TOP TRIMMINGS
Tassels, braids and fringes are being reinvented for the modern home – take inspiration from these stylish designs
Trimmings – or passementerie, to give them their more romantic name – are back in vogue after years in the decorating wilderness. Italian designer Cristina Celestino revived them in spectacular fashion in her ‘Corallo’ installation, for which she festooned a Milanese tram with an array of fringes, rope cords and patterned borders; her ‘Gilda’ sofa and ‘Tripolino’ tables for Editions Milano are similarly embellished.
At House of Hackney, Soho Home and Gucci Décor, you can purchase tasselled cushions and furniture reminiscent of Victorian salons, while American designers Kelly Wearstler and Laura Kirar are making passementerie look modern again with chic, geometric trimmings. Wearstler’s latest collection for Groundworks at Lee Jofa (above, from £45 per metre, GP & J Baker; gpjbaker.com) includes graphic borders inspired by the Bauhaus and a chunky bullion fringe, while Kirar’s ‘Artesania X’ range for British brand Samuel & Sons is influenced by Mexican handcrafts.
‘Technology and new materials are redefining trimmings,’ says Michael Cohen, president of Samuel & Sons. ‘Hair-on-hide finishes, appliqué techniques and laser cutting are just some of the innovations that have transformed their staid image, and many of the new designs can be used in ways that were once impractical, such as on walls and around doorways.’ ➤
London designer Jessica Light makes vibrant, modern pieces that can be customised to your interior. ‘Everything we do is designed to work in a contemporary home,’ she says. ‘Trimmings only look old-fashioned if they’re overused. The trick is not to think of them just as edgings, but as tools to add interest to a scheme: pick one to three colours from the fabrics, paint and wallpapers you’re using and coordinate the trims, or be brave with a single contrast hue. Even a small key tassel on a drawer handle or light pull can be striking.’
Selecting a bright colour, such as the vibrant pinks and teals of the oversized tassels used (far right) to show off the joyful hues in British design brand House of Hackney’s ‘Mamounia’ wallpaper, will add drama to any room.
Ornate designs are on offer at Nina Campbell and Osborne & Little – both brands excel at bead trims and embroidered borders – and Kate Spade at Kravet delivers chic dot motifs (far left). Use them to adorn cushions, curtains and more – the only limit is your imagination.