It can be a little tricky to decide on a scheme and layout for a bedroom, with plenty of inspiration out there on Pinterest and across Instagram. One minute you might fancy a Scandi-style bedroom, and the next you're completely sold on a Japanese interior scheme! With a huge range of styles to choose from, as an interior designer, I find the process of styling much easier when I focus on core aspects of a bedroom. So, read on to discover different considerations that can make it easier to determine your dream bedroom design.

Popular styles of bedroom interior design

Every year there seems to be a handful of new trends that make waves on the shores of interior design. As a proponent of slow design, I like to focus on styling that suits the homeowner and lasts for years – taking inspiration from bedroom interior design trends for 2022 is fun, but make sure you can live with the results!

Cottage style

If you're lucky enough to have a gorgeous cottage to call home, it's best to work with the original features in your space. Think: exposed wood beams, small windows, and wooden floors. The biggest challenge for a cottage style room is the lighting – you want the room to feel light, bright and breezy, but in actual cottages, it can be hard to get decent daylight flooding into your rooms. Opt for light-coloured walls, lightwood, and floral prints for soft furnishings, and you'll be on your way to creating a dreamy cottage space. Skylights are also a great option for adding ambience where needed.

Earthy tones such as greens and yellows can add some cheer to a small cottage style bedroom, and you can take inspiration from your surroundings – if you're in a coastal environment, why not mix in some blues?

The cottage style is a great option for sustainably designing a space – vintage buys, natural materials and reused fabrics are your winners here. However, a word of caution: it can be really easy to go wild in the antiques shops when looking for trinkets and furnishings that scream 'cottagecore', but the key for a calm cottage style bedroom is not to overdo it. You're after simplicity for a peaceful space that lulls you to sleep!

Overloading the room with antiques can make a cottage style bedroom look quite dated, too – keep things more modern by mixing antiques and modern accessories. A second hand, vintage or antique lamp on a simple, light wood bedside table is the vibe you want to go for.

A cottage-style bedroom I created for a client, with light wood, exposed beams, neutrals, and inspiration from nature.

Bohemian interior design

A boho style room is another excellent choice for the sustainably minded. Rattan has been everywhere for the past couple of years, especially in second hand furniture shops, and this natural texture is exactly what bohemian bedrooms call for. In fact, using a variety of textures is an ideal way to achieve the boho bedroom look. Think: fringed fabrics, rattan and natural woods, a fluffy rug, and smooth wooden floors.

A light, breezy room is a core requisite for a boho bedroom idea. Opt for light-coloured walls – especially whites and off-whites – to provide a bright backdrop against global-inspired patterns and plenty of plants.

Japanese interiors

The trend for Japanese-style bedrooms is hot right now, but the look can be difficult to achieve in your average two-up-two-down British semi! The ultra-minimalist style is very appealing for a bedroom design, exuding a sense of peace and tranquility. However, it can look quite austere, and isn't always practical, so proceed with caution.

Again, natural textures and woods are key to this bedroom style. Bamboo, rice paper, and silk are great choices, and artworks and wallpapers inspired by Japanese art will look beautiful. Cranes, cherry blossom, and depictions of water are timeless artistic options that can help you decide on a broader colour scheme: reds, blues, pinks and whites are favourites.

Furniture is low to the floor in Japanese rooms, so opt for a minimal futon bed or light wood design that won't dominate the space. In general, your bedroom furniture shouldn't take up too much of the room – open space is important in Japanese interiors.

Ambience is integral to the zen-like atmosphere within Japanese rooms, so this style works best for bedrooms flooded with natural light. Equally, mood lighting and candles serve this minimalist style well: think pendant lights hanging over bedside tables, or lighting within wall cavities and behind the edges of furniture. Invite nature in, but don't let it override your bedroom – choose a statement tree or bonsai instead of overloading the space with greenery.

Luxury interior design ideas

As a room primed for sleep (and often, romance), you want a bedroom to be cosy and inviting... and perhaps a little opulent. So, how can you make your bedroom luxurious? There are a few easy tricks to add some elegance to your abode.

You might be asking, 'how do you make a luxurious bed?' This is definitely the most important feature of any luxury bedroom: I'd argue that for ultimate extravagance, you want to choose the biggest bed that works in your space. There's nothing quite so indulgent as stretching out and snuggling up in a big bed fitted with quality fabrics. A large headboard would be an attractive addition, especially in a soft fabric such as velvet. Pillows can improve the premium factor of your bedroom significantly – make sure they're really stuffed full – a limp, lifeless pillow or cushion looks a little sad. Add a couple of pillows per person, stacked on top, with a selection of plump, smaller cushions and throws on the bed.

Plush furnishings and antique furniture can really bring luxury to a bedroom. Scope out antique French furniture online, or make a visit to your local auction house, and you might strike lucky. Colour-wise, the trend lies with pale walls and bedding: think off-white, grey, and beige colours.

Shiny, sparkly surfaces such as glass, beads and mirrors will enhance a luxury bedroom. Try hanging a chandelier or use glass pendant lighting to add some glamour. Soft yellow lighting will set an ambient mood come nighttime.

Bedroom Home Interior Design by Howson Design — A luxury, modern bedroom I designed for a client, using premium fabrics, eye-catching headboard and statement pendant lighting.

Modern bedroom design

Now this won't come as any shock – for many people looking for bedroom interior design ideas, modern styles are the focus. So, how do you create a modern bedroom? Simply put, modern bedrooms focus on minimalist room designs that take practicalities into account, while ensuring a good night's sleep is on the cards. This style of bedroom interior design project: simple, understated, versatile, is perhaps the easiest type to emulate. It's really quite similar to a luxury master bedroom – premium bedding and rich fabrics are key features, but I'd argue that you have much more scope for introducing colour to your room.

Leave some space between any items of furniture to give an airy feel to the room, and keep walls fuss-free. Hang a large statement piece of art or mirror, and keep surfaces as clutter-free as possible to maintain a modern feel.

An aesthetic that refuses to wane in popularity is the modern farmhouse interior. This style is all about whitewashing: white walls, white shiplap or wood panelling, and a mixture of reclaimed wood features and metal fixtures. Floral and gingham patterns are also frequently seen in modern farmhouse bedrooms, as well as pottery homewares.

Scandi bedroom ideas

Thanks to IKEA, Scandi-style room design is booming business. A version of minimalist design; Scandi style focuses on clean lines, unfussy interiors, and often, a monochrome colour palette. However, Danish pastel bedrooms have recently sprung up as a trend, and I think these offer a far more interesting spin on Scandi style.

Curved lines and waves, pastel colours, and fun-shaped candles and accessories are all part of this trend, offering a feminine and slightly zany aesthetic. This look is all about the details, so it's inexpensive to recreate, and gives so much scope to make a room your own. Try abstract art prints on the walls, with bright pastel-coloured bedding or gingham patterns. Seashell or scalloped rugs, shelving and candles are popular additions to this style of contemporary bedroom, while pleated lampshades and organic-shaped designs are must-haves.

Georgian bedroom ideas

Whether you're a resident of a Georgian house, or simply a fan of Bridgerton and other Regency/Georgian era TV and films, Georgian bedroom ideas are very vogue. With understated elegance and a disdain for anything outlandish, this is a classic style of design, harking back to a time of taste and appreciation for beauty.

Most Georgian rooms stick to a rather muted colour palette, but I think a Georgian bedroom can pop with deep blues, and indigos – hues which would have cost an actual Georgian dweller a lot of money! Pale pinks and yellows are also great options if you want to keep things light.

To truly copy Georgian style, you'll ideally have a high ceiling and a spacious bedroom. An upholstered bed or even a four-poster can become a beautiful focal point of the room, while a freestanding armoire-style wardrobe will bring elegance to the room. Intricate Chinoiserie-inspired wallpapers can add a luxe layer to the bedroom scheme, and pleated, silky curtains will work wonders for sash windows. For nighttime atmosphere, install dimmer switches to create the perfect ambience with your lighting – a chandelier is a must-have for this style.

Deciding on colours within your bedroom design idea

What colour is best for a bedroom? The simple answer is: whatever boosts your mood. If you like to wake up feeling calm, a blue interior design scheme will fit the bill, whereas bright colours like yellow and pink will perk you up in no time. Dark colours can add a moodiness and sense of romance. At the moment, there's a bit of a trend for green paint – bedroom ideas involving a light shade of green create a calm, serene space, and enhance any natural light or fresh breeze flowing from the bedroom windows.

What colours make a room look bigger and brighter?

Soft, light and bright tones are best if you want to enhance the size of your room. Off-whites, greens and blues are good choices, while everyone's go-to colour for bedroom interior design – grey – can also add a level of calm while reflecting plenty of light in your small space.

Size considerations for bedroom interior designing

When you first set out on designing a bedroom, figuring out the position of furniture and other features can be tricky. So, how can you arrange your room? Start off with deciding which pieces of furniture are absolutely necessary in your room. What's functional for you? What could take up less floor space? Taller, wall-mounted shelves could replace a freestanding storage item, for example. Plan a walkway through the room: from the door, how will you get to bed, or through to an en-suite? It's a good idea to sketch out a design for the room, so that you don't need to continually move furniture around!

It's easiest to start with the placement of the bed. Generally, you'll want to place the head of the bed against the largest feature wall, or opposite the door. If space is limited, you could put the bed underneath windows, but make sure you'll be comfortable with this throughout the year. After this, arrange the furniture from the largest pieces to the smallest.

How do you design a small bedroom?

Space limitations can be challenging, especially when designing a bedroom. So, how can you maximise space in a small bedroom design? Firstly, make a compact bedroom seem bigger by using bright, light hues. Opt for neutrals on the walls, and light tones of wood for furniture. Create the illusion of space by keeping surfaces relatively clear, and be savvy when it comes to storage. Make good use of alcoves by placing your chest of drawers or wardrobe in the gap, and if you lack the space for bedside tables, consider using small shelves on the wall instead. A bespoke headboard can be a great investment, as you're guaranteed an eye-catching storage space to display objects. To hide any sense of bulk in your room, consider painting your furniture the same shade as the walls.

When designing a bedroom, you can't go wrong with these core considerations: the styles and colours you like; and practicalities such as the size of the bedroom and the features you need within the room. I hope you have greater clarity on how your dream space can look – enjoy the process, and revel in your new room!

A guide to bedroom interior design