passementerie

Bed canopy trimmed with passementerie.

poss-MAHN´-tree

Remember the tassels and fringe on your
grandmother’s curtains?

Those decorative elements—including braiding and other
types of trim used on bed canopies, upholstered furniture, and
throw pillows—are collectively called passementerie.

Not as popular today as in centuries past, passementerie still
adds the final touch of elegance to formal and period rooms.

High quality passementerie is expensive, since much of it
must be made by hand. That’s why your parents made you stay
away from grandma’s drapes.