Not confident with big bold colour choices? Reluctant to get busy with pattern?
Never fear you are not alone… and I have the answer....texture is likely just the friend you are looking for.
I love to punctuate my decorating schemes with beautiful colour – or at the very least with a splash of unexpected colour somewhere (like an artwork or lampshade) to elevate and enliven a room. However I do know that this is not everyone’s cup of tea… so if the thought of introducing bright colours and pattern into your home leaves you feeling cold – think about how you can use texture in your decorating arsenal to warm up your spaces.
Touch is literally the most sensual of the senses so use it to your advantage in creating a comfortable and inviting home. Be it underfoot with a beautiful rug or beneath your fingers with the feel of a velvet chair or even next to your skin as you curl up with a soft mohair throw on the sofa. Keep reading for sure-fire ways to bring added texture and comfort into your home.
Wood (worn by time or highly polished – or anything in between)
The natural beauty of wood with its grain, soft tones and beautiful patina comes into its own in bringing warmth into your home. Not only is it beautiful & durable there is something nice about its connection to nature and how it makes you feel in your home. Research has shown that the use of natural elements in our home (like wood & plants) produces similar physiological and psychological benefits to spending time in nature. With our fast paced lives (and increasingly online presence) the sense of connection with nature at home can only be a good thing.
When renovating there are a course a number of ways to bring in wood – through timber flooring - parquetry or plan, timber cabinetry, beautiful timber doors and even on feature walls.
Timber floors, dining chairs and table and feature timber pendants all add to the warmth of this room scheme by Adelaide Bragg.
Image Credit: www.adelaidebragg.com.au
Ceilings also offer an opportunity to play with texture in many ways too. If you have a boxy rooming lacking in character consider a tongue and groove wood plank system or exposed beams to create interest.
Image Credit: Top Left: www.homestolove.com.au
Image Credit: Top Right: studiomcgee.com
Image Credit: Bottom Left: Pinterest
Image Credit: Bottom Right: Pinterest
Of course there are a myriad of beautiful ways to bring the warmth into your home without the expense of renovating – think about adding timber shelves, wooden furniture or even framed artworks in timber.
Floating timber shelves atop a timber cabinet in a client design.
Image Credit: www.rickwardesignstudio.com.au
Sculptural Elements
In an understated space its important to consider the sculptural qualities of objects from accessories through furnishings. To keep the room feeling interesting and well curated think about introducing items with distinctly different shapes and finishes – ceramics, metals, timbers, shells and corals and consider the mix of organic vs man-made elements too.
Love the vast number of textures - organic and man made in this styling by Brie Hammel.
Image Credit: briehammelinteriors.com
Fabrics that scream touch me
Wool, tweeds, velvet and boucle just to name a few. There are so many beautiful fabrics out there that can be employed in your home – from a bedhead through to a window finishing and anything in between. There is nothing like a tactile fabric to bring a warmth and coziness to a space that’s sometimes hard to instill in a new construction. Fabrics have a lustre and softness to them that is just so inviting.
I love how this green velvet sofa is complemented by the colours in the painting & the plants.
Image Credit: www.cb2.com
Characterised by its nubby – almost fleecy appearance Boucle is an easy way to add texture and interest to a home. It’s having a major resurgence at the moment and even started to make an appearance on the high street as shown in these sofas by Adairs.
Image Credit: www.adairs.com.au
Textured Wallpapers
Textured Wallpapers are a simple, effective and stylish way to add texture to your room and create a subtle effect. The raw materials used to make a grass cloth wallcovering (think jute, sisal and reeds) are not prone to perfection and that is why they are so beautiful. Depending on the mix and finish grass cloth can be rough or shiny, colourful or neutral but never boring – on the contrary they scream “please touch me” – just remember they are not well suited to those with sticky fingers… so perhaps not in your kids zones!
Grasscloth in a natural colour way adds interest to this serene bedroom scheme.
Image Credit: www.sandrafoxinteriors.com
Decorating with plants
Indoor plants are an age old solution that have solved many decorating dilemmas – they have hidden many an unruly electric cord or filled an awkward empty space. But of course they also inject colour and with their myriad of styles, shapes and sizes and glossy leaves introduce a great textural element too (as do they vessels in which they are housed).
Image Credit: www.jeanstofferdesign.com
Tassels, Fringing, Pom Poms & Nailheads…
Look closely – even the smallest of tactile details can make a huge impact in a room – inviting you to touch and linger-longer. Nailhead trim embellishing a bed head or ottoman, fringing on table skirts and tassels and pom poms on curtains (and no pom poms are just not for kids as this beautiful example of soft furnishings from Romo fabrics demonstrates).
Image Credit: www.romo.com
And remember if your budget doesn’t stretch to custom – these decorative embellishments can be added to off the shelf solutions and no one need be none the wiser.
This decorative ribbon trim elevated these other white simple white roman blinds.
Image Credit: Rickward Design Studio
Need help with a decorating dilemma - let me know in the comments below.
Elisha x
This blog post forms part of our website services and is subject to our legal notices accessible at www.rickwardesignstudio.com.au