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Livingetc’s Style Pulse report for spring/summer 2027 describes the “decorative gesture”: one ornamental or unexpected detail used to bring contrast to a contemporary room. Designers quoted in the report say such accents can add personality and help a space feel resolved, but the report presents a design approach, not evidence that it suits every home.
Livingetc’s Style Pulse report for spring/summer 2027 spotlights the “decorative gesture”: one ornamental or unexpected accent that brings contrast to an otherwise contemporary room. The idea, described in the original report, offers a way to borrow from traditional decoration without changing a minimalist or modern scheme into a fully classic interior.
The gesture can be a tassel on a light fitting, a strip of fringe on a sofa, an unexpectedly gilded frame, or an ornate brass handle set against veined marble. The report’s examples share a basic principle: keep the room’s overall language restrained, then add one detail that makes a viewer pause. It describes this as a design trend, rather than a fixed rule about how many decorative objects a room should contain.
Los Angeles interior designer Ryan Saghian says he looks for elements that challenge their surroundings. “I’ve always believed that the most interesting rooms have tension. I don’t want everything to match, and I certainly don’t want everything to look like it came from the same decade,” he says in the report. He adds that a surprising object can become the feature that makes a room work.
Marisa Gutmacher, senior vice president of design at Samuel & Sons, frames the finishing detail as a way to resolve a room that otherwise feels incomplete. A final accent, she says, can give an object more presence or connect upholstery to the space around it. The report also highlights passementerie—decorative trims such as tassels, cords and braids—as a traditional craft being used in contemporary settings.
A Small Accent, A Different Room
The trend matters to readers because it presents a small-scale design change rather than a full renovation or a wholesale shift in taste. Someone with a pared-back room could test the idea through a frame, lamp detail or textile trim, while keeping the larger furnishings and layout intact. That may make ornament feel more approachable to people who like contemporary interiors but find an entirely traditional look too formal.
The report’s emphasis is also on contrast and personal choice, not simply adding decoration for its own sake. A distinctive accent can make a room feel less uniform, and a made-to-order trim can reflect the colors or materials already present. Those are design interpretations offered by the report’s contributors; the source does not provide consumer research or evidence that a single detail will improve every room.
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From Traditional Trim to Modern Rooms
Livingetc presents the idea within Style Pulse for SS27, its biannual report on interior trends for the upcoming season. The article describes a broader return to ornament and traditional details, which can seem at odds with contemporary interiors built around simple forms and minimal decoration. The “decorative gesture” is presented as a way to borrow selectively from that direction.
The report focuses in particular on passementerie, the craft of making decorative trimmings and edgings. Artist Elizabeth Ashdown says such details are no longer limited to traditional rooms and can be designed for a particular space. Livingetc also points to tassels appearing as graphic accents on lighting and mirrors. These are examples and observations in the report, not a measured account of how widely the trend has been adopted.
““I think the best interiors have a little contradiction in them.””
— Ryan Saghian, Los Angeles interior designer
How Far the Trend Will Travel
The report does not establish how widely homeowners are adopting the look, or whether interest in decorative accents will last beyond the coming season. Its examples and expert comments describe a design direction, not survey results, sales data or a forecast with a stated measurement method. It is also a matter of taste whether a single ornamental detail feels balanced or out of place in a particular room.
The source does not give a universal formula for selecting or positioning an accent. It also does not claim that every modern interior needs added ornament. The practical result will depend on the room’s existing colors, materials, lighting and furnishings, details that readers would need to assess for themselves.
Testing the Gesture at Home
Livingetc’s article is part of its SS27 Style Pulse report, which includes other trend coverage and design examples. Readers interested in the approach can start with one reversible detail—a cushion trim, a lamp accessory or a frame—rather than replacing larger pieces. The report’s central suggestion is to use the accent in conversation with the room’s existing materials, not to treat it as a stand-alone checklist item.
Whether designers and homeowners carry the look into the season will become clearer as more projects and product collections appear. For now, the confirmed development is the report’s identification of a design idea; its wider uptake and staying power remain unknown.
Key Questions
What does “one decorative gesture” mean?
It means adding one ornamental or unexpected detail to a room whose overall style may be modern or minimal. Livingetc’s examples include a tassel, fringe, gilded frame or ornate handle.
Does the idea require changing a whole room?
No. The report presents the gesture as a single accent, not a full redesign. It suggests that a small detail can create contrast while the room’s larger furnishings remain unchanged.
What is passementerie?
Passementerie is the craft of making decorative trimmings and edgings, including tassels, cords, braids and fringe. The report describes these traditional details appearing in contemporary interiors.
Is this proven to work in every interior?
No. The source offers designers’ opinions and examples, not research showing that the approach works for every room. The effect depends on the space and the accent chosen.
Source: livingetc.com
