Elements of Design - Texture

 Elements of Design - Texture
The next design element and one of my favorites besides color is texture.

Texture is the way a surface feels or is perceived to feel.  Texture can be added to attract or repel interest to an element depending on the pleasantness of the texture.

Types of Texture:
There are two main types of texture.

• Tactile Texture is the actual three dimensional surface that you can feel.  The photo above is one of the design projects I worked on that used a lot of types of texture.  The wall is a drywall tile that creates a three dimensional texture to a wall which created the look of frosting in this space.
• Visual Texture is the illusion that a surface has peaks and valleys.  Lots if images of nature and art appear they have a texture but it is smooth to the touch.  

Most textures have a natural feel but still have a repeat in some way.  The regularly repeating of a motif will result in a texture that appears as a pattern.

 The images in the blog post are from a project I worked on which used lots of different textures to create the sophisticated look and feel of the space.

The feature wall is a drywall tile that when installed creates a tactile texture of waves on the wall.  I also found a light fixture used at the bar that has the same waving tactile texture as the wall to tie the space together.

The kitchen wood is very smooth maple with a tight grain which is a contrast to the wavy texture of wall.  The final texture used in the kitchen is a small 1"x1" mosaic tile which adds texture and a hint of sparkle.

  The rest of the space is in a deep red and brown paint color with a hint of greenish tan.  The meeting space across from the kitchen has a large dining table which are two large pieces of rustic walnut which created the top which adds visual texture into the space. It is smooth so people can use it to eat on or meet at with their laptops but you can see the very textured wood grain in the table top.

The sofas are a nubby brown fabric to create a cozy feel.  The space is defined by a large semi-shear drapery that create a visual texture and creates privacy since the meeting space is next to a main traffic path.

The use of many types of texture together can really create a nice cozy and sophisticated feel.  This applies to interior design and fashion.

In fashion, mix a smooth pant with a more textured top and top it off with a necklace with depth and sparkle to take it up a notch. 

I do use my design elements and principles in my fashion choices and how I design my work projects, home and garden.  The are key things to learn when creating any type of design.

References:

1. Saw, James. "Design Notes" Palomar College.