This Viral Fringe DIY Makes Furniture Look So Glamorous — And Costs Less than $28 to Achieve

Most of us have at least one piece of furniture that we wish were a little different. We paint walls and swap out throw pillows for a quick refresh, but something about a sofa or chair feels immovable, permanent — like we’re simply stuck with whatever we have.

Sure, reimagining furniture takes a little creativity, but that's what TikTok is for: interior design ideas. Recently, I came across a genius fringe DIY by content creator and design aficionado Marco Zimora, who completely transformed his sofa chair for just $28 in a matter of minutes (15 to be exact). Before you roll your eyes: no, there is no drilling, no staining, and to my delight, it doesn’t require any sewing. Like all the best ideas, the concept of adding fringe is so chic, so simple — I kicked myself for not thinking of it first!

Few things communicate the essence of old-world glamour more than fringe. It looks expensive and antiquey, like a relic of a bygone era. According to interior designer Nina Lichtenstein, 'fringe adds a touch of whimsy, texture, and visual interest to any space.' Its playful movement 'creates a sense of dynamic energy,' explains the designer, 'infusing rooms with character and personality.' But 'Don't get it twisted: this isn't the fusty fringe of yore,' says potter and designer Jonathan Adler. Today’s fringe is surprising, making 'for a look that’s next-level luxury.' Intrigued? Scroll down for the viral DIY.

Apart from fringe, discover the biggest interior trends of 2024.

@want.zamora

♬ original sound - Marco Zamora

Marco discovered a bullion fringe strip on Amazon that features a unique twisting effect, offering a more three-dimensional look than most fringe varieties. Basically, it's the sort of dense, luxe fringe you might spot on a vintage curtain or ottoman. To mimic the look of these antique items, Marco pinned the strip near the bottom of a sofa chair, working his way around its perimeter. To make the hack look custom, the creator 'made sure the fringe barely kissed the floor.’

He used four pins per side to secure the strip — not your usual push pin, but interestingly, insect pins, which, according to Marco, ‘are practically see-through.’ This way, if you choose to remove your fringe later or want to adjust, you won’t damage your furniture with a larger hole — genius. After about 15 minutes of pinning, voila! Marco said hello to his new chair.

The Viral Fringe Hack

As I mentioned earlier, it only cost Marco $28 to achieve the finished fringe look. But do note that his chair rather oversized, so I'd guess that a regular-sized sitting chair could be fringe-ified for about half the cost. And as if the fringe couldn’t get any sweeter, it’s available in so many different colors and lengths. At this rate, the temptation to go about adding fringe to everything is strong.

Bullion Fringe Trim.

How to Style Fringe

Despite my enthusiasm, interior designers, like Nina Lichtenstein, suggest reining it in — just tad. ‘While fringe accents can add a touch of flair and personality to your décor, it's essential to exercise restraint to avoid overwhelming the space with excessive fringe. As a general rule of thumb, select one or two focal points or pieces of furniture to feature fringe accents, such as a fringe ottoman or a pair of fringe throw pillows, and keep the rest of the décor relatively understated,’ she explains. ‘Avoid layering multiple fringe accents in close proximity, as this can create a cluttered and visually overwhelming effect. Instead, let fringe accents stand out as eye-catching focal points that add texture and character to your space without overpowering the overall design scheme.’

‘I'm loving fringe accents recently,’ says interior designer Alex Bass, CEO of Art Advisory & Interior Design Studio Salon 21. She likes to combine ‘fringe with a print or color, or even using fringe itself as something like a room divider’ to break up an open space. And while fringe certainly will always have a vintage charm, you can dial that up or down. ‘Depending on the colors and type of fringe, you can either style it to feel more gilded age or more mid-century,’ she explains. Timeless and opulent, and now more inexpensive than ever to achieve, I see little reason why you wouldn’t try out the DIY for a spin. In fact, I’ve already added the fringe to my cart!

Fringe Decor

If you’d rather skip the DIY route, I totally get it. Check out my favorite fringe pieces below for instant gratification.

You know what would complement this TikTok hack perfectly? One of our picks of the best accent chairs — fabulous on their own, and even more fabulous with fringe.