The magic of leather in your home

July 23, 2015 Guest Post

Decorating with leather is by no means a new phenomenon. Leather work is one of the oldest crafts known to mankind and ever since hides became available for domestic use, we’ve been using them in our homes. There’s just something about the look, smell and feel of leather which brings a timeless, opulent feel to any room in your home.

A design classic
Invest in a statement piece of leather furniture, and you know you will still love it for years to come. Leather, more than any other fabric we use in our home, stands the test of time. Like a fine wine, leather furniture simply gets better with age – each new crease or change in colour signifying a history of use. A leather Chesterfield sofa or leather bedstead look stunning no matter how many times we change our interior design scheme around them.

Elegance and opulence
Leather pieces give off an undeniable aura of richness and luxury, adding refined glamour to the home. Textured and luxurious, leather furnishings provide focal points for your room, fitting seamlessly into contemporary or traditional interiors and giving your home a welcoming atmosphere.

Child friendly
While, it may not seem like an obvious choice for families with young children, leather is actually both beautiful and durable. While a different upholstery choice might stain, leather easily wipes clean with a damp cloth, so you can remove those sticky fingerprints. With the right care, your leather furniture should last for generations, withstanding anything your children may throw at it.

Think differently
While leather sofas and chairs are the norm in many households, leather can be used to stunning effect across other parts of the home. Leather floortiles offer a real design statement, giving a room texture and warmth. Kitchen cabinets can be finished in leather for a truly unusual bespoke look or a feature wall can be covered in leather rather than traditional wallpaper. Not only does leather have acoustical value, absorbing sound easily, but it has insulating properties which can make a room warmer.
Also, there’s no need to stick to neutral colours – although classic designs do, undeniably, look beautiful in taupes, browns and blacks. Leather can be dyed any colour, so you could combine the traditional look of a Chesterfield or Barcelona sofa, for example, with a stunning contemporary hue such as cobalt blue or sunflower yellow. The colours, grains and textures that can be used are limitless.

Those finishing touches
Choosing to invest in a big piece of leather furniture such as a bed or sofa is understandably a popular option, but leather can also be used to sublime effect in the finishing touches of any room. Leather lampshades, or bases, are a unique way to bring this versatile material into your home. Textured leather mirrors or photo frames look beautiful as display pieces and leather scatter cushions or seat pads for your dining chairs provide contrast to other fabrics.
However you choose to bring leather into your interior design scheme, this beautiful and versatile material will bring a sumptuous natural element to your home décor.

Bill began learning his artisan skills in Australia 30 years ago before opening his studio back in the 90’s. The studio creates bespoke products and interiors for individuals and companies across the world. Bill can be found in his London studio at Bill Amberg Studio.