For Miranda Cullen, founder and principal of Denver’s Inside Stories, every design decision starts with a simple question: Does this spark joy? The living room in her own home—a 5,500-square-foot semi-custom home in Littleton—answers with a resounding yes. Anchored by a black antique piano and layered with vibrant colors, eclectic textures, and playful patterns, the space is a prime example of “dopamine decor”—the design trend making homes happier, one bold choice at a time.
“I’ve always wanted to learn piano,” Cullen shares, “and this is the year I will finally start lessons.” While making this room a personal retreat surely helps with her motivation, this isn’t your average practice space. A modern geometric Loloi rug forms the base, topped with an antique pink runner, while Harlequin fabric dresses up the piano stool. Above, a showstopping Arteriors chandelier casts a warm glow over an art-filled space—around 50 pieces in total, including commissioned abstracts by local artist Erin Schoenbeck and Hunt Slonem’s custom-framed bunny prints. “I love collecting things that speak to me,” Cullen says. “This room is full of them.”
Maximalism is the language of Cullen’s home, and the living room speaks fluently while the sounds of the piano set the soundtrack, with notes resonating throughout the home’s open floor plan. Floral curtains from Osborne and Little, vintage furniture with updated fabrics, and a gleaming West Elm bar cart all play into the harmony. Yet there’s a method to the madness. Each layer— from the textures to the mix of antique and contemporary— is intentional, creating a sense of curated chaos that feels anything but random.
The trend of dopamine decor, rooted in the science of happiness, focuses on making spaces that delight the senses. Cullen nails it with her unapologetically joyful aesthetic. “I always say my style leans toward hot mess,” she jokes, “but it’s my kind of hot mess.”
