All these natural elements create a unique visual effect and



all visual effects have a corresponding effect on human mind.

That's why when used carefully textures can create wonders in

interior design.

The most commonly used materials in interior design and decoration

are wood for furniture, cloth for linen, rubber/leather for flooring

or upholstery, paper as wallpapers, plastic for accessories like

lampshades and other decorative items, steel for furniture.

Let's take a closer look at these materials and their textural

qualities.

1) Wood....

Most commonly used for furniture, door frames, shutters. The

main reason behind this is it is easy to work with wood. The

art of carpentry is an age old profession. Because of the

nature of wood like softness and the same time the amount of

strength it can withstand, makes it a popular choice amongst

furniture designers.

A fully polished wood surface gives a very rich finish and

projects user friendliness. Also wood comes in many varieties

and colors, each having its own pros and cons.

2) Cloth....

A very natural choice for linen. Since a cloth finish is a smooth

one it is most suitable in a bedroom where comfort is a very

vital factor. The biggest advantage of various types of cloth

is that most types are washable so maintenance is easy.

Cloth has one more important quality that it can be "painted"

for expressing detailed decorative patterns, that can greatly

add to the beauty of the space.

It is also possible to do "embroidery" on cloth, if painting is

not a good choice or budget doesn't allow. Depending upon the

weave of the cloth strands the thickness, transparency, etc. can be

easily achieved. This makes the cloth most suitable for various

kinds of uses such as linen, curtains, bed sheets, etc...

3) Rubber/Leather....

Rubber is used in the form of PVC flooring, is easily available

and most importantly is wash proof and durable. It can be printed upon

using design patterns of any style, rich with colors. Comes in the

form of large sheets or even individual tiles.

Unlike tiled flooring the PVC flooring is much less affected by

atmospheric changes. Other types of tiled floorings or even wooden

flooring can have a direct effect on the surface because of the

expansion and contraction of the flooring material. A PVC flooring is

glued to the tiled flooring I hope you have benefited from these

words.

4) Plastic....

There are infinite uses of this great material. The only disadvantage

environmentalist have pointed out that it is not bio-degradable.

Because of its artificial nature it can be "manufactured" in various.

colors, shapes, sizes, strength. The biggest advantage of plastic is

it is waterproof and electrical shockproof. That's why mainly

used for electrical accessories. It is lightweight as compared to other

material types. Entire furniture pieces such as chairs, tables

can be easily molded out as a seamless model in plastic.

5) Steel/Iron....

Steel is mostly used in interior design where the main purpose is

to give support and carry weight to the floor. That's why main

use of steel is done to create the structural frame that carries

the weight of the people who are going to use the furniture

piece.

A very common type of steel is the "Stainless Steel". Because of its

shining nature, it very quickly gives a rich quality to the object

being used on and enhances the overall quality of the interior

space.

Furniture objects that have been designed with a combination

of wood and steel look much balanced from aesthetic point of view.

But doing so requires a careful study of the joiner details,

especially where wood and steel joint together.

The following discussion was only a brief introduction of the

types of material being used in interior design industry. Every

day more and more good quality and cheaper material types are

being presented in the market. I hope this article was informative

to everyone.

Copyright Shrinivas Vaidya