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Ever wondered how to add texture to a room or what is texture in interior design? The word texture is used frequently to describe the visuals that make up a room with the accents and decor pieces that have been strategically placed.
“Texture” is a buzzword amongst interior designers that may seem intimidating to achieve on your own, but with the right guidance, you’ll find that adding texture is easy to do! Here are 8 easy ways you can add texture to your home that are effortless and stunning, and totally designer-approved.
What Is Texture in Interior Design?
Texture in interior design is about the visual interest in a room. It’s a combination of textiles, colors, and materials that come together to create a fully decorated space so the room doesn’t have one look. Without some kind of texture, a room may look very flat or one dimensional. No texture means there isn’t a spark or visual contrast to break up the elements that, in turn, gives the room’s design a uniformed style.
Decorating with texture is all about appealing to the senses. How your furniture and select accents look or feel can evoke certain emotions within your space. For example, a room with too many hard or slick surfaces may feel dark and sad, but balancing the room with softer and more rugged surfaces will make the room feel warmer and livelier.
When it comes to texture in interior design, a lot of people think it’s all about the different touch or feel of the furniture and accent pieces, but it’s also elements that are simply seen and displayed. Texture comes in a variety of elements that make up every room of the home from the furniture, to decor, walls (drywall, stone, brick), paintings and more. All of these pieces are needed so your room stays in line with the aesthetic to create a visually-balanced space. Including a well-balanced mix of textures is going to give you the sense of peace and calmness we all crave for our homes. It can seem a little challenging to incorporate texture in your decor, but with these steps, you’ll be a pro in no time!
How to Add Texture to a Room in 8 Steps
So, how do you add texture to a room? Here are 8 tips to get you started.
1. Mix Your Accents
As we already mentioned, establishing visual balance and bringing more texture into your room includes a mix of textures in your accents. The best materials and finishes that are texture-focused are wood, metals, leather, glass, fabric, and more.
Now, this doesn’t mean your accent pieces should be all one material and scattered all over the place. The key to achieving texture professionally in design is being strategic with how the textured is layered and blended, which we will dish about in a later section. To add the visual balance and depth each room needs, mix and match your textures carefully to allow for more than one element to complement your space… and each other!
When styling your home, take note of the various surfaces you’re working with. Is it a rougher wood surface or a smoother marble surface? Once you determine what you’re working with, incorporate at least 1-2 elements of an opposing texture in your accent pieces.
Wicker baskets are one of our favorite ways to add texture to a room. Pretty and functional, wicker baskets can easily be paired in bold or soft rooms while adding an aesthetically pleasing storage option to your home.
2. Play Around With Fabric Textures
Fabric in your rooms play a key part in achieving balance and texture for your overall design. Layering your different fabric choices is a great way to add depth and warmth to any room in a subtle way. If you want the same color for your seating options but don’t want the room to feel too stark, look for fabrics with the same color tones. For example, use a linen fabric for your sofa and opt for boucle fabric for your accent chairs.
Another way to keep the room balanced with fabric texture is to pair a leather sofa with an upholstered ottoman. This will create a better balance than using a metal or glass coffee table, and instill warmth with the variance in textures.
3. Don’t Neglect Window Treatments
Achieving texture can be easily done with a nice set of window treatments, whether with blinds or curtains. There are four main materials drapes and curtains come in: cotton, linen, polyester, and silk. These materials have their own sets of textures that contrast with other textures in your room.
For example, if your space already has a generous mix of softer, smoother materials, a rougher finish with blinds as your window treatments will break up the softness. For rooms with a lot of texture variety in accent pieces or furniture, soft curtains or drapes is the better option.
Expert Tip: Select longer draperies and hang them closer to the ceiling to make your space feel larger!
4. Incorporate Wood
Wood is an evergreen material that’s easy to bring into your rooms for effortless texture. Wood texture is found in the grain of each piece that’s either coarse, fine, or even. The earthy hues of wood instantly warms any room while bringing in a natural element to make the space feel more cozy and inviting.
There are a lot of ways you can incorporate wood texture in your home. Start by bringing in a wooden coffee table to center your living room and complement your sofa upholstery, or opt for wooden decor pieces for a subtle touch. You can also go as far as to have a wooden accent wall to make a big statement with these planks showing up in a different area other than your flooring.
5. Bring the Outdoors In
There are a lot of stunning textures and colors within nature. Inviting these elements into your space helps your home feel more lively and welcoming. Similar to wood texture, leaves of different plants and greenery bring coarse, fine, or even texture into a room that also makes the space feel more lively. Decorating with plants is a great way to add visual interest to a room and elevate the sense of nature with these live items.
Just like wood, plants have earthy hues that warms any room regardless of how deep, bold, or light your color scheme is. Not to mention, the various leaves, blooms, and stems that are naturally about a plant’s makeup is one of the easiest ways to bring in natural texture to your rooms that have versatility in placements.
Worried the greenery will clash with your aesthetic? No matter what color scheme your home is, there are always plants that will blend seamlessly into your aesthetic. Incorporating plants into your home is also a fun way to switch things up for the season! Style your smaller plants on end tables, console tables, or shelves while using the corners and sides of furniture to house the larger potted trees.
7. Layer Your Pillows
Speaking of layers, pillow layers are another way to bring effortless texture into your rooms, especially when you mix pillow textiles. Everyone loves added comfort on couches, beds, or chairs, so elevate the texture in your room by mixing and matching the pillows on your furniture. Take a variety of pillow shapes and patterns to layer them for a design that ties the room together and brings in the visual dimension of texture for a well-rounded design.
8. Create a Mini Museum With Artwork
It can be a struggle figuring out how to use the vertical space on blank walls to decorate and style in a way that adds texture and completes a room. Displaying artwork with various brush strokes and color palettes that tie in with your aesthetic is an easy way to incorporate texture and style.
Find pieces of artwork that speaks to your personality and style to hang on the wall to boost the depth and dimension in any room. Abstract pieces work best since they incorporate various shapes and colors with different brush strokes for a textural element.
Still need help styling? We’ve got you covered!
Whether you’re needing help styling your room or looking for your new favorite home accent, Blake Interiors has what you need. Our carefully curated collection of home furnishings and decor is meant to give your home all the elements it needs for a completed look.
Not only do we specialize in home decor, but we also have designers on standby to guide you in finding (and styling) the right pieces that speak to your personality and aesthetic. Unsure of what your aesthetic is? Or what next piece to choose? Our designers can answer any question and walk you through the home design process to create a concept you’ll be gushing over for years to come.
Stop by Blake Interiors today to start designing the home of your dreams!