Adding interest through layers of textures and materials

Texture animates the space in ways color and form alone cannot. It whispers to your senses, nimbly adding warm and interest and dimension that make spaces inviting and finished. And if that’s what texture does — and for some reason I think it is — mastering the tool of texture means learning to appreciate how different materials respond to light, what they feel like underfoot or hand, and what they seem say about a room or its totality. Layering smooth against rough, soft against firm, and matte against sheen with delicate consideration allows one’s interiors the richness and character of a history beyond flat planes.

It’s easy to see why – natural materials are at the core of many surviving timeless designs, and they offer an inherent beauty and tactile comfort that most synthetics just can’t match. Touchy-feely, wood grains welcome the hand with natural veining and stone offers cool touch solidness and classic appeal. Linen, wool and cotton bring softness to balance the hardness of other elements and create inviting living spaces. These are the kinds of choices that make an a space feel authentic, one in which nuanced tones and finishes can continue to come alive – as opposed to feel out-of-style over years of use.

Intentionally employed, metals and glass provide contrast and refinement. Brushed brass softens a scheme with a hush of glow; polished chrome shines light up and sharpens edges. “Assertive glass surfaces offer transparency and an absence of mass, ensuring that heavier textures don’t dominate smaller spaces. When the reflective materials are balanced with absorbent like this, you get optical rhythm — an eased progression between eyes and things without excessive glare or coldness.

Patterning through rugs, cushions and wallpapers add movement in the space without being colour bold. Here, understated geometrics or patterns that mimic nature overlaid on neutrals make soft visual statements. Scale also has a lot to do with it here, larger patterns working well on expansive walls or where the pattern is not visible up close, and finer ones on more intimate areas. The contrast of patterned and plain surfaces creates hierarchy; spaces feel considered, not random.

Texture sensibility is something that evolves with intentional choices and continued editing. Whenever possible, touch samples in person, see how they catch light from different angles and weigh maintenance against aesthetics. The best interiors mix it up, but with restraint, yet no material can be left out if there is to be a greater harmony. But that feel for it, over time, lets you make rooms that are deeply gratifying spaces to inhabit, where the surfaces help create an environment that nourishes body and soul tactilely.