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HomeIITR INSIGHTFrom Shine to Substance: How India’s Surface Preferences Are Changing

From Shine to Substance: How India’s Surface Preferences Are Changing

Priyanka Dwivedi, Bureau Forma

India’s organised modular interiors market is moving beyond glossy finishes. Data from the India Interior Trend Report 2026–27 shows that matte and suede textures now account for nearly 59% of the decorative laminate texture market, signalling a clear shift towards softer, more tactile surface preferences.

The Observation

India’s surface market is entering a more refined and more expressive phase. The
conversation is moving beyond shine alone and toward surfaces that feel calmer, richer, and
far more aligned with the way homes are actually being imagined today. The India Interior
Trend Report 2026–27 places laminates at approximately 53% of the organised modular
surface market, making it the single most important surface family in the category. Acrylic
follows at around 18%, membrane at 13%, aluminium and glass at 6%, PU at 4%, PET at 3%, and veneer at 2%.

What is changing most visibly within this mix is the rise of supermatt and texture-led
laminates. The report notes that matte and suede finishes now account for 58.6% of the
decorative laminate texture market, clearly showing where customer preference is moving.
Supermatt is evolving further into a super-soft, low-sheen premium language that feels
more sophisticated, more understated, and more contemporary than conventional gloss.

At the same time, texture has become far more advanced. Today’s laminates can carry such realistic surface expression that they begin to evoke the feel of leather, veneer, stone, or crafted natural material with surprising depth and believability. This is giving designers and brands a much stronger vocabulary of mood, tactility, and visual richness.

Why It Matters

Surface preference is no longer only about finish. It is increasingly about feeling.

Supermatt is gaining ground because it signals restraint, elegance, and control. It reflects the broader movement toward quieter premium interiors. Texture is gaining importance
because customers now want surfaces that do more than carry colour — they want surfaces that bring character, realism, and sensory depth into the space.

This matters commercially because the market is becoming more design-aware. A flat glossy finish is no longer the only way to express premium. In many homes, premium is now being read through softness, depth, and material likeness. PET remains important in this shift because it represents an emerging next-generation surface direction, but the strongest movement today is clearly being led by supermatt and textured surfaces.

“The surface that wins next is the one that feels as convincing as it looks.”

Business Implication

For brands, this is the moment to invest more sharply in supermatt, super-soft finishes, and high-authenticity textured surfaces.

For designers, it is a cue to move beyond gloss-led recommendations and build stronger
surface stories around touch, mood, and realism.

For traders and dealers, it is a reminder that customers are no longer choosing only by
colour card. They are responding to finish behaviour, surface feel, and the emotional quality
of material expression.

Because the next surface shift in India is not just about less gloss. It is about more depth,
softness, and authenticity.

(This article is part of the IITR INSIGHT series by Bureau Forma, interpreting findings from the India Interior Trend Report 2026–27)

About the Author
Priyanka Dwivedi is the founder of Bureau Forma, a strategic consulting firm focused on the
interiors and modular furniture sector. She is the author of the India Interior Trend Report.

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