MATERIALS · 30 OCTOBER 2026

Choosing interior materials beyond the sample board.

Ali Shamkhali · Interior & millwork design

A material sample is a useful beginning, but it is only a fragment of a room. The decisions become more interesting when that fragment is placed beside its neighbours, viewed from different positions and considered as part of everyday life.

Begin with a relationship

Before collecting finishes, describe what should hold the interior together. Perhaps it is the relationship between timber and a quiet painted surface, or between a patterned stone and simpler cabinet fronts. This gives the selection process a direction without requiring every material to match.

Choose a leading element, then ask what the supporting materials contribute. A second expressive surface might add depth, but it might also make the first harder to appreciate. The aim is a clear relationship between the parts, rather than a board full of individually attractive objects.

Look in the room

Where possible, bring the samples into the space they are intended for. Look at them near the window and farther into the room. Revisit them at another time of day, and under the lighting available in the evening. Treat these observations as part of the decision, rather than trying to settle everything from a photograph.

A phone image can help record a combination, but it should not replace seeing the physical samples together. Keep a short written note about what you notice: which finish feels warmer, which draws attention and which makes the room feel more settled. Those notes can be more useful than remembering that a sample simply looked “right.”

Change the orientation

Lay a worktop sample horizontally and hold a cabinet finish vertically. Position a backsplash sample behind them instead of spreading everything flat on a table. This small exercise makes the arrangement closer to the relationships being designed.

Also consider the amount of each material. A compact stone sample and a compact timber sample occupy equal space on a board, even when one will cover a large island and the other only a narrow detail. Sketch the main surfaces or place the samples beside an elevation to keep their intended proportions in mind.

Include the quiet details

A palette includes more than the largest surfaces. Edges, visible cabinet interiors, handles and the meeting point between a panel and a wall all deserve a place in the conversation. Bring the relevant samples together before treating the main colour selection as complete.

In millwork design, these junctions connect material choices to the drawings. An elevation can show where a finish starts and stops; a detail can explain what happens at its edge. Discussing both helps make the intended appearance understandable to everyone reviewing the work.

Separate appearance from suitability

Enjoying a finish does not answer every practical question about it. Identify where it will be used and what questions remain about cleaning, care or installation. Obtain the current information for the exact selected product from its manufacturer or supplier before approving it.

Keep those answers with the selection record. A similar colour name, a different finish or an alternative product should be reviewed as a new choice, rather than assumed to behave or look the same. This article is a design review approach, not a substitute for product-specific technical instructions.

Make the final selection traceable

Record the approved product, finish, intended location and sample reference in one place. If the choice changes, update that record and the affected drawings together. A considered palette is easier to carry forward when the decisions remain clear after the sample board has been put away.

For a view of the studio’s documented work, explore the Renu Clinic presentation and selected projects. To discuss materials as part of an interior or millwork brief, contact Studio.