Text Tamsin Oxford, Images Dylan Olivier House of Gargoyle
Textures in 2018 are hot and happening, and trend-setters are using different materials and textures to transform the visual impact of a space and create moods and ambience.
“There has been an upswing in the textured, more natural fabric trend since last year,” says Milos Popovic, sales manager at Sevens Designs in Fourways. “We have opted into a very elegant and minimalist direction for our fabrics as they go hand in hand with our furniture styles. And we are seeing decorators choosing more textures in the fabrics they supply for our local products.”
It seems that designers and home owners are getting a lot more confident when it comes to texture and tactile sensations, especially in South Africa. Dylan Olivier from House of Gargoyle believes that everyone is gearing up to create something extraordinary through the use of vastly different and exciting materials.
“Textures have been somewhat stagnating, but now there is this global awareness around the need to intensify textures,” he explains. “We can see this in all aspects of design. Grey is the new black so we can expect to see bold and interesting takes on textures with the use of black or liquorice to create stunningly moody interiors.”
The most popular textures and materials at the moment include cork, felt, stone, silk, leather and deep wood grains. These are set to be combined in numerous inventive ways, from furniture to flooring to walls. With felt there are likely to be more organic interpretations while with stone there have been gorgeous cladding ranges emerging that are for use both inside and outside the home.
“Don’t be afraid to push the boundaries, think out the box and do something creative,” says Olivier. “Life is too short to live with just being beige.”
Need some more guidance? Our experts provide some top tips to texture success:
1. Throw out the rule book. There’s no need to be tied down to stuffy style guides anymore. Just allow yourself to explore different textures and ideas until you find the combination that suits you and your home.
2. Metallics became steadily popular throughout 2017, but now their use is simpler, subtler, hinting at sparkle without overwhelming.
3. Concrete walls on the interior are also a superb investment as they can completely redefine the look of a room with different finishes and textures.
4. The woody textures you want are sun-bleached or dark. The contrasts of “kissed by nature” versus “stained and rich” are stunning additions to the home.
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