Last week I participated in a Pattern Challenge by Spoonflower, a print on demand site that offers wallpaper, fabric, and decor from artists all over the world. The theme was Passementerie. While brainstorming some ideas for what my design would become I did a little research on Passementerie. Just like most design elements much is borrowed from the past but made relevant and fresh with new contemporary styling by the manufacturers who cater to the trade of interior design. What I was pleasantly surprised to find was just how much biophilic (nature inspired) passementerie is available today. Furthermore, it is not just for overly frilly rooms and can be used skillfully to enhance most any design style that suits you. Here is what I discovered and thought it would be a good subject for a blog post.
What Is Passementerie?
For those of you who are are not familiar with the term Passementerie here is a brief description taken from Wikipedia.
Passementerie ( / pæsˈmɛntri /, French pronunciation: [pɑsmɑ̃tri]) or passementarie is the art of making elaborate trimmings or edgings (in French, passements) of applied braid, gold or silver cord, embroidery, colored silk, or beads for clothing or furnishings.
Wikipedia
For those of you who are familiar with Passementerie we will cover new ways to use it and how it can be a great way to add natural motifs, color, and texture of nature for a home that is Biophilic bringing the outdoors inside.
If Maximalism Speaks To You…
Like it or not Maximalism is here to stay. The buzzword for a decade or so has been minimalism. If you think more is more and love the opulent look of pattern, texture, and layers of fabric then this should be music to your ears. While doing my research I stumbled across a Home and Garden UK article from 2021 entitled How to Embrace the Timeless Appeal of Passementerie. This trim featuring dragonflies and an assortment of other beaded “bugs” from Samuel and Sons was featured. It is a perfect example of just how beautiful incorporation a little bit of nature to your upholstery and soft furnishings can be.
Samuel and Sons has a nice assortment of leaves, flowers, and textured borders.
This hand embroidered trims from Passementerie Verrier of Paris are another beautiful example of nature depicted on embellishments with everything from leaves to seashells.
Tradition and Transition
If your taste runs more traditional or you prefer the cleaner lines of contemporary there are many nature inspired trims for that too!
Brunscwig and Fils’ Trellis collection offers all colors of the rainbow in patterns that work for traditional or contemporary rooms, shown below….
Sometimes the motifs reflect nature that is more emblematic than literal. This is a personal preference but studies have shown that the wellness benefit from incorporating these elements can be just as effective and can have just as much impact toward achieving a home filled with the natural benefits of Biophilic design.
I love this pairing of natural linens with soft pastel tassels against the bark of a tree in a woodland setting featured on the website by French Passementerie maker Declercq
Declercq also has nautilus motifs, and fringes as shown below that can bring reference to the ocean and a coral reef to your living room even if you are nowhere near the sea.
Houles and Prelle are two well established French houses that also excel in beautiful Passementerie. Trims meant for outdoor use and oversized floral motifs on tassels are all part of new collections from these manufacturers.
France is truly the home of fabulous Passementerie and, as such, I wanted to show how even the most traditional houses with centuries of tradition are creating new and exciting trims that are made with this historical craft but also showing what they are doing to blend new technology with time worn tradition creating new and fresh designs that resonate with today’s customer.
But artisan shops on Etsy and small boutiques are creating unique one of a kind nature inspired trims worthly of mention too. Here are just a few examples:
Etsy 3D Ruffled Fabric Trim Leaf design
Phoenix Trimworks is another source I have used in the past for embellishments meant for outdoor use. They offer a wide range of colors and styles in Sunbrella. All products are made in the USA.
Last but not least, if you are in New York and have time to stop by their 5000sf store, M&J Trimmings, is not to be missed. You can order online too but there is no substitute for the experience of seeing so much embellishment from every source imaginable in one place. In addition to Passementerie you can find “ribbons from France, laces from Switzerland, Austrian Swarovski crystals, buttons from Italy”…so much to see! I once spent an entire day in a button store. Gotta love New York.