Top 16 'Sad-Beige-Slaying' Design Books to read for a Dopamine-Flooded Home in 2025 - Goh Ling Yong
Are you tired of scrolling through a sea of beige? Has the endless parade of greige living rooms, oatmeal-colored sofas, and minimalist-to-the-point-of-soulless interiors left you feeling… well, a little sad? You are not alone. The era of the "sad beige" aesthetic, while once a calming refuge, is officially on its way out as we head into 2025.
Welcome to the age of Dopamine Decor! This is the vibrant, soul-stirring antidote to blandness. It’s about creating a home that’s not just a backdrop for your life, but an active participant in your happiness. Think bold colors, clashing patterns, quirky art, and meaningful objects that tell your unique story. It’s about walking through your front door and feeling an instant jolt of joy, a flood of that feel-good chemical, dopamine.
But where do you even begin this color-drenched revolution? Right here. We’ve curated the ultimate reading list of 16 'sad-beige-slaying' design books that will serve as your guide, your inspiration, and your permission slip to finally create a home that feels unequivocally you. Get ready to turn the page on neutral and welcome a world of unapologetic personality.
1. More is More is More: Today's Maximalist Interiors by Carlay Page
This book is the holy grail for anyone ready to dive headfirst into maximalism. Page celebrates the philosophy that your home should be a treasure trove of your life's adventures, passions, and eccentricities. It’s a visual feast of interiors that are layered, complex, and bursting with personality, proving that curated clutter can be incredibly chic.
Forget the "one in, one out" rule. More is More is More gives you the confidence to display all your collections, mix leopard print with chintz, and hang that gallery wall you’ve been dreaming of. It’s not about mess; it’s about a rich, narrative-driven design that feels lived-in and loved. This is the book you pick up when you need a reminder that your "stuff" is what makes your house a home.
- Sad-Beige-Slaying Tip: Start small with a "maximalist moment." Dedicate one surface, like a console table or a bookshelf, to the 'more is more' philosophy. Layer books, add a quirky lamp, place a plant, and prop up a small piece of art. Live with it and see how that pocket of joy inspires you.
2. Beata Heuman: Every Room Should Sing by Beata Heuman
London-based designer Beata Heuman is the master of creating spaces that are whimsical, sophisticated, and deeply personal. Her book is a peek inside her brilliant mind, revealing her design process and the philosophies that guide her playful-yet-polished interiors. She champions the unexpected and believes every room needs a touch of the absurd to truly come alive.
Heuman’s work is a masterclass in combining high and low, old and new. She'll pair a bespoke, hand-painted wallpaper with a simple IKEA side table, proving that personality trumps price tags every time. If you want to create a home that feels both imaginative and timeless, this book is your essential guide.
- Sad-Beige-Slaying Tip: Heuman's "something a bit off" rule is legendary. In every room, include one object that doesn’t quite fit the mold—a weird sculpture, a kitschy lamp, or a piece of furniture in a clashing color. This unexpected element adds tension and personality, preventing the room from feeling too "decorated."
3. Happy Inside: How to Harness the Power of Home for Health and Happiness by Michelle Ogundehin
Before you even pick a paint color, read this book. Ogundehin, a renowned design journalist, argues that our homes have a profound impact on our mental well-being. This isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s about creating a space that actively supports your happiness. She provides a practical framework for decluttering your mind as much as your space.
The book delves into the psychology of color, the importance of natural light, and the need to create functional zones that reduce daily friction. It’s a holistic approach that reframes interior design as a powerful tool for self-care. It’s the perfect foundation for anyone looking to build a dopamine-flooded home from the inside out.
- Sad-Beige-Slaying Tip: Conduct a "sensory audit" of your home. Walk through each room and note how it makes you feel. What do you see, hear, smell, and touch? Identify what sparks joy and what causes stress. This audit will give you a clear roadmap for what to change to boost your home’s happiness factor.
4. Living with Color: Inspiration and How-Tos to Brighten Up Your Home by Rebecca Atwood
Are you color-curious but also color-intimidated? Rebecca Atwood is here to hold your hand. This book beautifully demystifies color theory, making it accessible, personal, and fun. She moves beyond trends to help you discover your own unique palette and use it with confidence.
Atwood’s approach is gentle and encouraging. She teaches you how to layer tones, mix patterns, and use color to evoke specific moods. The book is filled with gorgeous photography and practical advice, from painting a "fifth wall" (the ceiling!) to using textiles to introduce color without long-term commitment. It’s a must-read for anyone ready to graduate from neutrals.
- Sad-Beige-Slaying Tip: Create a "color story" for your home based on a cherished object, a memory, or a favorite piece of art. Pull 3-5 colors from that inspiration source. Use this personal palette as your guide for paint, textiles, and accessories to ensure a cohesive and meaningful result.
5. The New Bohemians: Cool and Collected Homes by Justina Blakeney
Justina Blakeney, the queen of Jungalow style, is a champion of the free-spirited, plant-filled, and pattern-happy home. The New Bohemians isn't a prescriptive guide but a vibrant tour through the homes of creatives who have rejected mainstream design in favor of something more authentic and eclectic.
The book is divided into different types of "bohemians," from the "modern" to the "earthy," showing the incredible diversity within this style. It's overflowing with inspiration for incorporating plants, textiles, and vintage finds into your space. It’s a powerful reminder that your home should be a creative sanctuary. It’s a principle we often discuss here on the Goh Ling Yong blog: your home should be a reflection of you, not a catalog.
- Sad-Beige-Slaying Tip: Blakeney’s "Adopt-a-Plant" project is a simple starting point. Bring a new plant into your home and find the perfect pot for it. This small act of adding life and color can have a ripple effect, inspiring you to be bolder in other areas.
6. Vibrant: A Home of Color, Comfort, and Great Design by Kelly Wearstler
Kelly Wearstler is an icon of fearless, high-octane design, and Vibrant is a deep dive into her electrifying world. This book showcases her masterful ability to mix bold colors, sculptural forms, and rich textures to create interiors that are both luxurious and livable. She is the undisputed slayer of all things sad and beige.
While her projects are high-end, the principles are universal. Wearstler teaches you to think of your rooms as compositions, balancing scale, form, and color with an artist's eye. She encourages taking risks and trusting your instincts. This book will push you out of your comfort zone and inspire you to see your home as a canvas for dramatic self-expression.
- Sad-Beige-Slaying Tip: Take a cue from Wearstler and invest in one "statement" piece of lighting. An oversized, sculptural pendant or a quirky, colorful table lamp can instantly transform a room from bland to brilliant, serving as a focal point and a conversation starter.
7. Abigail Ahern: Everything by Abigail Ahern
For those who love color but are drawn to darker, moodier palettes, Abigail Ahern is your guide. Her signature style is all about inky hues, rich textures, and a touch of wild, botanical drama. This book is a comprehensive look at her design philosophy, which embraces coziness, glamour, and a bit of playful imperfection.
Ahern makes a compelling case for abandoning white walls in favor of deep greens, blues, and charcoals, which make a room feel like a comforting, stylish hug. She is also a master of faux botanicals, showing how to use them to add life and structure to a space without the maintenance. This book is perfect for creating a dopamine-rich home that’s also a sophisticated, cozy retreat.
- Sad-Beige-Slaying Tip: Ahern advocates for painting your ceilings the same color as your walls, especially with dark colors. This blurs the boundaries of the room, making it feel larger, more immersive, and incredibly chic. It’s a bold move with a massive payoff.
8. Styled: Secrets for Arranging Rooms, from Tabletops to Bookshelves by Emily Henderson
A dopamine-flooded home isn't just about color—it's about how you arrange your cherished belongings. Emily Henderson's Styled is the ultimate guide to the art of styling. It breaks down the process of making your home look beautiful and personal, not just full of stuff.
Henderson provides easy-to-follow formulas for arranging any surface, from your coffee table to your nightstand. She helps you identify your personal style (are you a "modern glam" or a "rustic industrial"?) and then shows you how to bring it to life. This book empowers you to "shop your own home" and arrange your things in a way that tells a story and sparks joy.
- Sad-Beige-Slaying Tip: Use the "Rule of Three" when styling. Group objects in odd numbers—particularly threes—at varying heights and depths. For example, on a shelf, pair a tall vase, a medium-sized stack of books, and a small decorative object. It’s a simple trick that always looks balanced and intentional.
9. At Home with Designers and Tastemakers by Susanna Salk
Want to see how the pros do it in their own homes? This book is your all-access pass. Salk tours the personal spaces of top designers, revealing how they translate their professional expertise into deeply personal, often rule-breaking, homes. It’s a treasure trove of inspiration and insider secrets.
What makes this book so powerful is seeing that even the world’s best designers don’t live in sterile showrooms. Their homes are filled with kid’s art, inherited furniture, and quirky flea market finds. It’s an empowering look at how to create a home that is both beautiful and authentic to your real life.
- Sad-Beige-Slaying Tip: Notice how many designers in the book use "imperfect" objects. A chipped vase, a faded rug, or a piece of art with a story is often more valuable than something new and perfect. Embrace the beauty of imperfection in your own home.
10. 100 Ways to Happy Chic Your Life by Jonathan Adler
No one embodies "dopamine decor" quite like Jonathan Adler. His entire brand is built on irreverent, glamorous, and joy-inducing design. This book is a collection of his witty and wise commandments for living a more stylish and happy life, with plenty of design advice mixed in.
Adler encourages you to banish boredom, embrace color, and always add a touch of humor to your decor. From "Thou shalt not be a beige-o-phile" to "Thou shalt embrace animalia," his tips are as entertaining as they are practical. This is the perfect book to read when you need a dose of inspiration and a good laugh.
- Sad-Beige-Slaying Tip: Adler champions the "liberace" approach: if you love something, get more of it. If you love poodles, don't just get one poodle lamp—create a whole collection. A group of similar objects makes a much stronger and more personal statement than a single item.
11. Flea Market Fabulous by Lara Spencer
A home filled with personality often includes pieces with history. Lara Spencer shows you how to hunt for treasures at flea markets, antique shops, and thrift stores and transform them into stylish pieces for your home. This book is all about seeing the potential in forgotten items.
Flea Market Fabulous is packed with practical DIY tips, from reupholstering a chair to painting a dated dresser a vibrant new color. It’s an inspiring guide for anyone on a budget who wants to create a unique home that doesn’t look like it came straight from a big-box store.
- Sad-Beige-Slaying Tip: When you're at a flea market, look for pieces with great "bones"—a unique shape or solid construction. Don't worry about the current color or fabric; that can always be changed. Focus on the form and the potential.
12. A Colorful Home: Create Joyful, Inviting Spaces by Susan Hable
Susan Hable, co-founder of the textile company Hable Construction, is a master of color and pattern. Her book is a celebration of creating vibrant, artful homes that are also comfortable and inviting. It’s a practical guide filled with approachable ideas for incorporating more color into your life.
Hable’s philosophy is that color should be a source of joy, not stress. She offers advice on everything from finding the perfect white paint to creating a beautiful gallery wall. The book is organized by color, allowing you to explore different moods and palettes in an intuitive way.
- Sad-Beige-Slaying Tip: Paint an unexpected piece of furniture. Have a simple wooden stool, an old side table, or even the inside of a bookshelf? Give it a coat of a bold, surprising color like coral, kelly green, or cobalt blue for an instant pop of personality.
13. The Annie Sloan Collection by Annie Sloan
The inventor of Chalk Paint®, Annie Sloan, has been leading the charge against boring furniture for decades. While this isn't a traditional interior design book, it's an essential tool for anyone wanting to take matters into their own hands. It showcases a wide range of projects and techniques for transforming furniture with color.
The book is a masterclass in painting techniques, color mixing, and finishing touches. It will inspire you to look at that sad, brown dresser in your garage as a blank canvas for your creativity. Sloan's work proves that you don't need a huge budget to make a huge impact.
- Sad-Beige-Slaying Tip: Try a two-tone effect on a piece of furniture. Paint the exterior of a cabinet or dresser a sophisticated neutral (like a deep charcoal) and paint the interior a shocking, vibrant hue. It’s a delightful surprise every time you open the doors.
14. Pattern by Orla Kiely
The Irish designer known for her iconic, retro-inspired prints offers a deep dive into the world of pattern in this beautiful book. Kiely explores the history and application of pattern in design, from simple geometrics to complex florals, and shows how it can be used to add energy and rhythm to a room.
This book will train your eye to see patterns everywhere and give you the confidence to mix them in your own home. It’s less of a "how-to" and more of a "why-to," providing a rich visual education that will fundamentally change how you view textiles, wallpaper, and tiles.
- Sad-Beige-Slaying Tip: The key to mixing patterns is varying the scale. Pair a large-scale pattern (like a bold floral wallpaper) with a medium-scale one (like a striped rug) and a small-scale one (like a geometric pillow). As long as they share a common color, the mix will feel dynamic, not chaotic.
15. The Finer Things: Timeless Furniture, Textiles, and Details by Christiane Lemieux
Creating a dopamine-filled home doesn’t mean filling it with disposable, trendy items. Christiane Lemieux’s book is an education in quality and craftsmanship. She teaches you how to identify well-made furniture, textiles, and decorative objects, ensuring your home is filled with things you’ll love for a lifetime.
This book is about investing in your own happiness by choosing pieces with longevity and soul. It covers everything from the difference between types of wood to how to spot a hand-knotted rug. It’s a call to be more mindful in our consumption and to choose pieces that will become the beloved heirlooms of the future. This is a core value I, as Goh Ling Yong's writer, share deeply: thoughtful, lasting design.
- Sad-Beige-Slaying Tip: Instead of buying a matching set of dining chairs, collect individual chairs you love over time. A mix of different styles, unified by a similar color or material, creates a much more interesting and personal dining space.
16. The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo
Wait, a book about tidying on a maximalist-friendly list? Absolutely. The KonMari method isn't about stark minimalism; it's about surrounding yourself only with things that "spark joy." This is the foundational principle of a dopamine-flooded home. Before you can add more color and personality, you must first clear away the things that drain your energy.
Kondo’s process forces you to confront every single item you own and ask if it truly makes you happy. By the end, you're left with a curated collection of your most cherished belongings. This creates the perfect, meaningful foundation upon which you can build your colorful, maximalist, joy-filled space.
- Sad-Beige-Slaying Tip: After you’ve decided what to keep, don’t just hide it away. The final step of the KonMari method is to give every item a proper home. Display your joy-sparking objects with pride, turning your storage into a beautiful, personal exhibition.
Your Home, Your Happiness
Moving away from the "sad beige" aesthetic isn't about chasing a new trend. It's about a fundamental shift toward creating spaces that are authentic, joyful, and life-affirming. Your home is the backdrop to your life; it should be a place that recharges your soul, inspires your creativity, and tells the vibrant story of who you are.
These books are your roadmap, but you are the driver. Use them to gather ideas, build your confidence, and find the courage to splash that audacious color on the wall. It’s time to stop living in a home designed for someone else and start designing a home that floods your brain with dopamine every single day.
So, which of these books are you adding to your 2025 reading list? Do you have a favorite 'sad-beige-slaying' designer or book that we missed? Share your thoughts and recommendations in the comments below!
About the Author
Goh Ling Yong is a content creator and digital strategist sharing insights across various topics. Connect and follow for more content:
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