi Deiuliis (@gabbidei)

So yes, that's your go-ahead to embark on an expedition of interior oddity. This, she says, is the golden key to unlocking a life in technicolour. 

Her favourite piece in her dopamine decor collection? Well that would be her coffee table. 

"It's a darker brown tiled table from Globe West, it's actually an outdoor table set," she confesses. "I just knew as soon as I saw it that I loved it so much. Everyday I'm using it I'm like, 'I love you'."

And that, friends, is the feeling that dopamine decor can give you. 

But I wasn't done there. I wanted to speak to the people actually making the furniture we buy about how they curate the perfect pieces for dopamine decor. 

I was so grateful when Temple & Webster's Director of Insights & Trends, Lucy Sutherland, told me that we shouldn't feel bad about our neutral lives. She says cultural changes are driving the move towards colourful and quirky pieces. 

"I know it's a cliche, but I think it's an evolution post-COVID, where we spent so much time in our homes, now we need them to bring us a bit of joy," she told Mamamia.

"The best way to do that is through colour, and colour that you love. I always say this to people. It's your home. It's your choice. It has to make you happy."

She adds that just like fashion, after a trend like Japandi or Scandi interiors takes over, it's natural to see a rebuttal, and this is exactly what we're seeing with more maximalist and 70s interiors taking over. 

So, what exactly is dopamine or, as it's also known, 'Dollhouse Chic' decor? 

"I think dollhouse is an evolution," she said. "The hallmarks are usually fairly bold, vibrant colours." 

Essentially, it's about picking things that give you joy, but being intentional about how you then put them together in a way that makes sense. 

This includes layered colour palettes, bold colour statements in big ticket items, curves, squiggles, scallops, big overstuffed marshmallow sofas that are maximalist and bold. 

I asked Deiuliis and Sutherland to give me a series of tips so that you can embrace this chaos in your own home, but before I give them all to you, I'm going to show you the changes I made in my space in line with this new trend.

Welcome to the sad beige to dopamine decor transformation.

The space was giving inherited furniture, plain rental, no personality before. Image: Cassandra Green

Hello, internet, I give you the piece de resistance, my very functional but very plain rental apartment. 

It's giving 'I had to furnish this quickly' and also 'I'm a 20-something who will likely move to 10 other apartments and doesn't want to keep replacing expensive furniture'. You get me. 

We originally had a blue sofa that I swapped out for this gorgeous marshmellow overfilled style, but it only added to the beige-ness. Add to that a series of white melamine furniture, a too-tiny cream rug and no art, and you had the ultimate sad beige home. 

But — I figured out how to fix it. 

I kept the neutral sofa but accessorised it with an array of fun, mismatched pillows and textured throws. 

"Even just having three cushions and making sure that they're not all solid colours can help," Sutherland advised me. 

I added art, changed up the coffee table and TV unit, and brought in a whole bunch of styling and decor items that spark joy for me. 

As Sutherland told me, "Art is like the lipstick of interior styling because it's just that finishing touch. It just lifts a room."

And, of course, I added plants, because, well, I am a Millennial.

Is it designer? No, I am on a cost-of-living induced budget. But does it feel like my home now rather than an empty shell.

Shop the look at the end of this article, but tell me in the comments how I did. 

On a budget, I took the neutral vibe but added in all the things I love. AKA green. Image: Cassandra Green

All my favourite books I've collected over the years. Image: Cassandra Green

A little vingette on the side table featuring my beloved Maison Balzac vase. Image: Cassandra Green

Adding some scents: Sunday Morning by Maison Margiela and Bohemia by Byredo. Image: Cassandra Green

All the tips to turn your neutral home into a colourful, maximalist oasis.

Gabbi's tips: 

• Don't sweat the small stuff, no everything in your home needs to match. In fact, the more that things don't match, the more cohesive it can look. 

• Mock up your space using Canva to cut out items you may want to put in it. It's a way to try before you buy. 

• Look for inspiration everywhere: Pinterest, interior design pages, even influencers online 

• Avoid overloading on 'flash in the pan' trends and stick to things you really love

• Commit to the colour if you're going to do it. 

Lucy, from Temple & Webster's tips: 

• Take a moment to consider your colour scheme (not just one hero colour), and how you can add various shades and tonalities within this broad scheme. 

• Create focal points in the room, whether it be a statement rug, big piece of art or stylish coffee table. 

• Start small with your interior design, don't feel that you need to go out and buy everything at once. 

• Lean into both texture and pattern to breathe life into the space and stop it from being too one-dimensional. 

Shop the trend:

Temple & Webster Lola Side Table in Blue, $199.99

Light blues are all the rage at the moment, so why not add a fun side table like this one. Image: Temple & Webster.

Globe West Seville Tile Coffee Table in Red Glaze, $1,515

This is the Globe West coffee table that Gabbi Deiuliis uses as the centrepiece of her living room. Image: Globe West

Maison Balzac Petit Gaspard Vase, $129

Maison Balzac have the most beautiful vases, and this Petit Gaspard Vase is no exception. Image: Maison Balzac

Assouline Gstaad Glam by Geoffrey Moore from Bed Threads, $185

Colourful coffee table books are a great way to add dopamine if you're usually more reserved. Image: Bed Threads

Temple & Webster Lucy Wavy Cotton Cushion, $39.99

I loved this scalloped cushion from Temple & Webster. Image: Temple & Webster

Kmart Velvet Cushion in Fern, $10

Different textures, different colours, and a fun breakfast cushion shape. Image: Kmart

Kmart Wavy Mirror in Lilac, $349

Play with tectures and silhouettes, like this wavy wooden mirror. Image: Kmart

Kmart Amiri Portable Rechargeable Lamp, $17

Metallics are a great way to add flare to your space. Image: Kmart

Miss Amara Melody Pink and Yellow Wiggle Bordered Washable Rug, $349

Why not add a pattern or some flare through a chic floor rug. It's like art for your floors. Image: Miss Amara.

Featured image: Cassandra Green.