Above, the McAlpine Home leather chair surprises many as a swivel chair. Photo courtesy of James Craig Furnishings

It’s Rodeo season in Houston but across the nation we’re seeing leather and fringe incorporated into interior design. Many arebeautifully crafted pieces. Some are truly unique applications.

1. Leather is no longer considered a masculine fabric. The availability of unique styles and colors for leather furniture is impressive. The McAlpine Home leather chair, shown above, gets high marks from our team for comfort and sharp looks. Guests are pleasantly surprised with the swivel motion (Not your grandfather’s recliner) that’s available in sophisticated furnishings today. We see lighter shades of leather in pillows and rugs for a feminine touch with durability. Last fall at High Point Market, Pamela was drawn to this fun, coral pillow with fringe lying on a traditional blue sofa. A great use of an accent color!

2. When using leather and fringe, don’t go overboard. Start with a quality leather sofa or chair with clean lines. Then combine that look with other fabrics with different texture. We love the sleek look of a classic leather sofa with an incredibly luxurious throw in a fun color like red, coral or teal. Alternatively, weave in leather and fringe to your spaces with smaller pieces like the ottoman shown below.

3. Across all aspects of interior design, perhaps the greatest trend of all is a high level of customization. Rather than buying a product at a furniture chain, many buyers are opting to find or create a furniture piece that may cost more but is likely to last for decades. Leather is no different. The personal touch of leather is a favorite again, especially in leather-like counters. We recently installed Sandalus Leather Quartzite from Pomogranit in a client’s home theater for a luxurious yet tough finish. We chose the slab shown below on the left and it really looked fabulous.

Leather boots and fringe skirts aren’t just for rodeo season. The clever uses and multitude of colors certainly offer unique décor options.