A light touch

In a world dominated by digital technology, there’s a growing desire to reconnect with natural materials and textures. These tactile elements offer a sense of calm, grounding us and reminding us of the physical world around us. Now more than ever as we seek balance and emotional connection, natural textures help create harmony in our homes and workspaces, providing both a visual and sensory escape from the screen.

Texture has become a focal point in contemporary interiors. Thick bouclé, natural linens, and earthy materials like cork, bamboo, and natural stone are playing a significant role in the furniture and accessories we choose for our homes. These materials don’t just look beautiful - they feel authentic, pure, and imperfect, creating an atmosphere of comfort and tranquility.

When we visually absorb these textures, our mind leads us to imagine how that surface might feel to touch. The layering of these textural elements are essential in creating comfortable and relaxing environments. The feeling of touch and tactile surfaces are a vital component in our design aesthetic, as they can form the mood, tone and temperature of a room.

We explore how light reacts with the surface. Raised textures can absorb light to convey a sense of warmth and relaxation, whilst pairing complementary textures like a raw, porous ceramic with a soft, woven fabric lampshade creates a balanced space. Our recently launched Ayda and Elara table lamps illustrate this perfectly. Their surfaces contain little grooves and craters. Each one tells a completely unique story of how the pieces are made.

Tactility can of course run deeper than the surface texture. Take our Elder and Cedar table lamps – the sunken groves of the ceramic are almost impossible not to touch. The verticle ridges allow light to fall across the base in a playful way. Running your finger across its surface provides us with a sensory experience that makes it more than just an attractive product. It becomes a key part of the rooms atmosphere and identity.

Read more about our design process at the Heathfield Studio. If you feel inspired, view our product collections here.