Big Feels—Texture is Trending Again
Originally published at Thespruce.com
Texture has always been present in home design, but recently it took center stage with bold patterns and materials in unexpected places. Its renewed popularity could be attributed to the changing of seasons, nostalgia for shag carpets and simpler times, or maybe we just want to (literally) feel something again after two long years of being relegated to our homes. Whatever the reason, texture is back and here to stay.
“With the presence of social media and pro designers’ work easily at our fingertips[,] we can see how texture has evolved from smaller scale items like pillows and accessories to larger applications like furniture and even wall treatments,” says Decorist designer Ashley Mecham. “[It’s] a great way to invite interest in the space.”
Finding Inspiration on Social Media
As Mecham observes, social media is a hotbed of design inspiration, and some of the biggest names have texture peppered all over their Instagrams. Take Salt Lake City-based design firm Studio McGee: the designer’s Instagram page features images of beautiful cane and boucle chairs, fringe and tassel throw pillows, and woven baskets. In one post, co-founder Shea McGee writes that “soft linens, textural decor, and grounding furniture pieces” are staples for the studio’s summer design shoot. Joanna Gaines, co-founder of Magnolia Home, also loves to play with texture—throughout her Instagram feed, you’ll find textured walls, rugs, furniture, and more.
“Seeing texture used on our feeds gives us awe-inspiring ideas that we can translate to our own spaces,” says Mecham. Sometimes designers will even “bring an element to their space [you] may not have thought to use otherwise,” she adds. For instance, when a designer layers multiple textures, it forces your eye to travel around the space rather than being drawn to one thing or simply falling flat. Just make sure you don’t overdo it—“too many pieces can feel overwhelming and compete for your attention,” she says. The key to this is balancing texture with neutrals and smooth clean lines to allow your eyes to rest.
Wall-to-Wall Texture
Mecham observes that the main areas seeing recent attention from this trend are walls, large furniture, and small decor pieces. When it comes to wall treatments, she notes the main ways texture is being utilized is in construction like decorative molding and shiplap, or decorative wallpaper and painted designs. With more people staying at home during the workday in recent years, loud wallpaper and wood accent walls have been especially popular, and novice designers around the world are enhancing small spaces with these creative wall designs. On her TikTok page, interior design and home decor guru Liz Lovery shows more than 900k fans how to create a vibrant accent wall using wood slats. Some of her ideas utilize unique placements, such as alternating the directions of stick-on wood panels to create additional texture in the space.
How to Incorporate Texture in Your Own Home
According to Mecham, there are thousands of ways to incorporate texture into a space—both large and small. Some of her favorites include tufted sofas, caned beds, fluted sideboards, and boucle chairs, along with smaller decor pieces (think: vases, candlesticks, table lamps, and tableware).
Entryway: As the entrance to your home, an entryway sets the tone for what’s to come. When looking to create a beautiful first impression, texture can be a good way to catch the eye. A woven or tasseled rug can draw your gaze and guide it through the space, letting you appreciate every detail. Other ideas include large statement mirrors with beveled edges, textured frames, or smaller items like vases or figurines you can place on an entry table.
Living Room: The living room has a little more space to work with, and that’s where textured furniture comes into play. Cane or rattan chairs always add intrigue and sophistication to a space, while textured pillows, throws, and rugs can create depth. Adding natural elements like plants will just elevate the design further.
Kitchen: As the heart of the home, the kitchen can be more limited when it comes to opportunities for texture since there’s so much movement. However, you can opt for subtle forms like stone wall tiles and layered backsplash, butcher block or concrete countertops, geometric light fixtures, bamboo window treatments, and other areas that won’t necessarily take up (much-needed) counter space.
Bedroom: When it comes to the bedroom, the main zones you’ll want to start with are the bed and the walls. Wallpaper is a given, but if you want to add even more dimension, combine different sized frames and artwork to create a gallery wall. Fuzzy pillows like boucle pillows or blankets with fringe can also add texture to your bed.
Bathroom: Bathrooms might be one of the smaller rooms in your home, but that doesn’t mean you have to be small with your design. Bold wallpaper, light fixtures, bath mats, and shower curtains can all incorporate elements of texture in a bathroom. If you have any shelving in your bathroom, a few woven baskets can also be used to hide clutter and add some interest to the room.
For more texture ideas, here are some of our favorite items that highlight this trend.
Parachute Boucle Sphere Pillow Cover
Boucle is a fabric that’s saturating the design world, and beloved home brand Parachute is taking full advantage with an entire line of boucle throw pillows. With one round, one sphere, one square, and one bolster pillow cover option, these boucle pieces will add a little texture to any space. The line was inspired by modern sculptures, and the stone color emphasizes that, adding further dimension to the soft yarn fabric. For added depth, try layering the pillows together, either with more boucle pieces or other textured throw pillows. The material is also machine washable, making these a low-maintenance addition to your home.
Ophelia & Co. Verano 25.5'' Wide Armchair
A cane chair is a classic way to add a little texture to a living space, and this showstopper from Wayfair is effortlessly sophisticated and chic. Boasting a French country influence, it features a distressed light wood grain, beige upholstery, and intricate details that catch the eye from all angles. We also love that it’s built with rubberwood, a highly durable and eco-friendly material. This accent chair would be right at home in a sunroom, porch, or traditional living room.
Pottery Barn Sunny Handwoven Basket Wall Art
Art provides ample opportunities to add dimension and intrigue to a room. One popular trend that’s making an entrance in the art world is using woven baskets as wall hangings, like these baskets from Pottery Barn. These particular pieces don a classic wicker look with black dyed designs around the edges for added interest. The baskets are made of banana bark, metal, and cotton, and can be purchased individually or as a set of two or three. The shape and size of this particular art installation would work best as a focal point over a couch, desk, or bed.
Ivy Bronx Maselek 16 Piece Assorted Glassware Set
A subtle way to feature texture is through unusual glassware like this Wayfair set. Designed to mimic the shape of water, these drink glasses offer a unique and fluid appearance sure to dazzle compared to the standard cylinder shape. This set of 16 includes eight tall and eight short glasses, so you can mix and match depending on your beverage of choice. It’s a simple switch, but when textured glassware is included in your tablescape, it really adds a level of depth to the overall design. As an added bonus, these glasses are dishwasher safe, so you can use them again and again without much cleanup.
Tempaper Genevieve Gorder Denim Blue Feather Flock Removable Peel and Stick Wallpaper
When your furniture and decorations are on the muted side, having a visually textured wall can really shake up a space. Great for renters and homeowners alike, Tempaper offers vibrant peel and stick wallpaper that makes a room bolder without risking damage to your wall. It’s perfect for novice DIYers because you can reposition and remove it as many times as you need. Plus, this self-adhering paper isn’t susceptible to steam, so it’ll be equally as effective in your bathroom or kitchen as it will be in a bedroom or living space. With lively prints like Feather Flock, Tropical, and Scout, this wallpaper is a perfect way to add some visual texture to your home.
