The 'One Decorative Gesture' Trend Finally Explains What Your Room Is Missing — "The Best Interiors Have A Little Contradiction In Them"
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Livingetc’s Style Pulse report for spring/summer 2027 presents the “decorative gesture”: one ornamental or unexpected detail added to a predominantly contemporary room. Designers quoted in the report say such accents can create contrast, add personality and make a design feel resolved, but the trend is editorial guidance rather than evidence of a broad industry shift.

Livingetc’s Style Pulse report for spring/summer 2027 highlights the “decorative gesture,” an approach that adds one ornamental or unexpected detail to an otherwise contemporary room. The report presents the idea as a way to introduce decoration without adopting a traditionally styled interior.

Examples in the report include a tassel on a light fitting, fringe on a sofa, a gilded frame in a minimalist home, or an ornate brass handle set against veined marble. The common feature is a small detail that contrasts with the room around it while still appearing to belong there. The article describes the effect as something that makes a viewer look twice, rather than a directive to add ornament everywhere.

Los Angeles interior designer Ryan Saghian describes his approach as looking for an element that challenges its surroundings. “I think the best interiors have a little contradiction in them,” he says in the report. He says that element might be an antique, an ornate detail or an unexpected object, and argues that contrast can help a room work as a whole.

Marisa Gutmacher, senior vice president of design at Samuel & Sons, frames the final detail as a way to resolve a design that otherwise feels incomplete. She says it can add weight to a silhouette or connect upholstery to the space around it. The report also points to passementerie—the craft of decorative trimmings such as tassels, cords and braids—as one way to introduce a tailored accent into contemporary interiors.

At a glance
reportWhen: Published as part of Livingetc’s SS27 S…
The developmentLivingetc has featured the “decorative gesture” as an interior design direction in its Style Pulse report for spring/summer 2027.

A Small Accent, Not a Full Redesign

For homeowners and renters, the idea involves limited scope: a single accessory or finish can change how a room reads without requiring a larger furniture or renovation project. A tassel, frame or handle may be easier to test than a complete shift toward traditional furnishings, though the report does not make claims about cost or measurable design outcomes.

The approach allows for personal choices and contrast rather than requiring every object to match a period or style. Saghian’s comments are his design perspective, not a tested rule for every home. The report leaves readers to consider how an accent relates to a room’s existing materials, colors and furnishings.

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From Traditional Trim to Modern Rooms

The report places the gesture alongside an editorial trend toward traditional ornamentation, which can contrast with contemporary or minimalist rooms. It suggests that decorative elements can also be used in modern interiors, paired with clean forms and modern materials.

One focus is passementerie, a craft with a long history of producing tassels, braids and other trimmings. The article quotes UK-based maker Elizabeth Ashdown, who says such work can be designed for a particular room. It notes her practice combines traditional techniques with contemporary design. The source presents these examples as part of a seasonal trend report, not as a survey establishing how widely the style is being adopted.

“I think the best interiors have a little contradiction in them.”

— Ryan Saghian, Los Angeles-based interior designer

How Broad Is the Trend?

The source is a Livingetc trend report, and it does not provide sales data, consumer research or other evidence showing how common decorative gestures are in homes. Its examples and expert comments explain a design approach, but do not establish that it is a widespread shift or that one accent will improve every room.

The article also does not set out rules for choosing an accent, such as how large it should be or how to balance it with existing decor. Whether a detail appears harmonious will depend on the room and the person using it. The report’s headline wording is an editorial framing, not a claim that every room is missing the same feature.

More SS27 Design Forecasts

Livingetc presents the idea as one part of its Style Pulse SS27 report, which it describes as a biannual forecast of interior design trends for the coming season. The publication says readers can explore the rest of that report for other forecasts and examples. The source does not identify a later event, product launch or research release tied specifically to the decorative gesture.

The reported development is the trend framing itself: the publication and the designers it quotes discuss selective ornament as a way to introduce contrast into contemporary spaces. Readers can consider the idea in relation to their own rooms; the report does not present it as a requirement to buy or add a particular item.

Key Questions

What does “decorative gesture” mean?

It means adding one ornamental or unexpected detail to a room, such as a tassel, fringe, gilded frame or distinctive handle, while keeping the broader interior contemporary or restrained.

Does the trend mean a room needs more decoration?

No. Livingetc presents it as an option for introducing a small point of contrast, not a requirement or a claim that every room is incomplete without ornament.

What is passementerie?

Passementerie is the craft of making decorative trimmings, including tassels, cords, braids and fringes. The report discusses it as one source of accents for contemporary interiors.

Who is quoted in the report?

The article quotes interior designer Ryan Saghian, Samuel & Sons design executive Marisa Gutmacher and passementerie artist Elizabeth Ashdown. Their comments are expert perspectives, not consumer research.

Is this a proven shift in how people decorate?

The source does not provide adoption figures or survey data. It identifies the decorative gesture as a direction in a seasonal trend report, so how widely households are using it remains unknown.

Source: livingetc.com

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