So you’re redesigning your kitchen. You have thought about which style you like, what colour units you want and which appliances will make the room perfect, but have you thought about how to add texture? This is an area that is often overlooked, but it is as important as colour in helping to add another dimension to your kitchen.
Textures enrich a room giving it different points of interest and a feeling of warmth. They can give the illusion of a bigger, brighter room, although if not balanced carefully, texture can make a room seem smaller and darker. So it is worth considering which materials will work best to create the effect you want to achieve.
Ways to add texture
If you are designing your kitchen from scratch there are many different ways you can incorporate texture. As an example, with flooring you could use natural materials like engineered wood or stone, both of these are aesthetically pleasing and can help enhance a neutral or colour block kitchen. Do note though, if you choose stone you may want to consider underfloor heating as it can be cold underfoot. However, you could also use high quality laminate flooring to create the same effect, this is a less expensive option, yet still works really well. Things have moved on a long way since the old days of Lino.
Granite, wood or stone worktops are probably one of the best ways to use texture on a large scale. Consider opting for a backsplash crafted from natural stone or patterned tiles, or even in a strong colour. Exposed brickwork on a single wall is a popular trend at the moment too, it can either invoke a rustic charm or a modern industrial look. If it’s not possible to do this in your home, you can still achieve the same effect with some good quality brick wallpaper or drywall.
There are also many ways to add texture to your kitchen if you aren’t currently redesigning the whole room. Close up photos of natural materials, such as pebbles on a beach, create the illusion of texture by drawing your eyes away from a plain wall. Alternatively, wooden chopping boards are both practical and in some cases can have beautifully distinct grains. Use shelving on a wall or at the end of an island unit to add texture, this being achieved by the material they are made from and as a place to display plants, cookbooks and stone or glass vases. Leather dining room chairs and mismatched cushions are relatively inexpensive ways to add some colour and depth to your room as well.
Contrary to popular belief texture can also be created using sleek finishes, especially for a more contemporary look. Chrome or brushed steel give a chic clean finish while copper can bring an earthy tone to your kitchen. Texture in your kitchen is the icing on the cake.