Thus decorative material provides comfort (6)
I believe the answer is:
solace
'comfort' is the definition.
(I know that comfort can be written as solace)
'thus decorative material' is the wordplay.
'thus' becomes 'so' (synonyms).
'decorative material' becomes 'lace' (I've seen this in another clue).
'so'+'lace'='SOLACE'
'provides' is the link.
(Other definitions for solace that I've seen before include "Comfort at a time of sadness" , "Relief in affliction" , "Kind of comfort - a close thing" , "console" , "Comfort in time of distress" .)