You know how much I love banging on about colour and pattern, but this week I want to shine a light on something that doesn't always get the attention it deserves. Texture! It's one of those magical ingridients that can take a room from looking perfectly lovely to feeling absolutely drop dead gorgeous. And if you're someone who loves textiles, handmade objects and the decorative arts, I suspect you're already rather obsessed with it, weather you've realised it or not. Texture is what makes you want to reach out and touch things, like sinking into a feather-filled velvet chair, running your hand across a beautiful wooden tabletop or the comfort of holding a wobbly hand-thrown mug. For me, it's one of the unsung heroes of maximalist design, because while colour and pattern bring all of the excitement, it's texture that gives a room depth, richness and that all important soul.
The Design Insight: It's All About Contrast
Now here's one of my favourite designer tricks. Texture really comes alive when you put contrasting materials together. Think about a slab of beautifully polished marble sitting against a piece of rough, weathered wood, or a deliciously silky velvet cushion on a slubby linen sofa slubby. Each makes the other sing. A shiny lacquered table topped with a wonky handmade ceramic vase on top or a sparkling glass chandelier hanging above a rustic farmhouse table just has a glorious tension about it and I love mixing something highly polished with something a little rough around the edges.
The trick is not to make everything match and to in fact do quite the opposite. If every surface is smooth and shiny, a room can start to feel cold and one-dimensional. Equally, if everything is rustic, rough and matte, it can feel rather flat and boring. But bring the two together and suddenly you've got tension, interest and a lovely sense of balance. This is particularly important in a maximalist scheme, where there is already plenty going on visually. Texture adds another layer of interest without necessarily introducing another colour or pattern. And don't forget, texture changes how things catch the light too. For example, while silk shimmers, velvet absorbs light and rough linen diffuses it beautifully.
How I'd Use It: A Little Imperfection Is A Wonderful Thing
Something else I'm always drawn to is the beauty of things that have been made by hand. I recently came across the Heimtextil Trends 26/27 forecast, which has the rather wonderful title Craft is a Verb. It explores the relationship between traditional craftsmanship and emerging technologies, including AI, and got me thinking about how much we value things that reveal the human hand, especially in a world where so much is mass-produced and increasingly digitally created.
Think about the objects you treasure in your own home. Perhaps it's a slightly wonky handmade ceramic bowl, a piece of embroidered fabric, an old wooden cabinet with a few knocks and scratches, or a beautifully worn rug that's seen generations of family footsteps. I adore the things that show the passage of time and are imbued with memories, and I really don't want every object in my home to look pristine, perfect and straight off the production line. If I’m honest, I often find perfection rather boring! Give me the uneven glaze, a hand stitch, roughly hewn timber and the beautiful patina of something that's been loved and used. These irregularities are what give objects character, and when you bring them into a scheme alongside clean contemporary furniture, confident colour and fabulous pattern, the result can be so much more interesting than a room where everything is brand spanking new.
Natural Texture is on Trend
In terms of design trends, we're also seeing a renewed appreciation for natural materials that reveal their own beautiful characteristics. Wood with its knots and grain proudly on show, stone with dramatic veins running through it, woven textiles where you can actually see the structure of the yarn. I find this fascinating because it speaks to our desire for things that feel real, tangible and authentically natural. And while there's plenty of exciting innovation happening with materials, I'm just as interested in the old ways of doing things and after the recent trend reports and London Design festival, it appears I’m not alone. The love of natural texrures also holds hands with sustainability. A beautifully crafted piece of furniture can last a lifetime, an antique can be passed down through generations, and a vintage handmade textile can be reimagined as something fabulous. After all, one of the most sustainable things we can do is love what we already own.
Your Decorating Takeaway: Look Beyond Colour
Here's a little exercise I'd love you to try this week. Choose a room in your home and, just for a moment, forget about the colour scheme. Instead, look at all the different surfaces and materials. What's smooth? What's rough? What's soft and tactile? What's hard, shiny, matte or beautifully weathered? And most importantly, where are the contrasts?
Perhaps you've got a lovely velvet sofa, but everything around it is rather soft and upholstered. Could you introduce a sculptural wooden side table, a ceramic lamp or a fabulous metallic tray? Or maybe your room has lots of hard surfaces, such as wooden flooring, stone worktops and painted cabinetry. This is where a thick wool rug, some slubby linen curtains or a deliciously soft upholstered chair could make all the difference. You might find that your room doesn't need another colour or pattern at all. It just needs a new texture to bring the whole scheme to life. And please don't think this means rushing out and buying something new. Have a rummage around your home first. Sometimes the most exciting decorating discoveries are already sitting under our noses.
Over to you, Colour Collective!
I'd love to know if you're a fellow texture obsessive. What's the most wonderfully tactile thing you own? Perhaps it's an antique with a gorgeous patina, a piece of fabric you can't stop stroking or something hand made that you've picked up on your travels. Tell us about it in the comments, and even better, share a picture! I think we could all find some wonderful inspiration in each other's treasures.
Next week, I'm going to bring all these ideas together and explore the trend that's closest to my heart: creating a home that feels completely, gloriously YOU.
Until next week,
Sophie x
A Little Further Inspiration
Heimtextil Trends 26/27: Craft is a Verb
A fascinating look at craftsmanship, technology and the beauty of imperfection.
London Design Festival- Beyond Human:
A wonderful source of inspiration for materials, craftsmanship and innovative approaches to making.
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