TL;DR
Get business pricing on tools and workshop supplies
- Business-only prices and quantity discounts
- Tax-exempt purchasing
- Multiple users, one account, clear invoices
A Livingetc report describes designers bringing tassels and other passementerie details into modern interiors through selective accents, unexpected color, and clean-lined designs. The examples show how the traditional craft is being used in contemporary settings, but the report does not establish how widespread the trend is.
Interior designers are bringing tassels into modern homes as selective accents, according to a Livingetc report on contemporary uses of passementerie, the craft of decorative textile trims. The examples range from monochrome curtain tiebacks to sculptural lighting and furniture, showing how designers are placing traditional ornament in otherwise pared-back rooms.
The report centers on Jessica Light, a London-based passementerie weaver who has made tassels and trims by hand for more than 30 years. Light says designers can adapt the craft through different techniques and applications, and recommends using one prominent decorative piece in a sparse room rather than applying ornament everywhere. Her work uses materials including linen, wool, horsehair and paper, alongside deadstock materials where possible.
Light told Livingetc that she is receiving bespoke commissions for single statement tassels, which can function as hanging sculptures and add color, texture, or visual emphasis. She also favors contrasts, such as a cool-toned trim against an earthy room, and says a simple, single-color design can still make an impact. At Samuel & Sons, senior vice president of design Marisa Gutmacher also recommends unexpected color pairings or tonal combinations that contrast in texture or luster.
The report points to practical and decorative applications. British studio Penrose Tilbury used a black tassel tieback on a shower curtain in a Victorian townhouse, while monochrome silk tassels from East London Cloth have been used on tiebacks, light pulls and keys. French designers Hauvette & Madani introduced the Betty Lamp in 2021 and returned to passementerie in a 2026 furniture collection, using cords and substantial tassels to hold a chair bolster in place.
Tassels Move Beyond Traditional Rooms
The examples matter because they show a way to use ornament without making a room feel heavily decorated. A single tieback, light pull or pendant can provide color and texture while the rest of a space remains clean-lined. That approach gives homeowners and designers a smaller-scale option than changing furniture or fabrics across an entire room.
The report also draws attention to passementerie as a specialist craft. Light describes the tradition as a largely lost world, while the projects demonstrate continuing demand for custom work. These examples suggest that designers are finding contemporary uses for hand-finished trims, although the report does not quantify sales or establish a broad market shift.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
A Heritage Craft, Reworked
Passementerie refers to decorative textile elements such as fringes, cords and tassels. Light told Livingetc that the craft can be traced to ancient Egypt and has moved in and out of favor as interior tastes have changed. She said modernism nearly ended its appeal, but argued that its range of techniques allows designers to reinterpret it.
The article’s examples span different types of interiors rather than a single style: a bathroom in a renovated Victorian townhouse, a pared-back bedroom with tasseled pendant lights, and furniture that incorporates decorative cords. The common thread is selective use, not a return to extensive traditional trim. The report presents these projects as evidence of renewed design interest, rather than as proof that tassels are appearing in most homes.
““They’re almost like an exclamation mark: a piece of passementerie punctuation in your space.””
— Jessica Light, passementerie weaver, speaking to Livingetc
decorative textile trims for furniture
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
How Broad Is the Design Shift?
The report does not provide sales figures, survey data or market comparisons showing how common tassels have become in contemporary homes. Its evidence consists of designer comments, selected projects and product examples. It is therefore unclear whether the renewed interest extends widely beyond design studios and clients commissioning custom interiors.
There is also no detailed information on the cost or availability of bespoke pieces, or on how often homeowners are choosing tassels over other decorative finishes. The examples establish that the craft is being used in modern settings; they do not show how long the interest will last or whether it represents a sustained shift in consumer taste.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
More Projects Will Test the Trend
The cited projects offer a view of how designers are applying passementerie now, including Hauvette & Madani’s 2026 La 23ème Heur collection. Further collections, commissioned interiors and reporting on the craft’s makers could show whether such details remain occasional statements or become more common in contemporary homes. For now, the source report’s clearest takeaway is practical: designers are using tassels selectively, with placement, color and material determining how they relate to a room.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Key Questions
What is passementerie?
Passementerie is the craft of making decorative textile trims and ornaments, including tassels, cords and fringes.
How are designers using tassels in modern interiors?
The examples in the Livingetc report include curtain tiebacks, light pulls, pendant lights and furniture. Designers often use them as individual accents in otherwise restrained rooms.
Who is Jessica Light?
Jessica Light is a London-based passementerie weaver who has made tassels and trims by hand for more than 30 years, according to the report.
Does the report prove tassels are a widespread home trend?
No. It documents designer comments and selected projects, but gives no sales data or other measure of how common tassels are across homes.
Source: rss
Halloween Picks
halloween
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
