Perhaps fuelled by our desire to hunker down in turbulent times, interiors that feel good to the touch as well as being visually appealing are currently headlining.
‘Choosing accessories and furnishings with a tactile quality can elevate your scheme as well as imbuing it with a sense of calm,’ says Alexandra Fryer, home stylist at John Lewis & Partners (johnlewis.com), reports a 60 per cent rise in sales of throws compared to last year.
With an increasing desire to find comfort at home, velvet, rattan, bouclé and cashmere are still flying high.
Here’s how to bring a soft touch to your interiors.
Tactile feel: Elevate your room by choosing furnishings that feel nice to touch
Mix it up
The key is to add a sense of movement to schemes because uniform finishes, such as matt walls and hard surfaces, can feel flat and inhospitable.
Instead, incorporating a variety of textures, natural materials, pattern and planting will instil a lived-in atmosphere.
Don’t underestimate the power of pattern in this approach, whether large-scale or subtle. ‘It offers a kind of visual texture and feast for the eyes,’ says artist and designer Sophie Harpley (sophieharpley.co.uk).
‘Pattern is simply artwork in rhythm and we all respond to harmony. Printed fabrics and wallpapers give us something to get lost in — most of us enjoy following a patterned design and by doing so we’re taking time to pause for thought.’
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The same can be said of natural materials such as rattan and sisal, which provide a sensory experience.
No longer consigned to chairs or pendant lamps, rattan or wicker works brilliantly built into the interior architecture of your home.
‘Warm and tactile in tone and texture and encompassing the modern-rustic style, rattan has garnered new interest recently because it speaks to our senses,’ says Neatsmith’s Philipp Nagel, whose Rattan Hinged Doors, from £2,950 per linear metre, add instant verve to wardrobes (neatsmith.co.uk).
‘The key is to set its old-style charm within a modern or innovative framework.’ Other tactile elements, such as leather-lined shoe drawers or shelving and fabric drawer fronts or back panels carry a similar sensory appeal.
Instead of re-working your home every season, try a year-round earthy approach. ‘Think about stimulating the senses,’ counsels Feather & Black’s Laura Burnett (featherandblack.com).
‘The bumpy softness of bouclé, the indulgence of velvet and touch of linen complement the grounding of weathered oak, or build on the playfulness of wicker and bamboo. Combining finishes in this way allows a sense of all-weather cocooning.’
Touch & Go
Revisit the cornerstones of an interior scheme by paying attention to flooring, fixtures and fittings.
Flooring is one of the most tactile elements of a room because the feeling underfoot can change how we relate to a space.
‘In living areas, a new rug can be a transformational and is a relatively inexpensive option for adding texture and depth,’ says Carpetright’s Punam Chada (carpetright.co.uk).
‘Rugs are soft underfoot, adding another level of comfort, particularly when layered on sleek engineered wood floors.
‘It pays to play to the senses. For example, luxury vinyl feels nicer when stepping out of the shower than cold tiles, plus it’s compatible with underfloor heating.’
For tactile flooring for kitchens and bathrooms, try creating an island skirt, tile-effect rug or a bespoke geometric design with Amtico’s water, stain and scratch-resistant LVT Signature Stucco range in aspect laying pattern, £75.99 per square metre (amtico.com).
For sofas, textured weaves look inviting while being hard-wearing and easy to clean. Sofa.com offers tweeds and basket weaves made from 20 per cent recycled cotton and sustainable fibre (sofa.com).
Arlo’s & Jacob’s Agatha sofa in Diamond Weave, Sienna, £2,895, evokes the terracotta and blush pink tones of Italian architecture (arloandjacob.com). Velvet upholstery is a shortcut to instant tactility.
‘It’s the perfect vehicle for carrying a scheme, offering both a touch of opulence and the ability to convey rich colour,’ says Sofology’s Gisela Lancaster (sofology.co.uk). ‘Bouclé is another whose soft detailing adds a cosy, contemporary feel.’
All natural
Sometimes, the simplest additions are all you need. A recent report by The University of Exeter concluded that bringing plant elements into daily life can boost wellbeing by 47 per cent, creativity by 45 per cent and productivity by 38 per cent.
Adding a living wall, an abundant plant shelf or a botanical wallpaper feature are all ways to plug into the trend.
Good-to-touch accessories include Matilda Goad’s Cork Lamp base ball, £190, whose stylish spherical silhouette adds softness to sitting room side tables or the bedside (matlildagoad.com).
Or try Olympia and Ariadne Irving’s Antheia range of elegant bud vases and candle holders, inspired by Ottoman shapes and Ancient Greek pottery in a fresh spin on classic splatterware (ci-daughters.com).
Finally, block print kantha quilts and vintage kanthas, from £135, or vintage French and Eastern European textiles at Rebecca’s Aix Home (rebeccasaixhome.com) add tactile patina to every bedroom. It all adds up to the perfect touch.
Savings of the week… Small sofas
You may still be using your garden furniture to enjoy the September sunshine, but it’s never too early to sort the indoor items you need for cosy autumn evenings.
If you move fast, you should be able to find great clearance deals at Loaf and other stores.
At Dunelm, the Eddie tub-style two-seater in olive green or brown faux leather is 30 per cent off at £195.30 (dunelm.com).
Neat: Dunelm’s Eddie tub-style two-seater in olive green or brown faux leather is 30% off at £195.30
The options at Robert Dyas include the HomCom button back sofa in dark blue which is down from £179.99 to £168.99 (robertdyas.co.uk).
SofaSofa has the Luca two-seater in urban stone grey. The price of this piece, with its deep cushions, is £579, reduced from £779 (sofasofa.co.uk).
Meanwhile, Next is giving 10 per cent off if you buy two two-seaters.
The Hutton in velvet rust brown is £450 and comes in a box, handy if space is limited (next.co.uk).
ANNE ASHWORTH