Many current design plans feature muted color palettes, combining soft neutral tones. These warm beiges and grays lend spaces a sense of tranquility yet can sometimes seem monotonous. In order to infuse a neutrally colored room with visual impact and personality without adding color, introduce interesting textures to your room. Textures give designs added dimension while appealing to both one’s tactile and visual senses.

There are a variety of ways to incorporate texture into your decor. Texture can be added on the floor with a rug such as a sisal or jute area rug. These rugs are made from plant fibers and have a natural weave. Solid-color rugs with herringbone, chevron, or other patterns in the weave will also add depth to a monochromatic, neutral scheme. Combining fibers like silk and wool in the same rug will also have a visual impact as the sheen from the silk will contrast nicely with the wool threads.

Fabrics are another great way to introduce texture to your design. There is a large variety of leather and vinyl fabrics embossed with prints such as ostrich, crocodile, snakeskin, and even paisley. Tone-on-tone fabrics are available in a variety of stripes, prints, and damasks. There is also layered velvet, boiled wool, or faux fur. Be cautious when pairing fabrics though. Try to combine a subtle, small-scale texture with a wider weave and avoid pairing equally heavy fabrics.

Add complexity to your walls using a wall covering made of natural materials, such as grass cloth, raffia, and hemp. Some paper weaves have metallic backdrops or threads to add subtle shimmer. In the accompanying picture, the wall is covered with a linen weave paper on a silver backdrop.

Furniture with interesting wood grains or architectural details is another way to add dimension to your design. The texture of the wicker stools pictured turn an ordinary piece into one that draws the eye and asks to be touched.

Texture can be used in a variety of ways to enhance your decor by introducing accent surfaces and patterns in lieu of color. As with all things, though, texture should be used in moderation.

By Ora Penn