As the autumn days shorten, thoughts turn to drawing the curtains, shutting out the chill, and creating cocooning spaces in which to ‘hibernate’ for the months ahead. Enter texture-maxxing – a term coined for the act of prioritising comfort and tactility in our homes through cosy materials that envelop us and inspire relaxation.
But texture-maxxing (put simply, decorating with texture) isn't a passing trend, or the simple act of adding additional layers of softness when the season demands it. It's about making texture integral to a room as a whole, by bringing in natural materials, creating tension with contrasting surfaces, and sticking to a cohesive palette. We spoke to designers for their take on the term, and for advice on how you can tap into this comforting aesthetic at home, particularly during this most hygge time of year.
Add considered layers
The way we live and spend time in our homes changes dramatically across the course of a year, so it follows that the things we surround ourselves with should adapt with our seasonal sensibilities, too. ‘As we move into the colder months, there is something particularly appealing about surrounding yourself with tactile materials and layers that add softness and visual weight to a room,’ shares textile artist and interior stylist Jessica Osborne. ‘A large rug underfoot, soft linen cushions, woven fabrics and more tactile finishes can instantly make a room feel cosier and more welcoming.’
Interior designer Laura Stephens agrees: ‘I love bringing in heavier fabrics, woollen throws, deep-pile rugs and velvet cushions as the weather gets colder, and combining these with warmer colours and softer lighting. It makes a room feel layered and comforting, almost as though you can physically feel the warmth of it.’
But before you get carried away and start filling your virtual basket with bouclé cushions and faux fur throws, consider this advice from Murude Katipoglu, founder and creative director of interior design studio Murudé: ‘Texture-maxxing is less about adding as many different textures as possible and more about creating depth through considered layering.’ This could be through mixing different materials, not just layering soft textures on top of your existing decor. ‘An antique timber table, a handwoven textile or a piece of stone with natural variation add an element of lived-in imperfection, bringing another layer of texture to a space,’ says Murude.
Laura adds: ‘[Texture-maxxing] is less about following a strict formula and more about creating a room that feels collected, warm and inviting,’ weighs in Laura.
Start with the larger elements
Contrary to what you might think, the designers agree that the most effective way to approach texture-maxxing is to start with the larger, more permanent elements of the room. Interior designer Rachel Gowdridge explains: ‘I wouldn’t just pile on cushions and throws. I’d look at the whole room – a timber table with plenty of age to it, a stone surface, a woven lampshade, even a piece of pottery can bring in texture.’
Jessica likes to work from the ground up. ‘I often start with the floor, as a rug can set the foundation for the whole room,’ she says. ‘One of my favourite ways to add instant warmth is with a large, simple flatweave or jute rug, which gives you that first layer of texture without competing with everything else. From there, I like to build upwards, introducing different materials through upholstery, curtains, cushions and throws.’
Stick to a calm colour palette
One way to ensure that texture takes centre stage is to keep the colour palette calm and neutral. Jessica explains: ‘The key to making lots of texture feel considered rather than chaotic is to have some consistency elsewhere. A cohesive colour palette gives you much more freedom to mix different materials and more contrasting textures without the room feeling overwhelming.’
Interior designer and co-founder of Hutley & Humm, Melissa Hutley, agrees: ‘Texture works particularly well in rooms that are more neutral, as it prevents them from feeling flat and gives the eye lots of detail to discover.’ But neutral doesn't need to mean bland or boring, and you can lean into warmer tones, especially at this time of year. Murude expands: ‘I'm drawn to tonal schemes, For autumn and winter, I love earthy, sun-washed colours such as warm taupes, sandy neutrals, deep olive greens, ochres and rusts. These colours have a natural warmth without feeling overly seasonal, so they can remain relevant throughout the year.’
Sticking to a cohesive yet relatively quiet palette will allow the textures to do the heavy lifting. Even if separate elements of the room feel subtle in isolation – washed linen, a chunky rug, timber floorboards – together they bring layers of warmth and comfort. Melissa adds: ‘[Texture-maxxing] is about creating a richness that you can see and feel, rather than relying solely on colour or pattern to bring a room to life.’
Look to natural materials
You can't replicate the impact of natural materials – whether that's a slubby linen upholstered sofa, a knitted wool throw or rustic timber beams – it simply encourages the act of touch and enhances our connection to nature, which is innately comforting and relaxing. ‘Natural materials are particularly effective because they tend to sit comfortably alongside one another,’ explains Melissa. ‘Timber, stone, linen, wool and aged metals all have their own character, and layering those tactile materials and finishes gives a room greater depth and interest.’
Natural materials are also fairly immune to changing trends, and, rather than looking tired over time as newer materials can, they come into their own after a long period, growing richer in tone and texture, as if they becoming embedded into the fabric of the home. Bee Obsborn, interior designer and author of The Organic Home (Frances Lincoln) says: ‘Natural materials are particularly important to me because they age so beautifully. Linen becomes softer, timber develops a patina and stone improves with time. I would always rather have something slightly imperfect and tactile than something that feels too pristine or manufactured.’
Contrast is key
Although the instinct may be to take a ‘more is more’ approach to texture, it is important to remember a little restraint. ‘If everything is soft and nubbly, it can all become a bit much,’ Rachel explains. One way to avoid this is to create contrast with something smooth, glossy, or even metallic, she suggests. ‘[We've used] quite beaten-up timber alongside heavily veined marble; soft linen and wool against leather and glazed tiles. It's the difference between those surfaces that makes you notice them.’
Providing some contrast both gives the eye somewhere to rest, bringing a little visual relief, and gives the individual elements of a room the chance to shine. ‘If everything has the same finish, a room can feel rather flat. It’s the contrast between rough and smooth, matt and lustrous, old and new that makes a room interesting,’ explains Bee.
A lacquer tray on a rustic wooden console table; velvet cushions on a linen sofa; a smooth painted wall with a deep woollen rug – they will all bring points of contrast and add visual punctuation to your scheme.
.jpeg)
Maintain a sense of balance
While contrast can be one way to create ‘space’ when you are trying texture-maxxing, it's also important not to use too many different textures together, as this can feel busy or overwhelming – which is the opposite to what you are trying to achieve. ‘My main rule would be to keep a sense of balance,’ says Laura. ‘You don't need to have a different texture everywhere; in fact, repeating a fabric or material in a few places helps the room feel cohesive.’ Melissa agrees that this helps the textures to feel connected, rather than being in competition with one another.
Murude explains: ‘I like to start with a fairly restrained base of natural materials – timber, stone, plaster or limewash, and then introduce softer elements through linen, wool, bouclé, velvet or even a soft mohair. I always like to balance more expressive materials with quieter surfaces, which gives the eye somewhere to rest.’
Sticking to a few key materials and creating balance through repetition will ensure that your interiors feel considered and styled, rather than a thrown-together jumble of different textures. Giving each tactile element space to exist is essential. ‘A simple linen curtain or an undecorated wall can be just as important as the more tactile elements because it gives everything else space to breathe,’ Bee explains.
If you're feeling the pull of comforting materials at this time of year, it might be the perfect time to give texture-maxxing a try. Bee puts this perfectly: ‘Ultimately, texture is about how a home makes you feel. In autumn and winter especially, I want interiors to feel warm, relaxed and wonderfully inviting, somewhere you want to curl up, shut the door on the outside world and stay for a while.’
