The maximalist interior trend is here to stay, and with it comes the wholehearted embrace of all the charming details that add luxury to a space: interesting forms, richly textured fabrics, and plenty of pattern and colour. Having spent so much time at home over the past 18 months, many of us have been enriching our living and working spaces with such details, and there is no finer finishing touch than the intricate art of passementerie. Fringes, braids, tassels, cords and tapes – these are finishing touches in the most fundamental sense of the word; they have the capacity to complete an interior, to make it perfect, adding visual and textural interest and an irresistible sense of opulence. Our first port of call for passementerie is always Samuel & Sons, and their new collection is as delightful as ever.
Based in New York, the family behind Samuel & Sons has been making some of the world’s most beautiful trimmings for over a century, and their London showroom at Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour is filled with the company’s exquisitely crafted designs. Immaculately arranged in a rainbow of colours, many of these trims are so intricately detailed that they would not look out of place in a Baroque interior, while other collections are more pared-back and well suited to a contemporary space.
Samuel & Sons’ beautiful collections are regularly featured within the pages of House & Garden, showcasing the various ways in which passementerie can be used – from sumptuous tassels on a bed canopy in a room designed by Lonika Chande to a simple ticking fabric enlivened with cheerful red pom-pom trim by Rita Konig for her daughter’s bedroom. Even in a smart, almost minimalist city house by Salvesen Graham, you can find plain green trim by Samuel & Sons creating a geometric border on painted walls.
Although its own heritage provides plenty of material to draw on, Samuel & Sons’ collaborations with designers constantly enrich and enhance the company’s offering. This autumn sees the arrival of Metamorphosis, a new collection by textile designer Lori Weitzner, alive with the glittering forms of butterflies, dragonflies, bees and beetles, elaborately beaded and embroidered onto tapes and borders in a thrilling celebration of the natural world. ‘I am endlessly inspired by nature as many of us are.’ says Lori, ‘But never before have I found these special creatures so alluring and wondrous. They are the perfect muses for my Metamorphosis collection.’
Like all Samuel & Sons’ trims, the Metamorphosis collection has a wide range of applications. Particularly appealing is the wide ‘Ensemble’ beaded border, which Lori recommends for enhancing pillows, the edges of curtains or blinds, and table runners. The palette is sophisticated, but the beaded details, as she points out, are ‘whimsical and alluring, fun but stylish’. Alternatively, the cut velvet of the ‘Bumblebee’ tape would look beautiful around the edge of an upholstered piece of furniture. ‘The “Bumblebee” border can make the simplest of upholsteries extraordinary,’ adds Lori. Another highlight is the ‘Honeycomb’ appliqué border, a mosaic pattern that Lori loves as a trim on a lampshade. ‘Whether for a roman shade, lamp shade or drapey edge, “Honeycomb” adds a modern feel in a dimensional way. Why not make the lamp shade the main story instead of the supporting cast?’
Every stage of the process involves high levels of creativity and craftsmanship, from the initial sketches and decisions about materials and colours to the making itself. Modern techniques are deployed alongside time-honoured skills that go back centuries, resulting in a product that transcends periods and fashions. This collection feels particularly timeless and versatile, with the combination of neutral backgrounds and rich detailing ensuring it works just as well in a traditional interior filled with pattern and colour as it does in a simpler, more contemporary space.
This collection is certainly a highlight for Samuel & Sons this year, but the extraordinary breadth of the company’s collections make it a perennially fascinating destination. You will find everything in stock and available, ready to grace your curtains, cushions, headboards and armchairs. With so many beautiful trimmings on offer, there has never been a better time to begin adding the final flourishes to your schemes.
Explore the intricate beauty of Samuel & Sons’ new Metamorphosis collection here
