Choosing textures for interiors is less about collecting 8K files and more about scale, roughness, and honesty in albedo. A client will notice a 20 cm tile that reads as 60 cm, or a “matte” oak that mirrors the HDRI. This selection guide walks through floors, walls, metals, and soft surfaces using free CC0 PBR textures from Locker3d.

Start with real-world scale

Before you pick a map, write the real size: plank width, tile module, slab height. Then set UV or mapping so one repeat matches that size. A 2K wood that is calibrated to 20 cm planks looks sharper than an 8K wood stretched across the room. The same rule applies to floor tiles and stone slabs. If the library lists physical size, use it; if not, measure a known object in the photo.

PBR map roles are covered in what PBR textures are. Albedo sRGB, everything else linear — including the roughness that decides whether a kitchen feels wet or dry.

Floors and counters: roughness first

Interiors live or die on horizontal surfaces. Pick albedo for species and grout color, then spend time on roughness. Sealed oak sits lower (smoother) than oiled oak. Polished marble needs a tight roughness and a clean normal; honed stone needs higher roughness so it does not look like plastic. Do not bake ceiling lights into the floor albedo.

  • Hero floor: 4K tileable, 2K detail normal optional.
  • Grout: slightly higher roughness than the tile face.
  • Metalness 0 on wood, stone, ceramic; 1 only on metal inlays.

Walls, concrete, and paint

Painted drywall often needs only a subtle normal and a roughness around 0.5–0.7. Feature concrete or brick should be 2K–4K with a height map if you will see raking light. Keep albedo lighter than a phone photo; cameras underexpose gray walls. Avoid repeating a single stain every two meters — add a large noise on roughness or a second UV, as in other variation workflows on the blog.

Metals, fabrics, and the rest of the kit

Faucets and lamp stems: metal with metalness 1, dark albedo, and a brushed or polished roughness. Do not put the reflection in the color map. Fabrics and leather need a fine normal and often a sheen or specular-roughness pair; if you only have a CC0 albedo, derive a soft roughness from luminance and keep metalness at 0. Glass is transmission, not a gray albedo.

Connect everything in Blender with this Principled setup. The same files go to Corona, V-Ray, or Unreal if color space is tagged.

License and a small library that covers most rooms

You do not need fifty woods. A warm oak, a dark walnut, a matte tile, a terrazzo, a concrete, a brushed steel, and a limestone cover most residential stills. Locker3d publishes those categories as CC0: commercial interiors, no attribution required. Confirm other sites before you mix. Read CC0 textures: what you can and cannot do and browse the full catalog.

Frequently asked questions

Which PBR maps do interior stills need?

Albedo (sRGB), roughness (linear), normal (linear), and metalness only where metal exists. Floors and countertops benefit from height or a strong normal. AO is optional if your renderer already computes contact shadows.

What resolution should interior materials use?

Hero floors, islands, and feature walls: 4K. Secondary walls, backs of cabinets, and distant rooms: 2K. Tileable CC0 wood and stone at 4K with correct plank or tile size beats a unique 8K that does not tile.

Can I use Locker3d textures in paid interior visualizations?

Yes. Locker3d maps are CC0: commercial client work, no required credit. Do not present a library oak as a custom millwork scan, and do not mix in a CC BY floor without adding that credit.