Resolved: A more beautiful, more comfortable home

Make a bold style statement for 2013!

Many of us have made promises to ourselves pledging to be better, healthier people in 2013. At the same time, quite a few of us are also looking to give that same sort of attention and effort to our homes.

It makes sense: We’ve enjoyed some free time at home, often with holiday guests, and attended parties at the homes of friends and relatives. All this socializing helps us see what’s right and what’s not so right about our homes. It also helps that the visits to our friends have exposed us to new ideas in colors, design or furnishings.

Perhaps we don’t make home-décor resolutions with the same solemnity that we use when we pledge to eat less and exercise more, but most of us recognize that a more attractive and comfortable home cannot hurt our pursuit of inner peace and calm.

So, knowing that January has always been a big month for redecorating – whether because of New Year’s resolutions or just because folks want to spruce up for the Super Bowl, we would like to offer a few suggestions.

Don’t bite off more than you can chew: Work one room at a time. Make a priority list and try to make orderly progress. Nothing’s more discouraging than starting too many projects at once and never really finishing any of them.

Remember that a redo can be almost effective as an overhaul: A new paint color, a few new accent pieces, or a new arrangement of your furniture can refresh a room nearly as well as if you renovated everything.

Put the strongest accent on comfort: American Leather has built its business with great style and innovative design, but underneath it all, we know that we can never lose sight of the comfort imperative. As you consider new furnishings or new room arrangements, always ask yourself: Is it comfortable?

Have fun with colors and style, but always keep it comfortable.

Be fresh and have fun: For some adventurous souls, this advice is unnecessary, but many among us are quite cautious about taking style risks. Still, we believe the use of vibrant colors and style makes a room more beautiful and more comfortable. If you aren’t sure what works, there are tremendous resources available in the form of design professionals, books and the web. Don’t forget to follow us on Pinterest for a bit extra inspiration, http://pinterest.com/americanleather.

Don’t forget the most important rule, have fun!