The economic downturn of recent years has inspired a deeper appreciation for home sweet home. People spend more time on the homefront and this has prompted a trend towards making it a haven of color, comfort and creativity. Those three C's will be the most important words in home decor and interior design in 2012.

Rich jewel tones and bold colors will take center stage in the new year. Sapphire, ruby, emerald, coral, deep cream and amethyst will be top choices for opulence, according to design experts at Sabal Homes, an award-winning custom builder headquartered outside of Charleston, South Carolina. Bright shades from all color families will pour cheer and energy into every room, but the need for calm serenity will not be lost when brilliance is paired with balancing neutrals like warm whites, soft grays and a palate of browns such as khaki, sandstone and camel. 

Wood and marble finishes will continue to prove their timeless appeal during 2012. Fabrics and textures will be all about luxurious comfort with popular options being leather, flannel, tweed and other classics taken from menswear. Lori Dennis, celebrity interior designer and star of HGTV’s "The Real Designing Women" expects camel and cigar brown will be seen often in tweeds, while hound's tooth checks will feature black, green, blue and red. Other color and fabric combinations will be silk paisley's in luscious shades of plum and tangerine as well as flannel wools in gray pinstripes. 

Technology, comfort and beauty will continue to merge in 2012 as more time at home means a greater demand for technology that takes entertainment to cutting edge levels - without placing a bulky, electronic eyesore in the room. LED TV reviews show that technology continues to advance at lightening speed to offer viewers premium quality, options and convenient use, all built into aesthetically pleasing designs that can work with various decors. 

Decorating in 2012 will be an open invitation to self-expression. Included in the mix will be traditional touches added to exotic prints, shiny fabrics married to old school classics, unusual but intriguing color combinations, injections of neon and decorating adventures between vintage and modern pieces. Focal pieces may be highly personalized, such as a piano enthusiast using sheet music as wall art. This idea is included in the 2012 catalog of home products leader, IKEA, along with other unique uses for ordinary items, such as designing a mural from small, square sticky notes that contain positive messages, and mounting a simple straight back chair to the wall and using the seat as a shelf for books, photos or a flower arrangement. 

The three C's of 2012 home styling encourage the new era of happy homebodies to make the most of their living space. Whether they are browsing LED TV reviews for their best bet in home entertainment or trying to decide between teal blue or robin red accent pillows, designing their haven will be an opportunity to explore and express their imaginative side without sacrificing comfort and good taste. 

What better way to say, "There’s no place like home"?

Kathleen Hubert is a blogger who writes on a variety of different sites. Check out more of her work at LED TV reviews.