When was the last time you came across an object and thought, “That’s so interesting … I just want to reach out and touch it!” That’s what the newest trend toward texture is all about. Whether it’s flooring made to look like fabric or a console inlaid with coconut, if it looks interesting, it probably is. Read on for some great examples.

SMOOTH AS SILK

Photo courtesy of Daltile

Daltile’s Kimona Silk line of tile “has a smooth finish to the touch, but the use of multiple colors and lines gives the illusion of a textured surface,” says Daltile's Malia Maldonado. 

THE LEATHER LOOK

Photo courtesy of Sunset Tile & Stone

It’s hard to believe this wall is covered in ceramic tile, not leather. “Stonepeak’s Touch Collection draws its inspiration from genuine leather, reproducing its amazing texture and warm feel,” says Lynda Stark, of Sunset Tile & Stone.

COILED COMFORT

Photo by David Croxford

The Erlina Round Weave Chair, available at Bali Pacific Trading, is made of hand-woven rattan, which makes it great for indoor and outdoor use. “The dark and light colors are selected and braided together to create that swirl look,” says
company representative Samantha Spain.

VELVETY SOFT

Photo by David Croxford

You have to touch it to believe it. The Italian company Antolini Luigi & C Spa has created Lether (yes, it is spelled that way) finish, available at Bella Pietra. This finish, applied to natural stone, gives a leathery look while keeping the benefits of the durable material.

GO NUTS

Photo by David Croxford

Fibrous materials beg to be touched in this teak console with hand-cut and hand-inlaid coconut, from Bali Boo. Slivers of real coconut were cut by hand and inlaid with resin, creating a surface that appears rough but is smooth to the touch.

SCORE!

Photos by David Croxford

While many laminates are completely smooth, Inovar 12mm laminate, available at Maru Flooring, is scored to look like real wood. “It is also thicker than standard 8mm laminates, which makes it sound and feel much more like solid wood flooring,” says company representative Mark Westlake.

CURLS & SWIRLS

Photo by David Croxford

This hanging raw rattan shade is available at Bali Pacific Trading. "What makes it interesting is the hand-woven technique done by intertwining the rattan and finishing the cord with a braid style. It's almost that nostalgic style of Hawaii," says company representative Samantha Spain.

BEND THE RULES

Photo by David Croxford

Relatively new to the design scene, 3form, available through Details International, is made from recycled material and combines the three-dimensional beauty of texture with the smoothness of glass by “sandwiching” materials between panels of glass or plastic. It’s also totally customizable. Choose your color, pattern, texture and interlay and they will make it happen—from a small backsplash to a 22-foot-tall wall—the sky is the limit.