Your furniture doesn't talk to each other (and it shows)

I was scrolling through r/HomeDecorating on Reddit the other day when I stumbled upon this living room.

At first glance, it seemed like a fun mix.

Rust chairs, a playful blue accent chair and a multicolored rug with a cool mix of tones.

Individually? Nice pieces.

But together? No real connection.

Just furniture existing in the same room like awkward strangers at a party.

And that’s exactly why so many rooms fall flat–materials and textures that don’t connect.

The Key to Cohesion: Repeat Materials & Texture

Case Study 1: The Power of Wood Tones

Picture this: You’ve got an oak coffee table in your living room. But it’s the only piece of light wood in your home.

Does it feel intentional? Not really.

It sticks out like a vegetarian at a steakhouse.

Here’s the trick: repeat the same tone elsewhere in your home:

Oak dining chairs in the kitchen.
A picture frame in the hallway.
Perhaps a bookshelf in the office.

Now your coffee table doesn’t feel lonely. It feels cohesive. Intentional.

👉 See that warm-toned teak on the dining table and chairs?

Now look again–it’s in the kitchen cabinets, the window frames, the sliding doors. That’s what makes this space work.

Case Study 2: Texture as a Unifier

Texture is everything.

Imagine a room packed with hard, glossy surfaces. Glass. Metal. Plastic. Porcelain Floors.

Feels sterile right? Like you’re waiting for a doctor to diagnose your living room with acute blandness.

Now throw in soft touches. Linen curtains. A wool blanket. Instantly warmer. Cosier.

But don’t stop at one texture. One touch of softness will feel out of place. To make it work, repeat the texture.

Credit: Photo by Anson Smart

👉 See the plush rugs? The blankets? The tapestry? All rich, soft textures. Now look at the living room (right). Same story. Soft rug. Velvet lounge. Textural chair. It’s not a coincidence. This is textural repetition at work.

Case Study 3: Connecting Rooms

Cohesion isn’t just about individual rooms. If your home feels choppy, you’re likely missing material connections across spaces.

Here’s how it works:

Picture a velvet sofa in your living room. Then, repeat the velvet dining chairs in the dining room in another color. Suddenly, the two rooms feel related without being matchy-matchy.
Or a woven rattan bench in an entryway. Carry that texture into the bedroom with a rattan headboard or light fixture. Simple yet powerful.

Credit: Photo by Caitlin Mills

👉 See that rust-coloured sofa in the living room? Now the rust bedspread and pillows in the bedroom. Not the exact same fabric. Doesn’t matter.

They’re both soft, rich material–just enough of a link to feel intentional, unlike a forced matching set.

How to Nail Cohesion in Your Own Home

1. Take a Walkthrough

Look at your space. Are there materials that only appear once?

Those are the elements making your home feel disconnected.

2. Pick a Material to Repeat

Choose a material–wood, metal, stone, velvet, rattan–and introduce it in another room. It doesn’t have to be big. Even a small accent piece can make a huge difference.

3. Ditch the “One and Done” Approach

One-off materials? They feel accidental. To make your design intentional, repeat a material at least twice.

Three times? Now, that’s when it makes a statement.

4. Think Big Picture

Link materials between rooms, not just within them.

Then your entire home will feel cohesive.

Small shifts, big impact.

Give it a try.

– Reynard