Chapter 8 Elements and Principles of Interior Design 229 Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. ■ bring character and visual interest to the space. ■ become a maintenance factor. It is more difficult to clean a tactile texture than a visual texture. Similarly, visual textures may show fingerprints. ■ impact light reflection and absorption and therefore modify color. For example, if light is trapped in a texture, the color of the material appears darker than if you see it on a smooth, reflective texture. ■ absorb sound. Soft or rough textures absorb sound and hard, smooth textures reflect it. Sound bouncing around a room is irritating, such as in a kitchen when several people are talking. ■ provide comfort or irritation to the human body depending on the selection of materials and construction (such as wool fabric). Smooth textures, such as satin, shiny metal, and polished glass, give the perception of formality and sleekness in style. They can also communicate a cold and imper- sonal mood. In contrast, rough, coarse textures suggest informality and casual comfort. Course textures also communicate warmth and replicate features of nature. In interiors, you can see tactile texture on upholstery and in window treatments, in such flooring as acousti- cal tile, bricks, woods, metals, and stones, Figure 8-18. Tips for using texture in interiors include ■ using tactile textures of different types in the same space to please the eye. For example, glass in contrast to a rough, deep-pile rug is a strong design statement. ■ realizing distance changes the perception of texture. Close up, the surface quality may be rough, but far away it may appear smooth. ■ adding more textures to spaces that reflect a neutral color palette, such as white, tan, or gray. With such colors, texture is necessary to generate the interest and variety that people prefer. ■ understanding that high-gloss paint on walls makes them easier to clean but also highlights imperfections in the walls. ■ noting that rough textures collect dirt and grime easily. Using Perception to Shape Space To make small, physical spaces look larger, consider use of To make large, physical spaces feel cozier, consider use of ■ mirrors ■ continuity of color ■ windows as connections to the outdoors ■ fewer structural barriers ■ higher quality electric light or daylight ■ half-walls ■ wider door openings to visually open a space ■ low and minimal furniture ■ built-in storage ■ vertical lines ■ medium- to larger-scaled patterns ■ dark or vivid colors to perceptually make walls advance ■ heavier- or larger-scaled furniture ■ placement of area rugs to break up expanses of space ■ multiple furniture groupings ■ lowered light fixtures ■ darker color paint on ceilings ■ wainscoting—an interior wall treatment that covers the lower part of the wall to about four feet above the floor ■ chair rails—strips of wood on interior walls that are placed about four feet above the floor Figure 8-16 Interior designers use many different items to shape your perception of a space. krsmanovic/Shutterstock.com Figure 8-17 Texture evokes many different human responses. JoeyPhoto/Shutterstock.com Reinhold Leitner/Shutterstock.com