5 Ways To Soften Your Space With Textiles

When you walk into your home, you want to be able to close the door on the world, take a deep breath, and relax. But, if your place has the stark, cold feeling of a corporate office or the sterile vibe of a dentist's waiting room, it may be time to add some softness with textiles. One sign that your space could use some softness is hearing echoes when you make a noise; if the sounds of your footsteps reverberate, True Value recommends bringing in soft elements to help absorb the acoustics.

Textiles not only add tactile softness to your home, but they also add visual texture. Instead of one seemingly endless solid surface of hard floors, table tops, and walls, soft elements give your eyes a place to rest and your subconscious a reminder that, yes, this is a comforting place. It is not difficult or expensive to add textiles to your space, either. You just need a few accessories to add comfort to your home.

Choosing the right rugs for your space is an excellent way to soften the area. They break up the monotony of a hard floor surface and can act as a foundation piece that brings the room together. Rugs are a particularly pleasant addition to bedrooms because you can step out of bed in the morning onto a soft, warm surface rather than a cold, hard floor. In a living room, rugs offer a place to play, dance barefoot, make a pillow fort, or spread out for movie night. A large rug in a space that echoes is helpful in improving the acoustics, and according to Soundproof Living, fluffier rugs are the most efficient.

There is a rug at nearly any price point. Natural fibers are considerably more expensive than synthetic options (via MasterClass), so the best rug for your space is one with a design you love that fits your budget; however, there are also some lifestyle considerations. In busy family rooms with lots of foot traffic and pet hair, a silk rug may not last long. For a really durable option, polypropylene rugs are soft and can withstand spills and muddy footprints. Whatever you choose, any rug is better than no rug to soften a space.

Throw pillows are one of the most important accessories you can add to your home to soften your space, according to Amalia Home Collection. Of course, they come in colors and patterns to enhance your décor, but they are also a budget-friendly way to make your room feel cozy. If you looked at two photos of the same living room side-by-side, one with throw pillows and one without, there is no doubt which one would be more inviting. Even the sight of pillows just exudes comfort since they are literally fabric envelopes stuffed with softness.

When selecting pillows for your home, look for a combination of sizes and textures. An 18-inch square pillow pairs perfectly with a slightly smaller complementary option. While pillows with accessories like sequins can be cute, save those for side chairs, not for the place you want to lay your head while watching TV. With so many fun patterns and styles of pillows available, it can be tempting to go overboard, but remember to leave plenty of room to on your sofa to kick back and relax –- three pillows are enough, states Rapport International Furniture.

You simply cannot have a cozy, soft space without a good throw blanket. Even when it's not cold outside, a light blanket can offer comfort that adds to your ability to relax. Verywell Mind suggests that in the practice of Hygge, the sensory elements in your home environment help create a sense of well-being. These elements include sight and touch, so adding a cozy blanket to your space can help you feel less anxious and stressed. When tossed on the back of a sofa, especially a cold surface like leather, a throw blanket helps visually soften the space. When you are snuggled into one while sipping a hot cup of cocoa, maybe you can release your worries, even if just for a little while.

Like throw pillows, there are blankets in every style and price point. Fine woven blankets with fringe add texture when on display, while fluffier options look pretty in a big blanket basket. The right throw really depends on your personal taste. If you deal with anxiety or just need help winding down at the end of the day, weighted blankets can be exceptionally comforting (via the Sleep Foundation).

Nothing breaks up a cold, hard wall surface quite like curtains. Thick curtains are excellent at reducing the echo in a room, states Fosburit. If noise is not an issue in your space and you do not like the idea of heavy window coverings, sheer curtains offer the same visual softness while still letting in light. If you want to draw attention to your windows, select a beautiful pattern or a color that complements your room's color palette. For a more neutral look, select an option in the same hue as your walls.

Curtains can be combined with blinds or other types of window coverings. If you prefer the functionality of blinds, you can simply hang curtains to soften the space visually. Having both gives you the benefit of thoroughly keeping out winter drafts or sultry summer air, too. This is an area of your home where you can really get creative with layers.

Textiles are not limited to functional items in the home — they can also include wall art. Designing idea suggests using a panel of print fabrics to make an inexpensive statement in your space. If you have a large area to cover, you can make a simple frame out of wood or PVC pipe and secure your fabric with staples or Velcro to create a unique focal point.

Wall tapestries are also an attractive way to add softness and reduce echo in a room. Macramé wall hangings come in a wide variety of sizes, shapes, and colors, perfect for a boho space (via Coaster). Unique rugs collected from your travels or handwoven pieces bought from a fair-trade store are almost too special to just toss on the floor. Give them the place of honor they deserve as true works of art by hanging them on the wall to add visual interest to your room.