For an object with the simplest of tasks, the curtain tieback has developed a reputation for being a bit, well, fussy. But with the right attributes—think natural materials, understated finishes, or sculptural shapes—and deployed with restraint, they’re an unequivocally elegant finishing touch.
NEUTRAL TERRITORY
Forget the heavy jewel-toned silks and ornamented baubles—our favorite passementerie tiebacks, in natural materials like jute, flax, and linen, are more about a whisper of luxury than a look-at-me-shout. Even a pompom-bedecked tassel, when woven from earth-toned cotton and wool, feels more sophisticated than overwrought.
THE GILDED AGE
All that glitters is not gold—but not all gold is glitzy. With hand-applied finishes that feel appealingly antique, these 18th- and 19th-century French-style holdbacks and fleurettes—each cast and chased by artisans in P.E. Guerin’s New York City forgery—have a timeless, old-world sensibility. Use them to elevate simple window treatments in an unexpected way.
WORK OF ART
While the concept of “hardware as jewelry” is hardly new, Lori Weitzner’s Alexander Calder–inspired tieback—made from hand-cut pieces of perfectly patinated nickel—could be so easily mistaken for one of the artist’s highly prized necklaces that you might be tempted to pair it with a little black dress rather than living room curtains.
This article originally appeared in volume 7 of Frederic Magazine. Click here to subscribe!