The Role of Textures in Residential Interior Design
What’s the point of texture in residential interior design? And why bother adding it to your space? Girlfriend, we’ve got all your questions answered. Read more to find out.
What’s that? You need to add texture to residential interior design? Yep, that’s right, texture is your new bestie. Your ultimate sidekick to elevating residential interior design. Here at ASR Design Studio, we’re all about styling until our heart's content and layering those beautiful fabrics and textures. Texture should be considered no matter what room or section in your home you’re styling.
We’re obsessed with texture and are here to tell you exactly why. Have you ever walked into a room, and it feels flat? Like it’s giving you nothing? Yeah, sure, it’s pretty, but nothing jumps out at you. It’s just ‘meh’. We certainly have, and we can tell you for certain that it’s missing texture.
What Are The Types Of Textures?
Let’s first start with the types of textures. And more importantly, why you need to have a balance of both types when it comes to residential interior design.
Tactile Texture
First up is tactile texture. These kinds of textures are materials and objects that have a surface that’s practically anything other than smooth. Think of materials like hammered metal or a big chunky knit blanket. Anything that looks like it would feel good to touch. When we talk about tactile texture, it’s all about three-dimensional texture.
Visual Texture
The other kind of texture is visual texture. This is all about the texture that you can see but not necessarily touch. It’s more so about the texture that is created through pattern or matte or shiny materials. While visual texture doesn’t have that same tactile feeling, adding visual texture overall to a room or space is a great way to prevent it from falling flat.
Why Do You Need Texture In Residential Interior Design?
Now we’ve established what kinds of textures there are, let’s talk about why they’re important in interior design. We have to understand why. In interior design, when you understand why you’re adding material or texture to a space, it makes it a lot more purposeful. If not, you’ll end up doing the opposite. Throwing something in a room and seeing what sticks. When you’re purposeful with where you place and add texture, you’ll see your residential interior design come to life.
Adds Space And Dimension
We’re talking about all things space and dimension. As we’ve mentioned, to avoid that ‘flat’ look and feel, you have to add texture. It creates depth by giving the eye a perspective to look at other than a flat wall. For example, let’s take a piece of textured wall art like this brass wall hanging set. When these babies are up, they instantly give the eye something interesting to look at, rather than a plain white wall.
Generate Interest
Ok, now we’re all about being practical and pretty. It’s quite literally our motto and what our designs always come back to. And, of course, when we add texture, it is practical and pretty and creates interest in a space. Texture is all about creating something that’s interesting and fun to look at. So we’re totally giving you free reign to go crazy with your creative freedom.
And seriously, who wants to be in a space that’s boring and plain? That’s a no from us!
Create Warmth
We covered warm and cool tones when discussing mixing metals in your home. If you haven’t given it a read, basically you can create warmth by using warmer tones of materials. Pretty cool, right?! Well, here’s what’s even cooler: you can create warmth with texture. Literally and physically. Creating warmth with texture can be done with a throw blanket or funky textured pillows. We promise your options are endless!
How Can You Add Texture To Residential Interior Design?
Now we’re really getting into it. How you add texture to residential interior design can be done in an endless amount of ways! And because there are way too many for us to count, we’ve put together our top six tips to help add all of that luxurious texture to any room in your home!
Use Natural Textures
If you haven’t heard, the word on the street is that modern organic is the newest interior design trend of 2023, and when you’re looking at all of the popular interior design trends, it’s the one that is filled with the most amount of texture.
Modern organic does the perfect job of bringing those stunning earthy tones that mix in with natural materials. If you want to add tactile and visual texture, here are a few materials that you should absolutely include!
Brick
Clay
Stone
Wood
Wool
Create A Lived-In Vibe
If you’re a fan of thrifting or vintage shopping, then you’re already on the right track. Choosing to use weathered pieces of furniture rather than buying something brand new is your way of saving ‘Hello texture!’ Utilizing that ‘lived-in’ kind of vibe, where furniture looks like it’s been used and loved, builds texture and adds depth and dimension.
Add Textures To Your Walls
Okay, so remember how we said you should add some wall art to avoid the plain white wall? Well, we’re here with some sneaky insider secrets of how you can bring in more texture, but on a whole other level. Two words. Textured. Paint. We get excited just talking about it! Texturing your walls is something that can make any space in your home feel warm and weathered in the best possible way. And not to mention expressive! But our hot little tip is to add texture to your wall DIY style. Oh yes, it can be done. It might be a weekend project, but you can create texture with limewash or even a product like Surecrete Wallspray.
Mixing Different Fabrics
Hello, mix and match, we’re happy to see you! Mixing all of your different fabrics is a one-way trip to texture town! Embracing the mismatched type of style will lend your space to having tactile and visual texture.
When styling and putting together a room, you want to bring in different materials from anywhere and everywhere. Bring in wool from some throw pillows and then use a cotton throw blanket and complement these with some linen curtains. The real tip here is not to be afraid of what you can and can’t mix.
Work In Layers
Ok, just like when creating ultimate bathroom lighting, you want to work in layers when trying to create texture. The easiest way to visualize all of your layers is by starting from scratch. A blank canvas, if you will. Then add in the star of the show, the texture-filled piece of furniture that you fell in love with. And slowly, you can add in a throw to snuggle up in, a lived-in corner armchair and voila! You’ll have a texture-filled room in no time.
Insider Tip!
When you’re playing around with layers and trying to find what works best, play around with your styling pieces. Add in a blanket or two and then take one away, and then try another combo. It’s all about testing and trialing a few options to see what works best for your home.
Lighting
Now, while it may not be the first thing that comes to mind when we talk about texture, lighting is the secret to emphasizing depth. Lighting will highlight the tactile texture in a room and also shine a light (quite literally) on visual texture. With its ability to create shadows and spotlights, it adds that needed depth to a room. If you think your current space is lacking a little something, try adding a pendant light.
Accessorize And Decorate
Style. Style. Style. This is the best part when putting a project together. It’s the final touch, those small pieces that can totally transform the space. Accessorizing your space with textured pieces like wooden bowls, pinch bowls and even the cutest wooden links you’ve ever seen will add so much texture like you wouldn’t believe!
Where To Next?
The real question is, did you count how many times we said texture?! What can we say? We love what it adds to any space, and we know how much it can take a space from dull and lifeless to one that is full of personality.
If you’re on the hunt for all of our other brilliant info, then check out our other blog posts. We write about anything and everything to do with interior design and trends and give you all of the insider tips and tricks! But if you don’t feel like giving it a go yourself, then get in touch with us for a design therapy sesh. That’s right, we’re here to make your life easier and do all the hard stuff for you. So what are you waiting for? The house of your dreams is only a call away!
