Falling for Texture

Just as in fashion, luxe layers add style, warmth and drama to home interiors.

Fendi; photograph courtesy of the designer 

Interior Design by Susanne Csongor, SLC Interiors, Inc.; photograph by Durston Saylor

Every autumn, lovers of fashion look forward to donning natty tweeds, supple leathers, cozy knits, striking silks, luxurious furs and skins—and to pairing and layering them on. Material always matters in the fall collections of premier fashion houses, but this season designers are having even more fun with magnificently tactile textiles.

Gucci; photograph courtesy of the designer

Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams fall 2014 collection, including Kira cocktail ottoman in Tibetan wool; photograph courtesy Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams

Interior designers and elite home furnishings stores are following suit and incorporating plush velvets, silks, leathers and wovens into their design palettes. The effect is rich and interesting, and as pleasing to the eye as it is comfortable. The interplay of various textures—shimmering silks, deeply piled rugs, velvety upholstery, animal hides and leather—can take on looks that vary considerably depending on the treatment. 

Chanel; photograph courtesy of the designer

In couture, Chanel has long epitomized the modern classic. This comely tweed suit is emblematic of the impeccable tailoring and texture for which the house of style is known. And, just as with home design, the contrast against the shine of the double-breasted satin blouse, shock of the black tie, as well as unexpected leather detailing carry this look to the next level. You might say that Carter & Company’s cream and chocolate study in modern neoclassicism achieves a similar effect, thanks to the firm’s thoughtful selection of materials and form. The upright studded leather desk chair is a brilliant answer to the reclining twin chaises, while the drapes and chandelier in its fabric sheath soften any hard lines and symmetry. 

Carter & Company; photograph by Eric Roth

Michael Cebula of Cebula Design maintains that texture affords “visual interest” as well as “a sense of luxury and opulence” in interior design. Case in point? For a living room project in Florida, Cebula selected complementary silk curtains and velvet upholstery on the sofa to create a traditional, genteel space in keeping with the sunny clime.

Interior by Cebula Design; photograph by Leo McKillop

Ralph Lauren; photograph courtesy of the designer

Luxury needn’t be relegated to the living room or public spaces of the home, however. As versatile as it is glam, cashmere graced the catwalks of virtually every upscale designer this season, appearing in sweaters, coats and capes and in skirts, dresses and trousers, as well. Michael Carter, principal of Carter & Company, would contend that cashmere is just as stunning in the home, and not just as a throw. Carter is partial to using the extravagant textile for bedrooms, in broader, bolder ways like for curtains or even wall upholstery. Contends Carter, cashmere “is the ultimate in luxury, because it’s deliciously soft and it drapes beautifully. Loro Piana’s cashmere textiles are especially exquisite.”

Loro Piana cashmere; photograph courtesy of Loro Piana

Calvin Klein; photograph courtesy of the designer

One need only look at the fall line of Calvin Klein to know that knits can be decidedly here-and-now and on trend. This den (below), created by LDa Architecture & Interiors, boasts an edgy vibe and not solely because frontman Sting is a focal point. LDa Senior Associate Jayme Kennerknecht offers that a sofa upholstered in mohair or velvet will quickly become a favorite spot in the home (“try it in a jewel tone for drama!”) and that it looks great paired with other textures like silk pillows and a nubby blanket.

LDa Architecture & Interiors; photograph by Michael Lee

Susanne Csongor of SLC Interiors, Inc. agrees that playing with texture can conjure an of-the-moment sensibility. For the clean-lined New York City apartment pictured here, Csongor was after a modern, “fashion-forward feeling,” which was achieved by mixing “a fine silk carpet with a bold faux crocodile tabletop and a chunky cable-knit throw.”

Interior Design by Susanne Csongor, SLC Interiors, Inc.; photograph by Durston Saylor

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Gucci; photograph courtesy of the designer

In fashion, leather is always de rigueur, and it looks especially appealing when featured with an ultra feminine silk mousseline or crepe or with cozy wovens like cashmere, mohair or alpaca blends. And so it is in the home. In this tranquil seaside space designed by Surroundings Home, the ultra soft leather of gorgeous suede couches takes center stage when contrasted with a wooly, herringbone rug, a cozy throw and ample pillows.

Interior design by Surroundings Home  

Louis Vuitton; photograph courtesy of the designer

Homeowners should also consider mixing leather and fabric on single pieces says LDa’s Jayme Kennerknecht. As with the textural interplay of this Louis Vuitton knit and leather dress, the effect is eye-catching and, says Kennerknecht, “luxurious and thoughtful.” She suggests “upholstering a piece with a contrasting leather welt” to best highlight the fabrics. Roche Bobois’ Italique sectional illustrates her point beautifully with its split leather frame and washed velvet, ruby-red seat cushions. 

Roche Bobois Italique sectional, Collection Nouveaux Classiques; photograph courtesy of Roche Bobois

Ralph Lauren; photograph courtesy of the designer

For more casual surroundings, like lakeside vacation homes, or for simply adding a taste of fall to your lair, plaids, shearling and knits are a vibrant alternative. Ralph Lauren masters bohemian chic with his looks of many layers and you can too. Linda Newall of Surroundings in Marblehead likes Lauren’s “warm, jeweled-toned plaids” fashioned as pillows for a leather sofa, while Barbara Bahr Sheehan’s great room design (pictured) features an unusual riff on the coffee table, as the center of the seating arrangement is also cloaked in fabric. Layer a shearling rug or hide atop an existing rug or wall-to-wall carpet and you’ve created a space that’s as inviting as crackling leaves underfoot and a roaring fire.

Interior design by Barbara Bahr Sheehan Interior Design, Inc.