diff --git a/packages/editor/src/components/viewer-overlay.tsx b/packages/editor/src/components/viewer-overlay.tsx
index 28f5f876..d89482fb 100644
--- a/packages/editor/src/components/viewer-overlay.tsx
+++ b/packages/editor/src/components/viewer-overlay.tsx
@@ -26,8 +26,10 @@ import {
   ChevronRight,
   Diamond,
   Layers,
+  Palette,
   PenLine,
   Sparkles,
+  Square,
 } from 'lucide-react'
 import Link from 'next/link'
 import { useShallow } from 'zustand/react/shallow'
@@ -37,6 +39,7 @@ import {
   DropdownMenu,
   DropdownMenuContent,
   DropdownMenuItem,
+  DropdownMenuSeparator,
   DropdownMenuTrigger,
 } from './ui/primitives/dropdown-menu'
 import { TooltipProvider } from './ui/primitives/tooltip'
@@ -87,8 +90,14 @@ const SHADING_OPTIONS = [
   { id: 'rendered', name: 'Rendered', detail: 'Full ambient occlusion', icon: Sparkles },
 ] as const
 
+const TEXTURE_OPTIONS = [
+  { id: true, name: 'Colored', detail: 'Show materials, textures & colours', icon: Palette },
+  { id: false, name: 'Monochrome', detail: 'Flat clay surfaces by role', icon: Square },
+] as const
+
 function RenderModeMenu() {
   const shading = useViewer((s) => s.shading)
+  const textures = useViewer((s) => s.textures)
   const active = SHADING_OPTIONS.find((o) => o.id === shading) ?? SHADING_OPTIONS[0]
   const ActiveIcon = active.icon
   return (
@@ -121,6 +130,23 @@ function RenderModeMenu() {
             </DropdownMenuItem>
           )
         })}
+        <DropdownMenuSeparator />
+        {TEXTURE_OPTIONS.map((option) => {
+          const OptionIcon = option.icon
+          return (
+            <DropdownMenuItem
+              key={option.name}
+              onSelect={() => useViewer.getState().setTextures(option.id)}
+            >
+              <OptionIcon />
+              <div className="flex flex-col">
+                <span className="text-foreground">{option.name}</span>
+                <span className="text-muted-foreground text-xs">{option.detail}</span>
+              </div>
+              {textures === option.id ? <Check className="ml-auto text-foreground" /> : null}
+            </DropdownMenuItem>
+          )
+        })}
       </DropdownMenuContent>
     </DropdownMenu>
   )
diff --git a/packages/nodes/src/item/renderer.tsx b/packages/nodes/src/item/renderer.tsx
index 5e7586ec..dc18848c 100644
--- a/packages/nodes/src/item/renderer.tsx
+++ b/packages/nodes/src/item/renderer.tsx
@@ -9,16 +9,15 @@ import {
   type ItemNode,
   isSlotMaterialName,
   LIBRARY_MATERIAL_REF_PREFIX,
+  type LightEffect,
   SCENE_MATERIAL_REF_PREFIX,
   toLibraryMaterialRef,
-  type LightEffect,
   useInteractive,
   useLiveNodeOverrides,
   useRegistry,
   useScene,
 } from '@pascal-app/core'
 import {
-  baseMaterial,
   type ColorPreset,
   createDefaultMaterial,
   createSurfaceRoleMaterial,
@@ -121,11 +120,6 @@ const captureItemMeshMaterials = (mesh: Mesh): CapturedItemMaterialData => {
   return next
 }
 
-const hasCapturedSlot = (captured: CapturedItemMaterialData): boolean =>
-  Array.isArray(captured.slotIds)
-    ? captured.slotIds.some((slotId) => slotId != null)
-    : captured.slotIds != null
-
 const isCapturedMaterialArray = (
   captured: CapturedItemMaterialData,
 ): captured is CapturedMultiItemMaterialData => Array.isArray(captured.authoredMaterials)
@@ -155,20 +149,19 @@ const resolveItemMaterial = (
   curatedRef: string | undefined,
   {
     colorPreset,
-    isAuthored,
     nodeSlots,
     sceneMaterials,
     shading,
     textures,
   }: {
     colorPreset: ColorPreset
-    isAuthored: boolean
     nodeSlots: ItemNode['slots']
     sceneMaterials: SceneMaterials
     shading: RenderShading
     textures: boolean
   },
 ): Material => {
+  // Monochrome (textures off): collapse to the themed furnishing clay colour.
   if (!textures) return createSurfaceRoleMaterial('furnishing', colorPreset)
   if (authoredMaterial.name.toLowerCase() === 'glass') return glassMaterial
   if (slotId != null) {
@@ -178,8 +171,10 @@ const resolveItemMaterial = (
     if (curated) return curated
     return authoredMaterial
   }
-  if (isAuthored) return authoredMaterial
-  return baseMaterial(shading)
+  // Colored (textures on): show the item's real authored material — its
+  // textures, vertex colours, and default colours — for every item, not just
+  // slot-authored ones (no more strip-to-clay default).
+  return authoredMaterial
 }
 
 const BrokenItemFallback = ({ node }: { node: ItemNode }) => {
@@ -334,7 +329,6 @@ const ModelRenderer = ({ node }: { node: ItemNode }) => {
     if (!root) return
 
     const meshEntries: { mesh: Mesh; captured: CapturedItemMaterialData }[] = []
-    let isAuthored = false
 
     root.traverse((child) => {
       if (!(child as Mesh).isMesh) return
@@ -345,13 +339,11 @@ const ModelRenderer = ({ node }: { node: ItemNode }) => {
       }
 
       const captured = captureItemMeshMaterials(mesh)
-      if (hasCapturedSlot(captured)) isAuthored = true
       if (mesh.name !== 'cutout') meshEntries.push({ mesh, captured })
     })
 
     const materialOptions = {
       colorPreset,
-      isAuthored,
       nodeSlots: node.slots,
       sceneMaterials,
       shading,