How do I choose and combine materials and textures?

Choose three or four main materials per space, check that each suits its use, and mix textures (rough with smooth, matte with shiny) so the room has depth. Then repeat each material at least twice, so it looks chosen rather than random.

1. Start with use

Kitchens and bathrooms: water-resistant and easy to clean: porcelain tiles, quartz, treated wood, tadelakt in wet areas.
Floors in busy areas: hard-wearing: stone, porcelain, cement tiles, solid wood.
Bedrooms and living rooms: softer materials: wood, wool, linen, plaster.
Homes with children or pets: washable fabrics and surfaces that hide marks.

2. Keep the list short

A calm room usually has:

One main floor material.
One main wood tone.
One metal finish (brass, black or steel).
One or two feature materials, like a stone, a tile or a fabric.

More than that, and the space starts to look busy.

3. Mix textures

Texture adds interest when colours are calm.

Rough with smooth: lime plaster wall with a polished stone table.
Soft with hard: wool rug on a stone floor.
Matte with shiny: matte cabinets with brass handles.
Natural with clean: linen curtains in a sleek room.

4. Repeat each material

A wood that appears only once looks like an accident. The same wood in a table, a shelf and a frame looks like a choice.

5. Look at the light

Shiny surfaces reflect light and glare; matte ones absorb it. Dark materials take light away, so small or dim rooms need lighter surfaces.

6. Use local materials

Morocco has strong materials: zellige, tadelakt, cedar, marble, terracotta, brass and wool. They're durable, they age well and they give a home a sense of place.

7. See samples together

Put real samples side by side, in the room's light, before choosing. A moodboard groups them on one page, and a 3D render shows them in your space.

Every design we make starts with a floor plan and a moodboard of materials and colours, then 3D renders.