The start of a new year is always a good opportunity to look forward to what it has in store. With that in mind, Tara Neil, specialists in bespoke kitchen design, shares their insight into the must-know bedroom design trends for 2022.
Multi-functionality
This has been an ongoing trend for several years now and definitely looks set to stay. Bedrooms are now having to work as offices, gyms and wellness retreats. Even small bedrooms, despite being designed in such a way that they can fulfil more than one function. For example, bedside tables are being swapped for chairs that can also be used for seating.
Dark neutrals
Neutrals are still the main choice for large areas such as walls and floors. They also remain popular for bedding. There is, however, an increasing shift from light neutrals such as whites and creams to dark neutrals. This helps to keep the overall atmosphere serene and restful but creates more of a cosy “cave-like” feel.
Bedrooms designed for Gen Z and millennials may leverage dark neutrals to create the “dark academia” aesthetic. This has developed a significant following online and is now being increasingly incorporated into real-world homes.
The natural look
The trend of bringing the outdoors in, is as popular in bedrooms as it is in every other room in the home. At a minimum, bedrooms are likely to reference the natural world in decor. Many bedrooms are going to reference it in the choice of materials for furniture and textiles.
If the bedroom has a view over nature, this will usually be highlighted. Even if it doesn’t, nature may be brought inside. This ties in with the trend of indoor gardening. Houseplants are famously hugely popular with millennials but their appeal really does span generations.
Upholstered headboards
Given that the natural look is still very much in so there is definitely still going to be a place for wood and metal headboards. At the same time, there are two good reasons why upholstered headboards are coming back on-trend.
Firstly, they’re more comfortable to lean against than hard headboards (especially metal ones). Secondly, they provide sound insulation.
What’s more, upholstered headboards don’t have to go against the natural look. If you choose natural fabrics, they can create a lovely contrast to the hardness of other furniture pieces. This is another argument for bringing them back.
Accent walls become more statement
It’s long been popular to use the wall behind the bed as an accent wall. This creates interest in the daytime without intruding on the restful atmosphere at night. Accent walls are becoming more statement. Two big trends for this year are bold stripes and customized wall designs.
Stripes, particularly bold ones, are definitely something you either love or hate, especially in bedrooms. They are, therefore, likely to be kept for guest rooms. Customized wall designs, by contrast, are literally created to suit the occupant’s exact tastes.
Even those on a fairly tight budget can use paint to create individual designs. You don’t need artistic skills, just stencils, templates and/or decals. Those with larger budgets can bring in professional decorators and/or have customized wallpaper made.
Customization
Customization will be taken a lot further than just accent walls. Those with higher budgets may invest some of them in buying genuinely unique (or at least unusual) pieces. Those with lower budgets will customize “big-box” pieces, “upcycle” and/or create their own DIYs for truly individual decor.
More eclectic styling
Bedrooms are going to become less matched and more “mix and match”. This will create a lot more scope for eclectic and individual styling, including customization. It will also help to disguise less attractive features in rooms. For example, “boxy” rooms can be broken up. Similarly, rooms with odd dimensions can be balanced by using furniture of different sizes.