NoVA’s Design Experts Explain How to Make a Mudroom Trendy

Social media platforms like Pinterest, Instagram, and TikTok serve as extensive sources for home design inspiration, offering countless accounts dedicated to various aesthetics, emerging trends, and influencer content. While many influencers meticulously curate their public living areas, only a select few showcase equally impressive and personalized bedrooms. This article highlights nine such influencers whose bedrooms offer a glimpse into their authentic style. Arvin Olano, a member of the 2024 Creator Class, specializes in vintage items and home decor. His bedroom demonstrates that beige can be a sophisticated neutral, complementing muted tones like blue and sage green to create a timeless and serene atmosphere. Eric Wang, a San Francisco-based home influencer, embodies a midcentury-modern aesthetic. His bedroom is characterized by warmth, achieved through accent lighting, yellow hues, light-colored wood accents, carefully selected furniture, and ample natural light, resulting in a clean yet inviting space. Chriselle Lim, a fashion and lifestyle influencer, brings her chic sensibility to her minimalist bedroom. Dark wood tones in the low bed frame, bedside tables, and hardwood floors provide the only color, contrasting with the otherwise warm white palette, making the minimalist design feel welcoming. Maitri Mody, known as @honeyidressedthepug, represents the maximalist end of the interior design spectrum. Her bedroom is playful and dreamy, featuring an accent wall that gives the illusion of a bed floating on clouds. The color scheme in her bedroom, dominated by blues, greens, and creams, is notably cooler than other areas of her home. Mallory Fletchall, a Brooklyn-based lifestyle and home influencer, draws inspiration from the Nancy Meyers aesthetic. Her bright and airy bedroom, painted in an elegant gray-green, is enhanced by gold decor, blending historic details with warm accents and intentional clutter. Lucy Williams, a London-based influencer, offers content on design inspiration and decor curation. Her warm and bright bedroom is accessorized minimally but feels complete, relying on yellow tones with dark accents such as a striped headboard and bedside setup. Her guest room, while busier with bold, eye-catching wallpaper and an angled ceiling, maintains her distinctive style. Drew Michael Scott, known as @lonefoxhome, showcases a remarkable bedroom makeover. His space features diverse textures, a golden ceiling, and warm, neutral tones, reflecting a comprehensive design process documented on his platform. His guest bedroom also stands out with patterned wallpaper for brightness and deep brown elements that unify the bedding and headboard. Shelby Vanhoy, also from the 2024 Creator Class, gained recognition for decorating renter-friendly apartments before transforming her North Carolina home. Her elegant bedroom exemplifies a dreamy transformation from its original state. Finally, Hattie Kolp, who gained a following by documenting the restoration of her childhood rent-stabilized apartment in New York City, demonstrates how to merge historic charm with modern luxuries. Her bright and cozy bedroom achieves a homey feel without extensive decoration, showcasing preserved original details alongside new designs.

Mudrooms are functional multi-purpose spaces designed to control clutter from items like backpacks, lunch bags, sports equipment, and shoes, which are commonly brought into homes. Historically, these spaces evolved from the back porch concept, where dirty footwear and wet outerwear were removed before entering the main living areas. With the rise of open-concept home designs in the 1990s, the need for designated areas to store modern belongings became apparent, leading to a resurgence in the popularity of mudrooms among new home builders approximately 15 years ago. These spaces are now highly sought after due to their versatility and ability to organize household items. Modern mudrooms are characterized by several key design elements that enhance their functionality and aesthetic appeal. Key features include built-in storage solutions such as lockers, cubbies, shelves, and drawers, which help in organizing items for each family member. Durable and easy-to-clean flooring materials like tile, concrete, or vinyl are essential to withstand heavy foot traffic, dirt, and moisture. Adequate lighting, often a combination of ambient, task, and accent lighting, is crucial for visibility and to make the space feel inviting. Practical additions such as benches provide a convenient spot for sitting while putting on or taking off shoes, while hooks and racks offer accessible storage for coats, bags, and sports gear. Ventilation is an important consideration in mudroom design to prevent odors and control moisture, which can accumulate from wet clothing and footwear. This can be achieved through windows, exhaust fans, or a combination of both. Incorporating a sink in the mudroom can add another layer of functionality, allowing for quick clean-ups of muddy hands or soiled items before they enter the main living space. The design of a mudroom also often integrates with the overall home aesthetic, featuring stylish elements that blend functionality with modern interior design trends. Furthermore, mudrooms can serve as transition zones, connecting the garage or an exterior entrance directly to the main living areas of the house. This strategic placement helps in containing mess and preventing it from spreading throughout the home. The integration of smart design principles means that these spaces are not just practical but also contribute to the overall organization and flow of the home. The demand for well-designed mudrooms reflects a growing homeowner need for efficient and elegant solutions to manage daily household clutter and maintain a tidy living environment. #MudroomDesign #HomeOrganization #StylishStorage #FunctionalSpaces #HomeRenovation #InteriorDesign #ClutterControl

The upcoming bedroom trends for 2026 are shifting from rigid styling to more personalized, collected, and textured spaces. Interior designers Alyssa Anselmo of Studio Anva and Daniel Chenin of Daniel Joseph Chenin, Ltd. highlight several aesthetics that will define bedrooms in the near future, emphasizing individuality and well-being over fleeting fads. One significant trend is "Color Drenching," where entire rooms, including walls, ceilings, and trim, are painted in a single hue. This technique moves beyond the accent wall, which Anselmo believes disrupts conceptual flow, to create a cohesive and intentional atmosphere. Chenin predicts bolder forms and nuanced layering in 2026, with saturated rooms in shades like clay pinks, dusty plums, and deep sages, incorporating tonal shifts across various elements. The goal is to achieve confidence and scale, even integrating color with built-in cabinetry or matching ceilings to bedding. For those new to the trend, Chenin suggests starting with one confident color and layering textures to prevent the space from feeling flat. "Built-In Beds" are also gaining popularity for their ability to ground a room and create a sense of cohesion. Integrating the bed frame directly into the architecture makes the space feel intentional and sculptural. This approach also offers practical benefits, such as seamless integration of storage drawers, nightstands, or shelving, establishing the bed as a central, functional art piece. "Kinetic Lighting" is evolving into an architectural element that responds to mood and function. Chenin envisions frames of light wrapping ceilings or headboard walls, changing tone and intensity throughout the day. This theatrical yet practical approach allows homeowners to simulate a sunrise in the morning, provide ambient light for relaxation, or create a subtle glow for nighttime navigation. These lighting strategies are designed to support well-being by aligning with natural circadian rhythms, using cooler light for alertness and warmer amber tones for rest. The emphasis on "Individual Character" reflects a broader rejection of transient trends. Anselmo notes that people are increasingly designing spaces that truly reflect their personality, incorporating personal objects, nostalgic items, and travel souvenirs that tell a story, rather than opting for mass-produced décor. This shift favors vintage and secondhand pieces, fostering rooms that feel unique and authentic. "Textural Walls" are making a comeback, moving away from flat, painted surfaces to finishes that engage the sense of touch. Chenin describes surfaces echoing natural erosion, bark, or mineral strata. Plaster reliefs or subtly carved walls behind the bed can add depth and softness, eliminating the need for excessive artwork. Homeowners can experiment with a single tactile wall or large-scale textured wallpaper to subtly but powerfully transform a room into a multi-sensory retreat. "Mini Ecosystems" are extending the presence of indoor plants into bedrooms, creating immersive environments that balance light, texture, and humidity. Chenin envisions mineral-textured walls regulating moisture, paired with self-watering planters and concealed backlighting. This trend integrates warm evening tones and cooler morning light to support circadian rhythms and highlight tactile surfaces, creating living, restful spaces. This concept often extends to adjoining bathrooms, featuring natural materials like clay walls and stone basins, and integrated greenery. "Natural Wood and Warm Tones" are becoming central to creating inviting and grounded rooms. However, Anselmo warns against an overcorrection from "millennial grey" to overly dark and moody spaces. She advocates for balance, suggesting lighter wood grains, soft amber lighting, and mixed textures to achieve a cozy feel without making the space seem oppressive. "Architectural Details" are being reinvested in to add character to minimalist bedrooms. Anselmo highlights a resurgence of moldings, wainscoting, and trim work that frame walls, windows, and doors, making rooms feel thoughtfully designed rather than staged. These details, when combined with color, texture, and lighting, can elevate a simple bedroom to one of quiet elegance. Finally, "Curtain-Wrapped Rooms" offer a new way to introduce texture and softness. Anselmo predicts the use of curtains to conceal closets or even envelop entire rooms. This approach is both practical and transformative, softening architectural lines, improving acoustics, and creating intimacy. Often, these curtains match the wall color, reinforcing the color-drenching trend and creating a cocoon-like retreat with fluid, intentional boundaries. #BedroomTrends #InteriorDesign #HomeDecor #ColorDrenching #BuiltInBeds #KineticLighting #PersonalizedSpaces #TexturalWalls #MiniEcosystems #NaturalMaterials #ArchitecturalDetails #CurtainWrappedRooms

Interior design experts are highlighting six outdated bedroom trends that can detract from a space's aesthetic and comfort. These trends, ranging from a lack of color to overly coordinated furniture, are identified as elements that no longer align with contemporary design principles. One significant outdated trend is the over-reliance on a purely monochromatic or neutral color palette without sufficient texture or depth. While neutrals offer versatility, an absence of varied textures or subtle color variations can make a bedroom feel sterile and uninviting. Designers suggest incorporating different textures through bedding, rugs, and window treatments, and introducing muted, complementary colors to add warmth and visual interest. Another trend to avoid is overly matched furniture sets, where every piece, from the bed frame to the dresser and nightstands, comes from the same collection. This can lead to a generic and uninspired look, lacking personality. Instead, designers recommend mixing and matching furniture pieces from different styles and eras. This approach allows for a more curated and personal aesthetic, creating a dynamic and unique bedroom environment. Excessive use of themed decor is also considered outdated. While a cohesive theme can be appealing, taking it to an extreme with every item adhering strictly to a particular motif can make a room feel childish or overly contrived. A more modern approach involves subtle nods to a theme through carefully selected accent pieces, allowing the room to maintain a sophisticated and adult appeal. Another trend identified as outdated is the widespread use of overly bulky or oversized furniture, particularly in smaller bedrooms. Large pieces can overwhelm a space, making it feel cramped and less functional. Contemporary design emphasizes scaled-appropriate furniture that maximizes space and enhances flow. This includes choosing pieces with clean lines and considering multi-functional furniture to optimize utility without sacrificing style. The absence of personal touches or a lack of individual expression in bedroom decor is another trend to move away from. Bedrooms should reflect the personality and lifestyle of their occupants. Generic hotel-room aesthetics, devoid of personal mementos, art, or unique items, can make a space feel impersonal. Incorporating personal artwork, photographs, travel souvenirs, or handcrafted items can transform a bedroom into a sanctuary that genuinely feels like home. Finally, harsh overhead lighting without layered lighting options is deemed outdated. A single, bright overhead light can create a stark and unwelcoming atmosphere. Modern bedroom design favors a layered lighting scheme, combining ambient lighting (such as overhead fixtures with dimmers), task lighting (like bedside lamps for reading), and accent lighting (to highlight artwork or architectural features). This approach allows for flexibility and control over the room's ambiance, promoting relaxation and comfort.