2022 Trends: (Green) Sanctuary Bedrooms

The past two years have been tough for everybody; and with Covid still being at the forefront of all of our lives, we are looking into more ways of making our homes our havens.

Many people were forced to work from home during the pandemic and therefore, home became work for many of us. Gone was that feeling of relief when we get home at the end of a long day... our bedrooms became the new 'home'; the room to retreat to - and that is why so many of us are looking to create a sanctuary of that room in particular.

2022 is another chance for a new start; 2021 seemed to pass us all by in a haze of Covid-cluster-f**k, but 2022 is different. This year, we're all in a different frame of mind. We're all getting used to Covid-19 being the new normal and we're all learning to live with it being a part of life as we now know it. We're done with fretting and fearing; we're ready to get on with life however we can and we're ready for new beginnings. And new beginnings start at home.

Interior Design trends come every year and many of us tend to get sucked into them, whether we mean to or not. I know I do! I hate to follow trends... but trends seem to follow me! It's always been the way. I've always striven not to be a follower of fashions; but what usually happens is, I get into something and then it becomes the next big thing... and everyone else then loves it too. It was always one of the clues that I should be in design; and it certainly benefits my work, knowing what people will likely be into next. If only I could tune in to it on purpose!

This year, however, there are a few trends that I am happy to buy into; this years trends are those I have been following for some years yet. This years trends are some of my favourite things in home design.

So, let's look at three of them to look out for, in 2022:

1. Sanctuary Bedrooms

As mentioned in my last blog, one of this year's main design requests will be for multifunctional living spaces. As more and more of us are now working from home, full-time, we are getting used to the fact that we will no longer be leaving the office after a long day of work and returning to the sanctuary of our homes... because these days, the office is our home!

We are now looking within our homes to create a place we can escape to at the end of the working day which will give us that feeling we all miss, of getting home and kicking off our shoes; and that place is the bedroom.

Sanctuary bedrooms are what we're all wanting to achieve in 2022; we want peace and quiet, relaxation and tranquility, comfort, contentment, serenity - and generally, a place to unwind with a good book, a cup of tea and a cosy blanket!

These inner sanctums need to be luxurious and uplifting, as well as everything else a sanctuary needs to be. We need soft fabrics, soothing colours, calming smells and the sounds of nature to make us feel calm.

And, as a great many people weren't lucky enough to have a garden to escape to throughout lockdown in 2020, people's desires in design is swaying towards exactly that... nature. If Covid did one thing for all of us, it was to make us all appreciate what we have in nature. The absence of traffic, both on the roads and in the air, taught us all to tune in to the birds and the bees; the gentle humming of nature's creatures. It taught us just how much we have all taken our beautiful country for granted and made us all fall in love with nature all over again.

It made us all realise just how much we need green spaces, fresh air and beautiful flowers - and it made us all realise just how much we need to do to take care of the world we live in. Because we only get one - and we need to look after it, the way it looks after us.

2. Green (Bedroom) Decor

Green. Green is looking likely to be the colour of choice this year.

As Mother Nature has held us all in her nurturing arms over the pandemic, she has shown us that we all need to be more 'green'. Not only in the sense that we need to live a more sustainable lifestyle in order to save the planet, but also in the sense that we need that planet to surround us inside our homes.

This year, we'll be using more green paint, buying more houseplants, building more living walls, planting more flowers and using more sustainable furniture and materials within our homes.

We'll be looking into ways to bring the outside in and make the inside more natural, more at one with the Earth and more... green!

Green has long been one of my most favourite colours; I love a lichen green with a pale pink, an olive green with a rich red and a deep, dark green with a gorgeous gold! Green is beautiful; and I'm so happy that more and more people are looking to use it.

To help you decide, I'm going to share a selection of green shades from three of my favourite eco-friendly paint brands. These brands all boast low VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds), meaning less harsh chemicals, less odours (gases) and more love for the environment.

Here are some of my favourite greens:

Mylands of London

If you've never used Mylands' paint before, you really don't know what you're missing! It is the silkiest paint I have ever used! It's thick, luxurious and the pigments are stunning. It will forever be my number one choice! The only downside is it's pretty expensive... but it's worth it!

Little Greene Paint Company Ltd.

Little Greene sell some beautiful paints! Their range of colours is amazing and they come in a large range of finishes to make your home exactly what you want it to be!

Lick

Lick is a great brand; they're still growing their colour selections, but they've already released some gorgeous shades! Their paint is smooth and luxurious and is a pleasure to paint with.

3. Biophilic Design

With all this need to be closer to the outside world, it's no surprise that Biophilic Design is set to take over in 2022. Biophilic Design is the approach of bringing the inhabitants of a building closer to nature - and both Architects and Interior Designers will be striving to do this for their clients this year.

Biophilic buildings incorporate natural lighting, ventilation, natural features, such as green/living walls, natural materials, such as wood, or stone; and other natural elements, such as fountains and water features in order to create a more productive and healthy environment for those working, visiting or living in them; therefore, improving well-being and mental health.

Other ways to design a Biophilic space could be to install mood lighting, to simulate different times of day, create and/or use murals based on nature and outside spaces, install a rain-fall system in larger spaces, such as office buildings, hotels and waiting rooms, or use rainfall-style showers in bathrooms, use floral scents and sounds of nature; you could install a cork wall in your office, create partitions in rooms with wooden slats, use bamboo and other natural materials in furniture and wall coverings - and of course, use plenty of natural colours, organic shapes, such as curves and introduce plenty of house plants, flowers and greenery to your living spaces.

Biophilic design doesn't only create a positive impact on our mental health; it could also create a positive impact on the environment. We all know that house plants can help to clean the air around us, but by using more natural materials in building, Biophilic design will also help to reduce the carbon footprint of design and architecture, as well as help to regulate the temperature of a building.

Examples of Green / Biophilic Design and Sanctuary Bedrooms

This absolutely stunning example of Biophilic design connects the guests of this restaurant with the beautiful scenery outside via floor-to-ceiling windows. The trees bring the outside in and the soft green fabrics mirror the misty greenery in nature. The designers have used curves and spheres - along with rattan for an extra nod to the outside environment. Perfect!

The National Museum of Qatar has used Biophilic design perfectly in its gift shops, designed by Koichi Takada Architects.

This vast wooden space feels cave-like; reaching up high to the heavens with all the curves, layers and natural light that nature lends; spotlights are then installed to mimic the sunlight falling into this cavernous space from above.

Each wooden segment fits perfectly with its partnering pieces - all created using 3D-modelling technology, while clever wooden shelving, going with the flow of the design, displays the gifts and souvenirs for visitors.

You would certainly feel closer to nature looking up at that beautiful ceiling.

My tropical room was created as a sanctuary at home; the bright colours gave me the lift I needed when times were tough and I would often sit in this room if I was feeling a little low.

Just a few minutes, surrounded by this calming green (Lick Green 01) and all the palm prints and tropical flowers was enough to help me relax a little bit.

Meanwhile, the dark green in my bedroom helps me to unwind enough to sleep at night. The pairing of dusky heather (Lick Purple 01) helps to lighten the space and the dark floral fabrics give the room the sense of mystery and romance that I wanted it to have.

It is a dark room, but I love a dark bedroom!

Other Green Bedrooms:

Conclusion

And so, we come to the end of another blog.

Thank you all for reading; I hope you feel a little more inspired by green and greenery and I look forward to seeing your sanctuaries later in the year.

Lots of love!

Evelyn M