40 Passementerie Designs that Delight in the Details

‘Passementerie’ sounds for all the world like a term of the trade that only historians and interior designers would drop in conversation, but five centuries after its debut — when French craftspeople developed the art of winding thread (‘passement’ refers to lace) to create intricate ornaments like tassels, fringes, pompoms, rosettes and more — you might say it’s becoming a household term all over again. Ornamentation that was once primarily associated with historical garments and interiors is flourishing on drapes, sofas, ottomans — all of which you can see in this fantastically ornate sitting room by San Francisco designer Jonathan Rachman — and we’d like to make a case for bringing it into your space. How can you put it to work? We’re so glad you asked.