How to add texture to a room
Interior designers are always talking about the benefits of texture in a room. But what exactly do they mean by texture and how and why should you incorporate it into your decor?
In interior design, texture refers to the use of furniture, textiles, objects, and decorations made from a variety of materials that play with each other and add both visual appeal and tactile variety to a room’s design. A space without enough texture is like a can without salt: apartment, boring, inviting, unfinished. Adding texture can make the space more attractive, pleasant, and livable.
What is texture?
In interior design, texture refers to the use of furniture, textiles, objects, and decorations made from a variety of materials that add visual appeal and tactile variety to the design of the space. A room without enough texture can look apartment, unreadable and unfinished.
Every element of the room – flooring, wall décor, furniture, objects, accessories, art, wall panels, and decor – is an opportunity to combine textures. You can start with an empty room and combine materials with different textures – hard, soft, glossy, matte, smooth, rough, etc. – as you build your design step by step. Or you can support the existing decoration by creating existing textures and adding more layers.
“Textures are all about detail,” say interior designers. Playing with height and scale can also make a room more interesting. When it comes to furnishing a room, we like to put accessories, books, pillows, and throws in the room. When choosing a fabric or surface, also consider its tactile qualities.
Advantages of texturing
There are many benefits to adding texture to a room.
Gives dimensions to a room
It appeals to our senses, both visually and through touch
Makes the room interesting
Every room needs a focal point. Usually, this is an object or feature that becomes an eye-catcher because of its size, color, shape, or design. For example, a bold back often becomes a focal point in the kitchen.
A gorgeous brown rug becomes an eye-catcher in the bedroom. A texture can easily become the focal point of a room.
Mixed textiles
One of the easiest ways to add texture to a room is to use a combination of textiles in everything from rugs to windows, throw pillows and blankets to bedding and upholstered furniture. Depending on your mood, try fabrics like leather, velvet, silk, buckle, wool, cotton, and linen. Lighten up a cool leather chair with a plush velvet pillow. Create a cozy bed in cold weather by combining linen sheets, faux fur throw pillows, a large knit blanket, and natural leather upholstery.
Finishes and materials
After years of pristine white walls dominating, interest in textured finishes like textured or hand-plastered wall panels has increased. You can add a textured touch to a plain wall with embossed, woven, colorful, or graphic wallpaper. Complement glossy lacquer cabinets with matte black cabinet drawers. Soften a formal wood dining table with upholstered or vintage Lucite metal chairs. Use textured tile on the back of your kitchen or install a polished stone sink in your powder room.
If you live in an older home with wood floors, rustic beams, stone walls, or patterned tile, balance these key features with shiny metals, mixed textiles, soft furnishings, and modern art to create a textural balance. Soften a modern apartment with antique art, antique gilded mirrors, or handmade textile wall hangings.
Mix color and pattern
If you prefer a more visually appealing environment, try combining patterns like stripes, dots, checks, squares, and florals in a similar palette to create texture. To achieve a monochromatic look, switch colors, materials, and shades of one color to increase the appeal of the texture as if you were wearing a monochromatic dress by switching fabrics. Place a chocolate brown velvet upholstered sofa in front of a matte cocoa brown wall with shiny window decorations, and add a glass coffee table with walnut wood pedestals and a few vintage brass plaques to brighten things up.
