We tasked Roisin Quinn, champion of maximalist decorating and Interior Design Masters winner, with choosing our Most Personality-Packed Home for House Beautiful’s Real Style Awards 2026. She named Elise Dodds, @makemyhomepretty, whose home is full of verve and character and embodies the idea of dopamine decor.
Roisin says: ‘I absolutely adore everything Elise does. Her use of colour is playful yet sophisticated, striking a perfect balance between joy and refinement. Every detail is executed to a high standard and always with purpose. Elise’s attention to detail is spectacular. Every corner of her home bursts with personality and colour without ever feeling overwhelming. Creating a truly curated, maximalist home takes real skill and she has mastered it.’
Keep reading to see Elise’s advice on bringing her exuberant style to life at home.
What’s your decorating style in three words?
Joyful, colourful and personal.
What’s your ultimate real style secret?
I don’t think I have a secret as such, but the biggest thing I’ve learnt is to live in a space before deciding what it needs. It’s so tempting to try and get everything perfect straight away, but the rooms that work best in our home are the ones that have evolved over time. You start to understand how you actually use them, what’s missing, what feels off. Also, just choosing the things you love, even if they don’t all perfectly match – that’s usually where I find the magic is.
What are your top three tips on how to create a personality-packed home?
1) Choose what you love, not what you think you should choose. It sounds obvious, but it’s easy to get caught up in trends. The rooms I love most are the ones where I’ve just gone with my gut, even if it felt a bit risky at the time.
What to Read Next
2) Take your time. We’ve been renovating for a few years now, and I’ve realised you don’t need to have everything finished straight away. Waiting, saving, and finding pieces you really connect with makes such a difference.
3) Mix it up a bit. Not everything needs to match. Colours, finishes, old and new pieces, it all adds interest and makes a space feel more relaxed and like it’s grown over time.
