How to Use Colour & Texture to Transform a Room: Expert Tips on Choosing Palettes, Materials, and Fabrics

A contemporary dining room with minimalist decor featuring a wooden table and chairs, soft lighting, and greenery that adds a touch of nature to the elegant space.

If a room feels flat or unfinished, the problem is often the colour and texture, not the layout. These two elements shape the mood, depth, and interest in a space. The best part is, you don’t need a full makeover to see a difference. With careful choices and a few high-quality pieces, colour and texture can completely change a room.

If you’re looking for ideas on home colour palettes or want to know how to pick colours that work well together, here are some tips to help you succeed.

How Colour and Texture Set the Mood

Colour shapes how a room feels. Warm shades like beige, camel, rust, and soft browns make a space feel cozy and inviting. Cool colours such as blues, greys, and greens bring a calm, open feeling. Neutrals always work, but adding a deeper or richer colour keeps the room from feeling too plain.

Texture adds depth to a room. If everything is smooth, the space can seem flat. Mixing materials like linen, velvet, wood, metal, and leather brings balance and interest. Texture is what makes a room feel thoughtfully designed instead of just decorated.

Easy Formulas for Choosing a Colour Palette

If picking colours seems overwhelming, try starting with a simple plan.

One of the most reliable approaches is the 60-30-10 rule:

Use 60% of a main colour for walls or big furniture, 30% of a secondary colour for things like upholstery or rugs, and 10% of an accent colour for pillows, art, or decor.

Another good way to start is to pick a standout piece, like a sofa, dining table, or statement chair, and build your colour scheme around it. Sklar Peppler’s Sofas & Sectionals collection lets you choose fabrics and colours first, which makes it easier to add matching tones throughout the room.

Also, notice the undertones in your materials. Warm woods look best with warm neutrals, while cooler finishes go well with greys and soft blues.

How to Mix Textures the Right Way

When it comes to mixing textures in interior design, balance is key. You want contrast, but not chaos.

A few foolproof pairings:

• Smooth + rough: polished wood with woven textiles

• Matte + glossy: soft fabric seating paired with metal accents

• Soft + structured: plush upholstery with clean-lined furniture

In dining rooms, a solid wood table from Sklar Peppler’s Dining Tables collection brings warmth and a grounded feel, especially when you pair it with upholstered or leather chairs.

Use Mood Boards and Visuals to Stay Focused

Before you make any final choices, put together a simple mood board. Gather fabric samples, furniture photos, paint colours, and finishes. This lets you see how everything works together and helps you avoid buying things that don’t match your plan.

Using visuals also helps you spot what’s missing. You might notice you need more warmth or another textured piece to balance out the smooth furniture.

Colour Ideas by Room

Different rooms call for different moods, and colour helps define them.

• Living Rooms: Soft neutrals, warm woods, and muted blues make the space feel relaxed and modern.

• Bedrooms: Calm neutrals, light greys, and warm creams help create a restful, balanced space.

• Dining Rooms: Warm woods with burnt oranges, deep browns, or muted greens make the room feel welcoming and grounded.

• Home Offices: Deep greens or dark blues bring focus and a touch of sophistication, but won’t make the space feel too heavy.

Sklar Peppler’s collections help you use these colour schemes across different rooms, so your home feels connected without feeling overly matched.

Design with Intention: Let Colour and Texture Do the Work

Colour and texture are two of the most powerful tools in home design, and also the most approachable. By starting with a hero piece, sticking to a simple palette, and layering materials intentionally, you can create a space that feels rich, balanced, and thoughtfully designed. With customizable upholstery, solid wood pieces, and timeless silhouettes from Sklar Peppler Home, transforming your space becomes less intimidating and far more rewarding.