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Livingetc’s SS27 Style Pulse report highlights the “decorative gesture”: a single ornamental or unexpected detail set against a room’s dominant style. Designers quoted in the report say these accents can add contrast and help a space feel finished, but the report offers a design perspective, not evidence that every room needs one.
Livingetc’s SS27 Style Pulse report spotlights the “decorative gesture,” a design approach built around adding one ornamental or unexpected detail to a room whose overall style is restrained. The report presents it as a way to introduce contrast without replacing a modern aesthetic with a traditionally decorated one.
Examples in the report include a tassel on a light fitting, a standalone fringe on a sofa, an unexpectedly gilded frame in a minimalist home, or an ornate brass handle against veined marble. The common thread is a small feature that contrasts with its surroundings while still appearing to belong there. Livingetc says the detail is meant to make a viewer look twice, rather than turn the whole room into an elaborate interior.
Los Angeles interior designer Ryan Saghian describes the appeal as tension between different objects and periods. “I’ve always believed that the most interesting rooms have tension,” he says in the report. He adds that he looks for an element that challenges its surroundings, which could be an antique, an ornate feature or something unexpected.
Marisa Gutmacher, senior vice president of design at Samuel & Sons, frames the detail as a finishing touch. She says a room or piece can contain the right elements yet still feel unresolved, and that a final detail can give it more presence or connect upholstery with the surrounding space. The report also highlights passementerie—decorative trims such as tassels, cords and braids—as one way to add that contrast in contemporary rooms.
How One Accent Changes a Room
The trend offers a relatively focused idea for people who like modern interiors but find a room too uniform or unfinished: introduce one contrasting detail rather than adding multiple decorative layers. That could mean bringing an antique or handcrafted object into a contemporary space, or adding a tactile trim to a clean-lined furnishing.
The report’s significance is primarily practical and stylistic, not a claim about a measurable impact on home value or function. Its designers argue that contrast can make a room feel more personal and resolved. For readers, the distinction matters: the “gesture” is not a requirement or a fixed shopping list, but a way to think about how a single object might change the balance of an existing space.
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From Traditional Trim to Modern Rooms
Livingetc places the idea within a wider return to ornament and traditional detail in interior design. For people who prefer contemporary spaces, that direction can create a perceived choice between a spare look and a more decorated one. The report proposes combining them: keep the room’s broader language modern, then use one detail to introduce a different texture, period or level of formality.
One example is passementerie, a craft associated with decorative edging and trimmings. The report says tassels are appearing in less expected settings, including as a single graphic drop on lighting or mirrors. Passementerie artist Elizabeth Ashdown describes the craft as carrying generations of skill and says a trim designed for a particular room can add personality. Livingetc identifies Ashdown as one of a small number of independent UK makers working in the field; that description is attributed to the report.
The material is part of Style Pulse for SS27, Livingetc’s biannual trend report. Although the article also refers to design details “in 2026,” its seasonal framing is SS27. The source presents the examples and expert views as trend reporting, not as a survey of homeowners or proof that the approach is gaining a specific level of market adoption.
““I’ve always believed that the most interesting rooms have tension.””
— Ryan Saghian, Los Angeles-based interior designer
What the Trend Report Cannot Show
The source does not establish how widely homeowners are adopting the decorative gesture, whether the trend will persist beyond the SS27 forecast, or whether it produces outcomes beyond a change in appearance. It provides designer opinions and visual examples, not consumer research or sales data.
There is also no single definition of how large or prominent the “one” gesture should be. The report’s examples range from a small tassel to a gilded frame or an ornate hardware choice. Whether a detail feels harmonious is a matter of the room and the owner’s taste, rather than a rule tested by the report.
Applying the Idea at Home
Livingetc’s report is part of its SS27 Style Pulse coverage, which the publication says includes further trend reporting. For readers trying the idea, the examples point toward starting with a room that already feels largely complete, then identifying one surface, fitting or furnishing where a contrasting detail could add texture or character.
The next test is personal rather than a scheduled industry milestone: whether the chosen accent feels connected to the room instead of merely added to it. The source does not announce a product launch or a formal follow-up date for this trend, so its continued relevance will depend on how designers, makers and homeowners use the approach.
Key Questions
What is the “decorative gesture” trend?
It is the idea of adding one distinctive detail—such as a tassel, fringe, gilded frame or ornate handle—to a room with a different, often more restrained style.
Does the approach mean decorating an entire room traditionally?
No. Livingetc presents it as a way to keep a room’s overall look contemporary while introducing a limited ornamental accent for contrast.
What is passementerie?
Passementerie is decorative trim work, including tassels, cords, braids and fringes. The report discusses it as one option for adding a crafted detail to modern interiors.
Is the trend proven to improve a room?
The report offers designers’ views and examples, not research proving that the approach works for every room. Its effect depends on the space and the person choosing the accent.
Source: livingetc.com
