Viral Furniture: Dopamine Decor

It may sound paradoxical, but precisely because we encounter them through cold screens, surfaces in interior design are becoming ever more important—textures and materials that you can almost feel through the image. A striking example is the Hortensia Armchair. In 2018, digital artist Andrés Reisinger posted a rendering of the chair that quickly went viral. As requests kept pouring in to buy the piece in real life, Reisinger teamed up with designer Júlia Esqué to make it happen. Together, they transformed what had until then existed only as an NFT into a physical object. Today, the armchair—crafted from more than 20,000 soft fabric petals—is produced and distributed by Moooi.

After the 2010s, when the online interior bubble was dominated by muted earth tones (think “Millennial Grey”), a new trend has taken over this decade: Dopamine Décor. Named after the neurotransmitter and “happiness hormone” dopamine, it embraces bold colours and playful forms designed to lift the mood at home. A signature element of Dopamine Décor is colour blocking—the confident pairing of saturated shades. An easy way to bring this look into your own space? Start with a strong wall colour and build from there.

These two mirrors are separated by 50 years: Ultrafragola by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova was first unveiled in 1970 and has since become a classic of postmodern design, while the Curvy Mirror by Gustaf Westman was introduced in 2020. Although Sottsass’ “Ultra Strawberry” predated social media by decades, it has enjoyed a renaissance thanks in large part to Instagram. Westman’s mirror is already becoming something of an Instagram classic as well. Both designs, with their playful curves, create a humorous frame for selfies and stand out sharply against the cool, austere lines of modernist design.

Curves aren’t limited to mirrors—they appear across furniture design as well, from organically shaped sideboards to chairs. A particularly minimal yet playful example is the Wavy Chair by Fredrik Paulsen. The piece almost looks as if it were sketched with a broad wax crayon, giving it a lighthearted, fluid character.

Another key factor for social media success is the “Wait, what?” effect—those designs that make us pause while scrolling. A striking example is the rather unwieldy Baguette Holder, also by Gustaf Westman. Even postmodern classics like the Ekstrem by Terje Ekstrøm have enjoyed an Instagram revival in recent years—likely because, at first glance, the chair challenges expectations and turns sitting into an almost acrobatic experience.

Feeling inspired to bring bold colours and playful forms into your own home? Or do you prefer a more minimalist approach? A wide variety of interior worlds can be experienced live at idd Cologne 2025, hosted at the Design Hub Cologne.