Trimmings | In Good Faith

Day 11 Design Inspirations – Trim (Passementerie)

Written by faith | 0

Oh, the joys of embellishment. A designer dream come true. This expert Seattle interior designer knows that ‘it’s all in the details’. And trims, aka passementerie, are the ticket for that signature appeal and final, finished look.

So what is passementerie anyway? Passementerie 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. There are numerous, excellent vendors that excel in the medium. I first look at Samuel and Sons and Houles.

Houles

Samuel and Sons

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Tags: design inspiration, expert Seattle interior designer, Faith Sheridan Interior Design, houles, Samuel and Sons, Trimmings
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Apr 30th

Link Thursday-Hooray for Houles

Written by faith | 3

My love affair with Houles trimmings is longstanding. They are a splurge worth every $ spent! The French word for trimmings is passementerie.
The fine art of passementerie, defined by the French as the art of making elaborate trimmings or edgings, has spanned centuries upon centuries. In ancient Egyptian times, silver and gold threads were woven into braid. Tassels that adorned robes in ancient China were also used as handles to lift the robes showing no weapons were concealed underneath. In Jacobean times, fringes and tassels were used to soften the hard and harsh interiors of their homes. Elizabethan household inventories also detailed bed curtains trimmed in fringe and braids.

In Marie Antoinette’s day, passementerie lavishly decorated the king’s bedchambers and the queen’s boudoir as well as their clothing. It is said that Marie Antoinette commissioned a tassel in the shape of a bird cage—including the bird. After the French Revolution, passementerie was reserved for the military only. Napoleon I, however, gave rise to the art again by having the passementiers weave the much-heralded Napoleonic Bee into the braids and gimps of his day.
Today we see trims in all decorating styles from the chic and shabby home, eclectic vintage, lush Victorian, modern city, easy country, and all styles in between.

Houles is one of the leading providers of trims with great diversity. The photos say it all. Tres chic!