Looking for a steer on the upcoming (and outgoing) furniture and interiors trends? In January's issue, Fabio Perrotta, Dreams' director of buying, offered his take on what we can expect to see in 2024/25 …
One of the biggest trends right now is gaming, which we believe will only grow in popularity in 2024. Dreams was the first bed manufacturer to tap into the mainstream gaming market, with our gaming bed which we launched at the end of 2022. Since then, we’ve seen other competitors also enter the space, as they too recognise the opportunity within the gaming furniture industry.
We have continued to innovate and improve the features of our gaming beds over the last year, including upgrades to enable customers to control the bed lights from their smartphones, forward and backward connectivity, built-in chargers and console connectivity. We’ve created the ultimate tech set-up for any gamer.
X Rocker gaming bed
We’re also seeing a real spike in interest in the connection between sleep and wellbeing at the moment – particularly among the younger consumer base. This has largely been driven through the rise of sleepcast apps and sleep wellness podcasts, and we believe it’s likely to gain momentum in the next year. Increasingly, we expect customers to opt for beds that help them optimise their health. For example, beds that monitor heart rate or recognise and minimise snoring.
At Dreams, we recognise the growing importance of sleep and wellbeing, reflected through our bespoke Sleepmatch technology. Sleepmatch helps customers find their perfect mattress in just three minutes – it works by mapping the body and movement, to find an ideal fit. We’ve now made our Sleepmatch technology available for all, with customers able to experience the service both in-store and online.
In terms of aesthetic trends, we’re seeing natural fabrics and materials back in style. In 2024 we will see a departure from brighter, more vibrant colours, with neutral linen and wood increasing in popularity. We know that white and magnolia have long been the go-to wall colours for UK households, including rental properties. So, as customers become more concerned with sustainability and buying furniture to last, they’ll be on the hunt for natural tones and materials that complement this timeless colour palette.
And what trends do you expect to see losing momentum?
A trend that we’ve noticed has lost momentum over the last year would be the boucle and ‘teddy’ types of fabrics. Demand for beds and furnishings featuring boucle has dipped since previous years, signalling the shift towards more natural and neutral fabrics, as I mentioned previously. Similarly, we’re noticing that velvet fabric sales are also starting to slow down.
The same can be said for rattan – we’ve noticed that the popularity of rattan peaks and falls in phases. Inspired by Asian furnishing, rattan has grown in popularity in the UK over the last five years – however, recently, its popularity has begun to decline. Whilst we will continue to serve the customer base that loves rattan, we may offer fewer options in our range, to reflect the levels of consumer demand.
Talk us through one of your products or ranges that highlights an incoming trend …
Our Dream Team Gold mattress range taps into a number of incoming and growing trends.The first is provenance. Customers increasingly want good-quality products manufactured in the UK, using locally sourced materials. The range is manufactured by our expert bedmakers at our factory in the West Midlands, and incorporates wool fillings from our selected Black Country farmers.
The second trend is hygiene and antibacterial fabrics, something that has been at the forefront of the public’s mind since the pandemic. Across the Dream Team Gold range we’ve used sustainable antibacterial fibres such as copperleaf and copper-infused foam which eliminate viruses, bacteria and odours.
The final trend is heat regulation. While heat has long been a prominent factor impacting sleep quality, 2022 saw the hottest summer’s day on record, reminding consumers of the significant impact that temperature can have on their rest. The Dream Team Gold range features a new Thermoswitch fabric, exclusive to Dreams, which uses liquid crystal technology to detect areas of the body that are overheating and respond with an instant cooling effect. Its thermal colour means customers can also physically see the excess heat being absorbed from the body.
We’re really proud of the Dream Team Gold range, and it’s a great example of how we’re broadening our manufacturing capabilities and adopting new technologies to meet changing consumer demand.
Read the rest of our furniture trend forecast here.
