Materials & Textures Prompt Library

Material board with wood, stone, and metal samples arranged on a neutral backdrop
Reliable phrasing for wood, stone, and metals—consistent, believable, and cross-style friendly.

A compact library of **reliable materials** and phrasing that tends to produce believable, repeatable results across interiors and exteriors. Use these as **prompt atoms** and keep them consistent between options so clients compare design—**not** rendering variance.

  • Wood: quarter-sawn oak, charred cedar (shou sugi ban), walnut veneer.
  • Stone: honed travertine, limestone, board-formed concrete (texture).
  • Metal: patinated copper, weathering steel (corten), brushed aluminum.

Prompt Recipes (Copy-Paste)

Add one or two materials per surface group; avoid mixing too many finishes in a single view.

Wood

quarter-sawn oak, warm tone, subtle cathedral grain, matte finish, tight joinery, realistic edge detail
charred cedar (shou sugi ban), deep black tone, visible wood texture, matte, minimal specular highlight

Stone & Concrete

honed travertine, light beige, soft linear veining, low reflectance, tight grout lines
board-formed concrete, horizontal grain imprint, cool gray tone, slight surface variation, matte

Metals

patinated copper, soft green-blue oxidation, slight variation, low gloss, architectural paneling
weathering steel (corten), warm rust tone, subtle streaking, matte finish, controlled reflectivity

Optional negatives: no plastic shine, no mirror finish, no noisy textures, no tiling seams, no watermark, no logos.

Lighting Compatibility Tips

  • Golden hour: warms oak/walnut; keep metals matte to avoid glare.
  • Overcast: flattens contrast; add micro-variation to stone/wood for realism.
  • Night/blue hour: manage speculars on brass/aluminum; use warm interior key lights.
  • Studio/white: ideal for material boards—neutral light reveals true color.

Troubleshooting (Common Defects → Fixes)

  • Plastic shine on wood/stone: add “matte” / “low reflectance”; reduce “glossy” terms.
  • Tiling seams visible: add “no tiling seams, natural variation, non-repeating pattern”.
  • Metal looks painted: specify “brushed / patinated / weathered, visible grain”.
  • Noise or grit: add “clean surface, subtle micro-variation, no heavy grain”.

Do / Don’t (Quick Guardrails)

Do

  • Limit palette: one hero material + one secondary + one accent.
  • Use “matte / low reflectance” for believable architectural finishes.
  • Keep camera and lighting consistent across options.

Don’t

  • Mix too many finishes in one view.
  • Use mirror-like metals unless it’s intentional and controlled.
  • Rely on color shifts to fake material changes—describe texture & finish.

Changelog

  • 2025-09-25 — Added recipes, negatives, compatibility, and troubleshooting.
  • 2025-09-12 — Initial library draft and hero image.