You’ve painted the walls, moved in the furniture and hung the pictures, but your new room is still missing something. It’s probably texture, the finishing touch that adds life to home decor. Here’s why texture is essential to good design and how to add it to any room.
What is texture?
Texture is anything that brings visual and tactile interest to a room. Rooms that are too uniform look flat. Adding a range of contrasting textures will make your home feel warmer, more welcoming and more complete.
You can add texture to a room with wall coverings, flooring, window treatments, furniture, lighting, art, accessories, plants and the materials that furnishings are made of. These items can be smooth or rough, soft or hard, sleek or bumpy, patterned or solid, old or new, natural or manufactured. A mix of these features can bring a room to life.
How to add texture to your decor
Furnishings. Use a mix of hard surfaces — wood, metal, wicker, Lucite or glass — with a variety of textiles such as silk, leather, cotton, velvet or woven fabrics. Pair your wood dining table with upholstered chairs, for example, or place a glass coffee table in front of your velvet sofa. Upholster the seat of your rattan chair with linen. Use a clear Lucite chair in your office with your vintage wooden desk.
Floors. If your floors are smooth hardwood or tile, top them with a shag area rug or one with an interesting pattern. Accent a large carpet made of natural fibers such as sisal with a cowhide or sheepskin rug to define a conversation area in your living room. Consider brick or stone floors to add atmosphere to a room.
Walls and ceilings. Cover walls with a patterned paper or grasscloth. Or leave a brick wall exposed. Add shiplap or reclaimed wood to an accent wall or wooden beams to your ceiling. Choose a textured tile for your kitchen backsplash.
Window treatments. You can cover your windows with heavy velvet curtains, light linen sheers or shades woven from natural materials. Varying the textiles at your windows from those on your furniture provides texture.
Lighting. Ceiling lights, sconces and lamps come in many materials. Combining several will add texture. Pair a metal chandelier with ceramic or glass lamps, for example. Or use a sleek metal lamp on one side of the room and a textured pottery one on the other.
Art. Hang a combination of paintings, prints and photography on your walls to add texture. Choose frames in both wood and metal. Place interesting small sculptures or figurines on tables and shelves.
Accessories. Think variety when it comes to decorative items like placemats, coasters, vases and trays. Decorate with attractive bottles, woven baskets, stacks of books and natural items such as pine cones or pieces of driftwood.
Plants. Vegetation can add color and life to a room. Use a mix of potted plants and fresh flowers. Place an attractive jar filled with branches from your yard on the mantel or a table.
Layers. Adding several textural items to a bed or sofa can intensify a room’s coziness. You can add texture to a room, for example, by draping a chunky woolen throw over a leather sofa or a bed topped with a linen duvet.
Color. If you want a monochromatic room, vary the colors of items a bit. For example, a room with items in white, ivory, cream, light taupe and pale gray will be more interesting than one where everything is snow white.
Pattern. Mix patterned textiles. You can use plaid and floral pillows on a solid loveseat so long as their colors and the sizes of the prints harmonize, or place a patterned area rug near a chair upholstered in a subtle stripe.
Age. It’s okay to combine furnishings and accessories from different eras. A vintage painting or chair will add texture to an otherwise contemporary room. Liven up classic farmhouse style with a metal lamp or chair. Use an antique table as an island in an otherwise modern kitchen.
Build texture over time
Rooms look best when texture develops over time as you acquire things you love. That will give a more organic look than buying everything all at once.
Don’t overdo it
Too much texture can leave a room feeling busy and overwhelming. Leave the eye some simple areas where it can rest, such as a solid sofa, simple window treatments or walls painted a neutral color.
Related – Mixing Patterns and Prints Like a Pro
