These 5 Dated Bedroom Trends Are Giving Interior Designers Nightmares in 2026 – Here's Why You Should Avoid Them in Your Sleep Space

The bedroom isn’t a space we tend to update often. Furniture stays put, and palettes linger, all because we need an uninterrupted space to lay our heads at night. That’s why outdated trends tend to feel more noticeable in the bedroom – and they have a way of overstaying their welcome.

As trends cycle faster than ever, designers are paying attention to which bedroom trends genuinely stand the test of time – and which are already beginning to feel dated as we head into 2026. And it's clear that the emphasis is shifting away from spaces that feel overly styled or trend-led, and toward choices that focus on how the room feels.

Here, interior designers share the five dated bedroom trends they say are best left behind and the smarter, more timeless alternatives they’re reaching for instead.

5 Dated Bedroom Trends Not to Take into 2026

As someone who pores over house tours for a living, I often find bedrooms to be the most revealing room in the house. They show our habits, personality, and the trends we once loved a little too enthusiastically.

But rather than chasing the next big look, designers are now focusing on how a bedroom feels (is it calming and restorative or just plain stressful?), rather than on the once-popular ideas that are starting to look dated in 2026.

A space designed for rest, after all, should feel personal and considered, not overly styled or stuck in an era.

From stark schemes to perfectly matching sets, many once-popular bedroom trends were designed for impact rather than lasting appeal. Today’s most stylish bedrooms instead favor depth, layers, and decor choices that help you feel the most relaxed, and the most you.

1. Flat All-White Schemes

White bedroom ideas will always have their time and place, but when it becomes the only note, the result can feel more clinical than calming. Bedroom color trends are increasingly moving away from a palette that relies on stark, uninterrupted white to do all the heavy lifting, and are instead focusing on cocooning tones that set a better mood.

'Blank white boxes are completely out in 2026,' says Molly Torres Portnof of DATE Interiors. 'Focus on color, whether it's a neutral or a bolder hue, to make your space feel luxe and personality-filled.'

It’s not about abandoning light palettes altogether, but about softening them with layers of color, pattern, and contrast – think warm neutrals and materials that bring a tactile quality to the room.

'Bedrooms built entirely around stark whites often feel flat and impersonal,' adds designer Jennifer Davis of Davis Interiors. 'A bedroom should feel restorative and intimate, and that comes from thoughtful contrast, introducing warmer tones, subtle depth, and variation through texture and materials rather than relying on a single-note palette.'

'Minimalism isn’t disappearing, but bedrooms stripped of personality can feel cold and unfinished,' she continues. 'Even the most streamlined spaces benefit from softness and intention, layered textiles, meaningful art, personal objects, and lighting that creates atmosphere.'

2. Matchy-Matchy Furniture

Perfectly coordinated furniture was once a hallmark of a well-styled home, but these days, the matchy-matchy furniture trend is starting to feel more showroom than sanctuary. When every piece is cut from the same cloth – the same finish, silhouette, and material – the room can quickly lose its sense of character.

Designers now favor a more layered approach, where pieces feel carefully chosen rather than bought all at once. 'Bedrooms feel far more elevated when they’re designed with a collected approach,' says Kailee Blalock from House of Hive Design Co.

'At minimum, I recommend mixing your nightstands and dresser rather than purchasing a full matching set,' she suggests. 'That one change immediately brings more depth and personality into the space.'

Alexis Vitale of Vitale Design Group agrees, likening overly uniform bedrooms to a song sung on a single note. 'When everything matches, from headboard to nightstands to benches, the room lacks interest,' she says. 'The room should be given depth through textures, metals, and wood variations.'

'Mixing wood tones, incorporating varied silhouettes, and blending old with new adds character, depth, and a sense of individuality that simply can’t be achieved with a matching set,' Jennifer adds.

3. Accent Walls

Few bedroom trends signal a specific moment in time quite like the accent wall. Once seen as a quick and unique way to add drama or color to a space, accent walls are increasingly being viewed as an interior design trend that dates faster than it elevates.

The issue isn’t the color or pattern chosen, but the imbalance it creates in the space. When one wall is doing all the work, the rest of the room can feel under-designed by comparison. 'My least favorite is the accent wall. I’ve said it many times that it’s like a bad mullet – party in the front and dull in the back,' says Alexis Vitale.

Jennifer Davis agrees, adding that accent walls aren't as timeless as they once appeared. 'Bold, highly graphic accent wallpapers or paint colors chosen purely for impact can date a bedroom quickly,' she explains. 'While they may feel exciting in the moment, they often lack longevity.'

Instead, designers encourage a more enveloping and all-over approach with color drenching, pattern drenching, and even the accent ceiling remaining more stylish choices in 2026.

4. Boho Headboards

Much like accent walls, the bohemian-style headboard trend had a moment as an easy way to inject personality into a bedroom.

Rattan, cane, and sculptural woven designs offered instant texture and a relaxed feel, but when used as a standalone feature, they’re now beginning to read as another trend tied to an outdated era.

'Bohemian standalone rattan headboards were trendy for a while, but they can now feel dated and overly casual, and tend to read more like a dorm room than a thoughtfully designed bedroom,' says designer Amy Courtney of Amy Courtney Design.

But that doesn't mean wicker is done. Far from it. There are plenty of ways to introduce the warmth of natural weave into your bedroom – whether that's with new furniture pieces or thrifted finds – while choosing something much more comfortable for the headboard, like an upholstered pattern or sumptuous velvet.

Designers aren’t moving away from texture altogether, either, but they are reconsidering how it’s introduced. Instead of singular, overtly boho statements, texture is now being layered more subtly through wall treatments (think grasscloth), bedding, and mixed materials that feel in harmony with the room as a whole.

5. Platform Beds

Not all dated bedroom trends fall out of fashion because of how they look. Some simply stop making sense to live with, like platform beds.

Once praised for their clean lines and low-profile appeal, designers are now questioning whether this comes at the expense of comfort and practicality.

Designer Mary Beth Sullivan of MB Sullivan Design is no longer a fan, saying: 'People are over squatting to get in and out of beds. It isn’t functional (hello, no under-bed storage!), it isn’t ergonomic, and in most rooms, the scale brings the whole room down,' she explains.

As design priorities shift toward ease and long-term practicality, higher-profile beds and nook beds with built-in storage and thoughtful proportions are making a return. They offer better support, improved functionality, and a sense of style that suits both classic and contemporary bedrooms.

Shop Easy but Impactful Bedroom Swaps

While these five trends are top on designers 'out' list, it doesn't mean they need to be abandoned overnight. Often, it's the small edits like softening a palette and thrifting a few unique furniture finds to replace your matching sets that can make the biggest difference.

A bedroom that has evolved over time will always feel more current than one tied too tightly to a specific moment. Don't forget to prioritize your personality, as well as comfort, and character – and take a look at our guide to the best places to buy bedroom furniture for a comprehensive edit of the best retailers for every style and budget.