Interior designers have identified five common bedroom décor mistakes that can make your space look tacky, and they offer alternatives for a timeless, chic look. According to Hayley Fellows-Prior, founder of Atelier 44 Interior Design Studio, a bedroom should feel calm, warm, and collected, not like everything was bought from the same showroom in one weekend.
Grey Colour Schemes and Matching Furniture
Grey colour schemes, including silver accessories and crushed velvet, have become so overused that they now feel uninspiring and mass-produced, despite only reaching peak popularity in recent years. Hayley suggests moving away from cool grey to warm creams, taupes, linens, and natural textures for a calm feeling with more warmth and depth.
Matching furniture sets, where bed, wardrobes, drawers, and bedsides all come from the same collection, can also make a room look less curated. Interior designer Samantha-Jane Agbontaen advises mixing pieces to make the room feel cohesive and well thought-out.
Fluffy Rugs and LED Strip Lights
Fluffy rugs, especially when placed beside the bed on carpeted floors, are not a great look and are difficult to keep clean due to their long fibres collecting dust and hair. A flatter weave is recommended instead.
LED strip lights, a trend that peaked around 2019-2020, now look dated and cheap, particularly when fitted around headboards or ceilings, and colour-changing variants are worse. Samantha recommends placing a lamp on the bedside table for a warm, cosy atmosphere that is more functional and enduring.
Faux Silk Bedding
Faux satin or silk bedding can immediately make a room appear less sophisticated. Samantha notes that cheap satin or shiny polyester imitation silk is very tacky and likely uncomfortable to sleep in. Natural fibres like cotton and linen always look and feel better.
