Styling6 min read
How to layer texture in a living room without adding clutter
A room can be calm and still feel rich. The trick is to vary the surfaces, not the number of things.
By Nandini Rao, Head of Styling
When a room feels flat, the instinct is to buy more things. More often, what it needs is more contrast between the surfaces already there: something rough beside something smooth, matte beside glazed, woven beside solid.
Start with the largest surfaces
The floor, the sofa and the walls set the tone. A wool rug with a visible knot, a linen slipcover and a limewashed wall already give you three textures before a single object goes on a shelf.
- One natural fibre underfoot: wool, jute or cotton
- One soft fabric on the sofa: linen, bouclé or velvet
- One hard, reflective surface: glazed ceramic, glass or brass
Then edit the small things
On a coffee table, three objects are usually enough: something tall, something low, and something you can pick up. A stack of books, a bowl and a single bud vase will do more than a crowded tray.
If everything is textured, nothing is. Leave some surfaces plain so the others can speak.
