Texture & TONE

Incorporating texture warms up winter whites, dispelling any sense of chill and adding depth of tone that enriches the effect. Slubby, hand-woven textiles – and the naturally formed ‘layering’ of surfaces such as riven stone and hand-thrown ceramics – will provide extra character wherever you need it. There’s a simplicity about these rugged and unadorned furnishings. As well as their originality, the beauty of handcrafted pieces is their organic, tactile quality. You can see the work that’s gone into them, which gives them a feeling of substance and authenticity.

1 USE WOVEN MATERIALS IN THE FORM OF BASKETS, RUGS, LAMPSHADES AND CHAIRS. THIS RAGA BASKET IS MADE FROM WATER HYACINTH, £60, LA REDOUTE.

2 CONSIDER THE OPTIONS FOR UPHOLSTERY FROM THE MATERIAL – HERRINGBONE WEAVE, LEATHER, WOOL, VELVET – TO THE DECORATIVE DETAILING SUCH AS BUTTONING, WHICH ALL HELP TO ADD TEXTURE. SHOWN HERE IS THE BURFORD SOFA IN OATMEAL, £1,299, COUNTRY LIVING COLLECTION AVAILABLE AT DFS.

3 CHOOSE HAND-FORMED CERAMICS MARKED WITH INTRIGUING STRIATIONS AND IMPERFECTIONS, SO THEY APPEAR ERODED BY TIME. LOOK FOR PIECES BY MAKERS SUCH AS LISA STOCKHAM AND ABIGAIL SCHAMA – ABIGAIL’S STONEWARE BOWL SHOWN HERE IS AVAILABLE FROM MAUD & MABEL, £240.

4 INTRODUCE ELEMENTS OF METAL SUCH AS BRASS, ANTIQUED BRASS AND BRONZE IN LIGHTING. NED FLOOR LAMP BASE, £270 (SHADE SEPARATE), POOKY.

5 INCORPORATE HINTS OF CHARCOAL IN FABRICS, RIVEN SLATE SURFACES AND GLAZED OR STONEWARE CERAMICS. SANDY TONES CAN ALSO WORK WELL.

6 PAINT WALLS AND FLOORBOARDS WHITE WITH SOFT FURNISHINGS AND UPHOLSTERY IN A MIX OF MATERIALS AND TONES TO OFFER A SUBTLE CONTRAST. TEXTURE IS THE KEY HERE, SO ELEVATE THE NUBBY LINEN, KNITS, HESSIAN AND SO ON.

7 LAY NATURAL FLOORCOVERINGS SUCH AS SISAL, JUTE AND SEAGRASS, WHOSE NEUTRAL WEAVE PROVIDES ITS OWN INTEREST AND INCORPORATES SHADES OF WARM GOLDEN AND SILVERY TONES. HERRINGBONE ALDER SISAL, £45.99/SQ M; FINE BOUCLE BARLEY SISAL, £49.99/SQ M; TIGER’S EYE FLINT SISAL, £45.99 SQ M: FROM THE PENTLE RANGE, COUNTRY LIVING COLLECTION BY CARPETRIGHT.