Do at times you feel that something is missing from a room right after one glance? Despite of all the elements – furniture, colour, décor pieces; the aesthetics of the room falls flat. If you are often quizzed about the missing element, then we might be able to solve the mystery. All you need is ‘texture’. It is not an alien concept in interior décor; however texture is not always an obvious area of concern. You tend to be way more occupied with the colour scheme and furniture but, texture can add all the drama and more. Right textures can do wonders and bring all the elements together.
Having said that, picking the right texture and creating a balance is no child’s play. We speak to experts to get an insight into the multilayered concept of textures.
Quirky themes, contrasting colours, art, materials and metals – textures open up a whole new world in the décor space. But, to pick the right trends, you will need professional help. Interior design expert, Shantanu Garg and owner of Shantanu Garg Design in Jaipur is of the opinion that the year 2019 is all about layering, and textures can play a pivotal role visually on layer identification and beautification. He loves to add texture in the form of art, material play, contrast and colour. Shantanu further shares that contrast, art, monochrome, use of materials and metals are the trends to watch out for. Elaborating the same, he says, “Try to add a contrast colour using a contrasting textural property in a space. Use a high gloss lacquered paneling in a deep colour or dull pastel tone to elevate the space, add a contrasting material like stone cladding in coloured exotic marble to improve the tactility of the space.” Next, art of any form can add the right dose of visual appeal and bind all the elements together, if proportionately applied. He adds, “You can achieve patterns from art deco styles to traditional motifs thereby delivering contrast design intervention in an overall modern space to achieve visual balance.”
“Continuity and balance are the key factors in getting textures right in home décor.”
On the other hand, Mumbai-based architect and interior designer Jason Wadhwani says, “2019 has been and will continue to be a very extreme year for textures and finishes, ranging from extremely bold floral/tropical prints to a very monochromatic palette. French mouldings with a contemporary twist are making a resurgence once again. With regards to materials: touches of brass, stone and concrete finishes and wood are timeless and one can’t go wrong if used with restraint.”
Get the basics right
When adding texture to your home, it is crucial to not falter on the basics. Shantanu explains that proportion of texture is vital. Blind walls or free standing planes are the best mediums to apply the texture. Always check the end points of particular surface where texture is proposed to be applied; breaking your texture from other surfaces is very important. Avoid the application of overpowering texture on large surfaces. Selecting a surface primarily is the most important aspect of texture application. Jason opines that continuity and balance are the key factors in getting textures right in home décor. The whole concept of a feature wall with a bright colour or strong texture is very dated. Instead try and incorporate some continuity giving uniformity to the entire space and then bring in the boldness with your furniture pieces, soft furnishings, art on walls.
Pop of colour
Texture and colour play an important role in design. Explains Jason, “You can change the entire look of a wall by adding some relief and colour to it. For instance, a simple coloured wall can make a space look a certain way but then when you take that wall and add a wooden frame or a brass strip it gives the room a totally new look.” While Shantanu shares that not all the colours go on any texture. Every texture has a perfect colour or vice versa. He adds, “Avoid extremely undulated surfaces in darker tones. I like to achieve textures in materials like marble especially while achieving rough surface texture. Creating patterns in form of panelling, art application, upholstered surfaces are my favourites. While using bold colour, like red, try to infuse them via art or high gloss lacquer. While selecting a particular surface for texture application one should try to check its end points. It’s very important to disintegrate your texture from other surfaces.”
Contemporary chic vs traditional classy appeal
Are you torn between modern aesthetics and traditional timeless elements? We settle the score for once and for all. Shantanu loves to achieve design with visible contrast. He adds, “In a contemporary and modern space, I will add a hint of traditional or contrasting texture. Always try to achieve certain proportions that are free standing and well disintegrated from other surfaces in order to highlight your texture well in a space.” Create modern environment with elements of contrasting ideology. Jason personally loves contemporary chic textures. He adds, “Simple French molding, a contemporary wooden paneling, wallpaper with sleek framing, or a simple painted wall work wonders. With the exception of a few colours and prints, you can stick to monochromatic colour scheme.” A lot of contemporary wall treatments are a derivative of the traditional version. For example, wooden panelling has evolved and been modified over a number of years to become the simplified version it is now. The sky is the limit if you plan to add texture and witness the magic unfold.
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