In home design, the first sense we want to engage is, of course, sight—stunning patterns and intentional colors to create a mood, artwork to dazzle and delight, windows and light fixtures to ensure everything has the perfect level of illumination.
The next sense to employ? We’d argue it’s touch. After all, your home is for living in. No matter how beautiful a sectional is, if you can’t sink down into it and relax after a long day, it’s not doing its job very well. You want your space to feel touchable.
Happily, those two elements go together. Texture is where the visual and the tactile meet, and it adds depth and interest to any space. However, it’s often not quite as intuitive for people as color (you likely have a favorite color, but do you have a favorite texture?). Here are some tips for using texture like a pro.
Go by feeling
Bright whites create an airy, modern vibe. Jewel tones add a sense of weight and history. Pastels make us think of youth. Just like colors, textures often convey specific emotions and moods, and will bring those moods to your spaces. Consider how you want a room to feel before you begin exploring textures.
Are you looking for luxe elegance and sophistication? Look to velvet. For a softer take on that, chenille is your friend. Are you looking for something rustic and natural? Wood grains will take you far. If you want to warm up a room, reach for smooth brass and gold finishes; to lean more history, try copper.
Make sure to layer
Layering texture is the key to banishing flat-feeling rooms, particularly if they have a more neutral color scheme. Overusing a single texture (often a wood or a fabric) in addition to a single color can create a one-dimensional feeling it’s hard to put your finger one. Adding three or four different textures throughout a space—in upholstery, pillows or table lamps, for instance—goes a long way in fixing it.
You also don’t need to rely on different fabrics or furniture finishes to achieve this. Add both matte and glazed ornaments on a bookshelf, stack books on end tables or consider a bold rug. You can even add it to the walls themselves with textured plaster or embossed wallpaper.
Consider contrasts
Much of your texture layering will be subtle, but the occasional bold move will take you far. Playing something very rough off something very smooth (like exposed wooden beams and sleek tiles) or something very structural next to something very soft (a sculptural pendant light beside free-hanging curtains) creates a visual interest that you might not even consciously pick up on.
Sometimes, this can be as easy as tossing a few new pillows or a throw blanket on a sofa or armchair. For the summertime, add cotton and silk cushions to a linen sofa.
Coordinate with color
Remember, color and texture speak to each other. To keep a space from becoming busy-looking and overwhelmed, keep your textures within the same color palette. Even if you add several new textures, the color should keep the space tied-together and cohesive.
Texture often shines the brightest in more monochrome rooms. In an all-white space, for example, adding white tile will both keep the color scheme while adding dimension to the space.
Have a home that uses texture to perfection? Tell us about it on Instagram @njhomemag.