The touch factor: Elevating interior spaces with textured fabrics
Texture in interior design is a powerful, often overlooked element that communicates mood, enriches style, and adds depth to spaces, with its composition as crucial as lighting and color, creating both physical and visual textures to foster balance and harmony within a room.
There is an under-appreciated yet invaluable power of texture in interior design. When you look at a well-appointed room, it’s the textures that have the ability to communicate mood, enrich style, and add a level of interest and depth to any interior. In fact, it is the element that reinforces and complements the other design elements to effectively convey a cohesive design concept. We believe that the careful composition of texture in an interior can be just as crucial as that of lighting and colour.
Incorporating texture into space goes beyond simply placing decorative cushions or using wood or marble accents. It involves skillfully blending elements that create both physical and visual texture that appeals to the eyes as well as the touch. The concept of texture in interior design holds the key to unlocking the art of balance and harmony within a room, offering a realm of creative possibilities waiting to be explored.
Different types of texture
There are two different types of texture which are required in interior design.
Tactile texture is created by the physical characteristics of a material's surface – it’s relief. It can offer a range of sensations, including smoothness, softness, hardness, roughness, ridges, graininess, or bumps when touched. The interplay of light on the raised and lowered areas of a naturally textured surface creates a fascinating interplay of highlights and shadows, enhancing the overall visual texture.
In contrast, visual texture, also known as illusionary or simulated texture, can be achieved through the clever application of colour or pattern. A surface can look completely different from how it feels to the touch. Even smooth surfaces can be visually textured, and intricate patterns can be perceived as actual texture. Additionally, artificial finishes can effectively simulate the look of various materials like wood, brick, marble, silk, or stone.
By working with both tactile and visual texture, it’s possible to create accents in a space along with “visual weight”. This is the ability of an object or a specific area within a room to grab attention simply by choosing the right texture. By mixing different textures, it’s also possible to highlight particular elements over others, drawing focus to desired features.
Making the most of textures
Choose your textures wisely:
Smooth textures reflect light, giving off a cool and sophisticated aura. They can bring a touch of formality, modernity, or refinement to a space. On the other hand, raised textures, be it coarse or soft, tend to absorb light, evoking a sense of warmth. Just like how lines can influence the direction of one's eyes, patterns or grains in textures can be quite strategic in creating illusions of more width or height on surfaces. Coarse textures, in particular, have the ability to bring objects closer, altering their perceived size and adding a visual sense of 'weight'. Plus, textures influence the acoustics of a room - uneven and porous textures absorb sound, while smoother surfaces tend to amplify and reverberate sound waves.
Combine textures:
Textures can play well together but there are some considerations. Consider the scale and patters of the textures and combine larger-scale textures with smaller-scale ones for balance. When layering textures, build on a foundation of neutral or solid colour fabric and then add texture for richness and dimension. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different combinations until you achieve the desired balance and visual impact. Incorporating a variety of textures adds complexity to the design and makes the space more inviting.
Moods and seasons:
Let the desired mood guide your choice of textured fabrics. For a cozy and intimate atmosphere, incorporate plush fabrics like faux fur or chenille. To evoke a sense of elegance and sophistication, opt for luxe textures like silk or velvet. Changes textures for different seasons as well. Lighter, breathable fabrics like linen or cotton are ideal for summer months, while heavier, warmer textures like wool or fleece add coziness during the colder seasons. This will also contribute to the overall mood for each season.
Touch test
Something unique that Home Fabrics is able to provide is high-quality digital images of certain fabrics like FibreGuard where the textural characteristic of the fabric is conveyed as easily as if you saw the fabric in person. We do understand, however, that for people who have access to a Home Fabrics showroom, they’d love to see and feel the fabric in person.
Visit our spaces where you can enjoy swatches or samples to assess the texture, colour, and quality under different lighting conditions. This allows you to make an informed decision and ensures that the selected textures complement your existing décor. We can also advise you on the right fabrics and textures for your design goals and, if you’re not a wholesale client, we can gladly connect you with a retail stockist.
It can be really fun to select and pair textured fabrics effectively to create a sensory-rich experience that enhances your interior décor and elevates the overall ambiance of your space. Create spaces that are inviting and comfortable while engaging the senses through the wonder of texture.
