Why Designers Are Embracing This Anti-Minimalist Detail Again
Fringe is making interiors feel softer, moodier and far less sensible again.
From sculptural sofas to tasselled parasols, designers are embracing softer, more decorative interiors again — and suddenly, minimalism is looking a little too serious.
Fringe is back — but not in the way your grandmother’s lampshade might suggest. The new wave of tasselled interiors is moodier, smarter and far more design-led: think Milan apartment rather than vintage tea room. Suddenly, sofas are skimming the floor with silky bullion trim, sculptural ottomans are wearing tailored skirts, and even parasols have become vaguely cinematic.
“After years of ultra-clean interiors, fringe feels like decorating finally relaxing a little again — softer, warmer and far more interesting.”
After years of boucle everything and aggressively minimalist beige rooms, interiors are loosening up a little. Homes are starting to feel decorative again — softer, more layered, slightly less obsessed with looking as though nobody actually lives in them. Fringe works because it brings movement back into a space. Even tonal versions add a kind of quiet drama that flat, overly sensible furniture simply can’t.
The trick, however, is restraint. One fringed piece feels intentional. Five and you risk drifting into themed cocktail bar territory.
Our Favourite Fringed Pieces Right Now
Soho Home Elowen Sofa (£7,885 Regular price, £6,702 Member price)
The piece that proves fringe can feel genuinely sophisticated rather than theatrical. The silhouette itself is clean and contemporary, while the tonal trim softens everything slightly and gives it that expensive boutique-hotel energy Soho House does so well. We’d style it with dark wood, brushed brass and low lighting — ideally somewhere that permanently smells faintly of expensive candles and negronis.
Anthropologie Sinclair Performance Linen Fringe Ottoman ($1,698.00)
Fringe works best when it doesn’t try too hard, and this chair gets the balance exactly right. The silhouette is clean and almost minimalist, but the linen tassel trim stops it from feeling flat or overly sensible. It’s the kind of piece that makes a quiet room feel more considered — particularly in a bedroom corner, dressing space or beside a bookshelf stacked with art books you definitely want people to notice.
Artemest Eli Square Pouf by Lorenza Bozzoli (£1,915)
There’s something delightfully unnecessary about a fringed geometric pouf, which is exactly the point. The angular upholstery keeps it graphic and modern, while the long tassel skirt softens the edges just enough. It feels playful without looking childish — the sort of piece that instantly makes a room feel less safe and infinitely more stylish.
Liberty Bombazine Fringed Cushion (£155)
The easiest entry point into the trend. One fringed cushion instantly makes a neutral sofa feel less flat and slightly more editorial. The Liberty print keeps it collected rather than overly trend-led.
Oblist Ikat Fringed Stool (£1,900)
Moodier and more decadent than some of the cleaner pieces, but that’s exactly why we like it. It feels discovered rather than algorithmically served — the sort of thing you’d spot in the corner of an impossibly chic hotel bar and immediately attempt to recreate at home.
Swoon Petworth Sofa (£2,499)
This is fringe done in a way that feels warm and expensive rather than theatrical. The caramel velvet gives it that rich, slightly nostalgic depth interiors are moving back towards, while the tonal trim softens the silhouette without overwhelming it. It has the sort of quiet glamour that instantly makes a room feel less stark and far more inviting.
Soho Home Tuuci Octagon Outdoor Fringed Parasol (£5,995 Regular price, £5,096 Member price)
Proof that fringe has officially escaped the living room. This feels less “garden furniture” and more Slim Aarons fantasy — striped loungers, cold drinks and a long Mediterranean lunch somewhere glamorous. Slightly unnecessary, admittedly, but that’s part of the appeal.
