Inside the Boldest Home of the Month: Why Playing with Texture is 2025’s Secret Ingredient
Meet Ashley and the Home That Changed My Mind About Texture
Sometimes you see a house and your whole idea of what’s trendy just kind of…flips. That’s what happened last month. I’m doing the usual midnight Instagram scroll (you know that glazed-eye, half-jealous, half-inspired feeling?), and suddenly I spot Ashley’s feed—her Toronto family home full of wild color, textures everywhere, and zero sense of playing it safe. I literally sat up in bed. My robe nearly slid off. Floors? Fluffy. Sofa? Like a marshmallow. Bathroom? Wait, is that a linen ceiling and a zebra-print vanity stool?
Next thing, I’m peering at every close-up, squinting to figure out if that’s just good lighting or if the walls really are covered in something linen-y and tactile. Turns out it’s both: Venetian plaster AND flax linen. Her DMs were flooded—no joke, she showed me—the post blew up. I’m talking three hundred comments in a night, every question some version of ‘Where did you get THAT?!’ Suddenly, people aren’t just gawking—they’re planning. It hit me: 2025 is not the year for beige or bland. Texture is everywhere, and honestly? I don’t ever want my couch to feel boring again.
Why Is Everyone Obsessed with Texture Right Now?
Scroll through literally any design account and tell me if you spot one flat surface. Nope! Even big names—Studiomcgee, Athena Calderone—are layering textural throws over boucle, combining seagrass with lacquer. The designers are all-in. Thirty-three percent say maximalism is IT for 2025. (That’s huge if you care about actual stats.) And yes, the group chats are buzzing: ‘Should I do velvet pillows with rattan?’ ‘Can I put furry stools in the dining room?’
I think after years of living in stark, minimalist spaces (IYKYK, those 2018 all-white kitchens haunt me), we’re itching for homes that actually feel alive. Maybe it’s the pandemic hangover, or maybe it’s all the time we spend doom-scrolling design, but either way—plain walls and basic sofas just aren’t cutting it. And if you ask me, this is a win. Texture is forgiving. It feels good. It’s like cozying up with a stylish friend who always has snacks.
Bolder, Softer, Wilder: The 2025 Texture Trends I’m Actually Obsessed With
Maximalist Texture Layering
This one’s wild, and honestly? Scary at first. Ashley’s living room nails it: a Kelly Wearstler Boucle Cloud Sofa (she scored it used for $1,800, but it’s a $6k dream new—ouch), Moroccan shag rug (West Elm, under $500 in the fall sale!), and actual Venetian plaster walls (Benjamin Moore’s Stonington Gray — OC-52, if you want to Google-width paint codes like me at 1am). The first time I tried velvet pillows with a jute rug, I thought, ‘This is going to look like a thrift store exploded.’ Instead…it just looked expensive and, well, intentional. If you’re on a budget: IKEA’s Vallentuna slipcovered ottoman in green velvet ($179) is a mood-changer and practically unkillable—my kids put it to the test, no shame.
Curvy, Organic Furniture
Forty-seven percent of people say curvy is better in 2025—and I see why. There’s this DIY wavy coffee table hack Ashley did using plywood, sanding, and Rustoleum spray paint (total cost: $95, three Saturday afternoons, and five blisters), and the result is so, so sculptural and fun. I bought a secondhand CB2 salsa chair (original is $799, but got mine for $260 on Facebook Marketplace—thank you, universe) and it legit anchors our living room. The best thing? It makes the room flow. Even my mom, who was convinced it would look like a ’70s disco, admitted it felt…’soothing’.
Sustainable and Sensorial Materials
This one crept up on me. Now, a quarter of people say sustainability is their must-have. So, Ashley and I hit up a local shop last fall—Toronto’s Cambie—it’s all rattan, bamboo, and tactile baskets. We loaded up on baskets (average $30-80, but I found a legit dupe at HomeGoods for $14, no lie). Rugs? I got a Lorena Canals washable cotton rug for $299—it passed coffee, milk, and spaghetti sauce. Oh, and a candle that smells like Moroccan fig and literally fools people into asking if we got a new plant.
Global Color and Pattern
Seventy-one percent of designers are over all-white kitchens. Ashley’s, honestly, stopped me in my tracks: Benjamin Moore Naples Blue (2057-30) for the cabinets, wild African mudcloth pillows, and a flea market runner that looks like it’s from Jaipur (it cost $60). My own house? Still neutral, but after seeing her space, I added a set of Mexican Talavera planters (Amazon, $49 for two) and color-blocked IKEA curtains (surprise, they work with wood trim). Our dinner guests can’t stop talking about the vibe shift.
How Do Textures Work in Real Rooms?
I always test trends before I write about them, and trust me, I’ve had some fails. Tried a lime-wash wall in the foyer (Benjamin Moore’s Gray Owl, OC-52) and it looked patchy for three days until I figured out the secret (moist sponge, slow hand, no distractions or kids’ fingerprints—ugh). My powder room was small and bland. Swapped the builder mirror for a wavy frame from Urban Outfitters ($69) and a rattan tray (Target, $19.99)—suddenly, instant upgrade, and it actually hides toothpaste marks because of the texture. No joke.
Living rooms? The mix-y layering of throws, boucle, jute, and pops of colored velvet works every time. But I did one thing wrong—a crocheted floor pouf next to a high-pile rug = tripping hazard. (The dog tripped, not me, but still—rookie mistake.) Kitchens: I suggest colorful plates on open shelving, and if you actually use them—a rarity for me, ha—you get a beautiful and functional display.
Small Update vs. Full Renovation
- Tried just adding a rattan planter to my office corner. Friends noticed immediately.
- Full kitchen overhaul with deep blue and tile was pricey ($12k+), but paint alone ($80 and some elbow grease) made the biggest visual impact.
- If you’re nervous, start with a rug and a candle—seriously! Ashley’s waxed linen lamp shade from Wayfair ($55) is a quick swap, no tools.
Shopping (and Failing and Succeeding): My Texture-Finding Journey
I’ve been everywhere: local flea markets, Anthropologie (tactile pillow heaven, but ouch, $98 a pop—caught it at 30% off on Black Friday), Facebook Marketplace, and HomeGoods (where you can’t find anything until you do, and then it’s the best $22 basket of your life). I splurged on a Serena & Lily rattan bench ($398 on sale!), but my friend scored nearly the same dupe at Target for $99. Such jealousy, but no shame.
- Online shopping is easiest for plush throws and candles, but always—always—check reviews for texture. Nobody wants a scratchy ‘velvet’.
- Paint is the sneaky budget win. Wait for Memorial Day or Labor Day sales. I scored $20 off two gallons just last May.
- Curvy furniture? Secondhand is KING. Estate sales, Craigslist, and Facebook Marketplace—all the shapes, half the price, way more personality.
- Tech stuff? I scored a Nest smart thermostat ($99 during Amazon Prime Day) for the living room. Not tactile but super smart—counts!
And yes—once, I bought a zebra print rug off Etsy. Shipping was $87. It arrived shrunk and with a weird smell. It now lives in the garage. So, not every experiment is a win. That’s the real talk you never see on Instagram.
Real Life vs. Insta-Perfection: Hard Truths About Texture
Trust me, all those dreamy textured spaces you see online? They’re not always practical. Deep-pile rugs and kids with Froot Loops? You’ve been warned. That sculptural chair? Looks amazing, but comfy for exactly one episode of Bridgerton and then you want your old armchair back. And natural linen bedding? Gorgeous—but wrinkles in five seconds and my husband hates the feel (my compromise was Target’s cotton-linen blend, $69 for a queen set, and it’s honestly not bad).
Mixing trends—one time I went all-in: boucle, velvet, jute, AND a beaded chandelier. It looked like a sensory overload. Solution? Pull back. Layer two textures, max, in small rooms; add fragrance (an Aesop oil diffuser, if you’re feeling fancy), and keep lighting cozy. Real homes need real-life proofing—machine-washable, spill-friendly, nothing that will fall apart if your toddler sneezes on it.
Get the Look—Without Losing Your Mind or Your Checkbook
- Textured Wall Treatments: Try Roman Clay paint by Portola ($75/gallon) or even peel-and-stick linen wallpaper from Chasing Paper ($40/roll). Spotted both at friend’s apartments, and neither screams ‘DIY disaster’ in person.
- Boucle and Sustainable Rugs: West Elm’s rug sales in January/February are gold. Target’s Project 62 boucle pillow ($22) is a budget must. For washable options, Lorena Canals all day.
- Curvy Furniture: Hunt for CB2, Urban Outfitters (the Sunniva chair, $349), or vintage shops—Scout in Chicago had three wavy coffee tables last time I visited, all under $160.
- Global Color: IKEA’s colorful Sajou curtains ($39/set), World Market for Moroccan-inspired textiles (rugs from $69 up), and CB2’s blockprint napkins for a dinner party pop ($24/set).
- Smart Tech: Amazon for sales on thermostats and lighting, or Best Buy if you want to actually talk to a person before buying.
Seasonal Styling Hacks
Keep the main, massive textures (sofa, rug) flexible—a base of cream or taupe is fine, then swap pillows or throws every season. Fall is cozy, add velvet; spring, add woven baskets. Don’t stress about ‘permanent’—most people change it up way more than they let on. If you’re DIYing? Start small, stay brave, and always take a photo before you panic and undo it all.
Lessons (and Laughs) from My Own Home Experiments
Bottom line? Welcome the mess, the weirdness, even the disasters. My best finds came from making strange, cheap, or slightly wrong choices and seeing how they played out. Family hated the too-textured corner? Move it. Friend spilled on the couch? Wash it. Painted a wall and instantly regretted it? It’s only paint, promise.
Texture is here, the bolder the better. And you can join the fun—one fluffy throw, one wavy chair, one wild paint color at a time. Just don’t be afraid to make it personal. Because the weirdest corner of your house might just become the showstopper you end up bragging about next year.
Resources & Inspiration
- ASID’s 2025 Trend Report: Real data and trends on what’s happening—and what designers really think works in homes now.
- 1stDibs Guide to 2025: Full of maximalist, global, and curvy inspiration that actually shows up in every bold, trending home I spot.
- Artsys and JLL Outlooks: Extra stats if you’re a numbers gal—and proof that yes, everyone’s craving texture right now.