Too often we focus on the furniture itself, the arrangement, or accessories, to bring an interior design look together. We’re missing the bigger picture. The materials we use in a room should take center stage. From warm mahogany in a bachelor pad to elegant silks in a Japanese style bedroom, materials really do matter. If you need help picking the right materials for each room in your home and you live in CT, All About Interiors can help you create the look you want, in a proper way. For the rest of you take a look at this guide. From the materials themselves and their properties, to how to use them in your interior design scheme, we’ve got you covered…
Mahogany
Mahogany is a type of wood which has a distinctive reddish brown color. It’s a popular choice of material for those looking for durability. It’s often used for paneling, boats, and even musical instruments due to its strength and unusual hue. It’s a straight and even grained timber which means that it’s smooth to touch and free from any voids.
If you want to incorporate mahogany into one of your rooms keep in mind that it’s a statement piece. Going overboard with this material can make rooms look oppressive and small. Mahogany bookshelves or a mahogany desk are a great addition to a study or living room. This is the perfect way to use this strong, masculine material. The color deepens over time and the material is incredibly durable, so perfect for a home desk. It’s important to pair the color scheme in your living room or study to your mahogany materials. Couple with the wrong color this material can look overbearing very quickly. Remember, mahogany has red undertones. Green is a complimentary color to red so green tones will provide a great contrast. Blues also work well with this material.
Granite
Granite is synonymous with kitchen surfaces. This igneous rock comes in a whole range of different colors. Part of the appeal is the speckled look it gives to kitchen tops. Usually, you’ll see the stone coming in a pink, white, or gray color. It’s not only favored in kitchens because of its natural appearance. Granite is also very tough and durable material often used in construction. Granite ASAP specializes in this high-quality stone for residential and commercial properties.
Obviously, polished granite works very well in a kitchen. A more modern way to incorporate this look is to opt for a dark gray or black granite, rather than the lighter tones. Granite also works well on the floor. Use it in small spaces rather than large ones, a hallway for instance. You can even get granite vanity units for your bathroom. Stick to lighter tones in the bathroom to add some elegance without overwhelming the room.
Silk
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This natural fiber is made up of fibroin, produced by insects to form cocoons. In textile manufacturing, it is usually moth caterpillars that produce the silk. When the caterpillars undergo their metamorphosis the material is made. Silk was first used in China as a way to wrap up babies. Eventually, these soft and shimmering materials started to be given as gifts too. Before long it became a popular product to trade.
Silk is actually a very strong natural fiber, one of the strongest. But as most of us are aware, it loses a lot of strength when it becomes wet. This material works best in a bedroom. It brings some elegance and sophistication to a room. Not just this but is works well as pajamas and robes. Because of its absorbency silk is comfortable to wear whilst it’s warm too. You can even use silk to upholster some of your bedroom furniture. Steer clear of using silks in the living room, instead of a softer, more feminine feel in the bedroom with silks screens or cushion covers.
Copper
Technically copper is a chemical element. Copper is often used in construction due to it’s soft and malleable properties and a good conductor of heat and electricity. Due to its reddish-orange color, it is becoming more and more popular in interior design too.
Copper is a great material for bringing warmth to a room in a subtle and sophisticated way. It works well with a lot of other colors, and is quite difficult to get wrong in a scheme! Copper is an amazing addition to a living room or dining room. A copper rimmed light shade can add some impact and atmosphere to a dining room space. Copper accessories also go well in the kitchen when paired with black appliances. In the living room, copper vases work particularly well with green houseplants. Similarly, a copper floor lamp looks great with a brown leather sofa.
This material is really on trend at the moment so there’s no shortage of copper accessories out there. However, use this material as an accent to boost your color scheme. If you let copper take center stage it can lose its appeal and look tacky. Instead, use some carefully selected copper colored accessories to tie a look together rather than create it.
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