Interior designers are always talking about how beneficial adding texture to your home decor can be. You may think: "Ok, that's great, but what is texture in an interior design sense?"

Texture refers to the use of: furniture, textiles, objects, and finishes in a variety of materials that cohesively play well with each other in order to add visual interest, weight and depth to a space. A room without enough texture is like a meal lacking salt. This can make the room appear bland, boring, uninviting, or unfinished. Adding texture can make a room feel more visually appealing, welcoming, and enjoyable.

Not everyone is a homeowner, so I have included ideas for adding texture for those who have more freedom for big projects and a few ideas for those who have to keep it simple enough to get their deposit back.

Here are a few ways I like to add Texture to a home:

1. Architectural Elements

2. Furniture

3. Styling Items

4. Textiles

A few things to keep in mind, depending on the look you are trying to achieve:

Architectural Elements

• Beamed ceilings

• Crown molding

• Wall Paper

Surely, these ideas are not for the average renter, but if you are fortunate enough to own a home or your Landlord is flexible, these are great ideas for giving a space a texturized face-lift! Adding architectural elements to a room, such as the above can serve more than one purpose. These elements can give your space a more expensive feel as well as add visual depth.

Note for renters: There are many options for removable wall paper nowadays. This could be a great temporary option that won't diminish your deposit.

Furniture:

• Mixed dining room chairs

• Side Tables

• Coffee tables

• Chests – rich wood

Purchasing accent furniture or swapping out old for new is a very renter and budget friendly way to add texture to a space. I like to mix and match. For example: if you have a rustic farmhouse dining table, I would place fabric chairs with modern lines to make the room look interesting. If you have a clean modern styled coffee table, I would go with a more traditional styled couch (tufting, claw feet, velvet (ooh la la)) and, if the space needs a pop of color, go for a colored couch for an accent/statement piece!

Styling Items:

• Plants – Leafy trees vs. succulents

• Old Books on shelves

• Mixing metal décor items with vignettes

Textiles:

• Curtains

• Throws

• Area Rugs

Mixing and matching patterns, and textures of fabric through your home is a subtle and simple way to instantly transform a space. I really enjoy stacking more than one rug on top of the other. For example: find a low pile rug with a simple pattern and color scheme and place a shaggy smaller rug on top of it, this gives an instant visual depth to a space. Not to mention rugs make a home feel cozy!