Chair Ties & Key Tassels

Chair Ties & Key Tassels

Chair ties and key tassels are two distinct decorative passementerie elements — both small in scale, both individual rather than linear, and both capable of adding a level of considered, jewellery-quality finish to furniture, cushions, drapery, and decorative accessories that no other trim type replicates. At The WorkRoom, our collection of chair ties and key tassels is sourced from leading luxury passementerie brands including RM Coco and Schumacher, sold by the piece or pair with samples available before committing to a full order.

Chair Ties — What They Are and How They're Used

Chair ties are decorative cord-and-tassel or cord-and-knot accessories traditionally used to ornament dining chairs, side chairs, and upholstered accent seating. Their original function was practical — tying cushion pads to chair frames to keep them in position — but their decorative potential has long overshadowed their utility. A well-chosen chair tie adds a sculptural, handcrafted accent at the back of a dining chair that transforms an ordinary chair into a finished, considered piece. Chair ties typically consist of a length of twisted, braided, or knotted cord with a tassel, rosette, or decorative knot at each end, designed to tie around chair back posts or legs. They are most commonly used in pairs per chair, tied in a simple bow or slipknot at the chair back. In dining rooms, a set of matching chair ties across all chairs brings the same unifying, custom-finished quality that matching seat cushions provide — transforming mismatched or plain chairs into a coordinated set with minimal investment.

Key Tassels — What They Are and How They're Used

Key tassels are individual decorative tassels designed to hang from keys, cabinet hardware, drawer pulls, and door locks — transforming functional hardware into decorative accents. The name references their traditional use on key rings and escutcheons in formal houses, where every piece of furniture hardware was considered a design opportunity. In contemporary interiors, key tassels are used on antique and traditional furniture, on secretary desk and bureau locks, on armoire and wardrobe keys, on decorative boxes, and as hanging ornaments on drapery tiebacks and decorative accessories. A key tassel in a rich, coordinating colourway adds the same finishing quality to a piece of furniture that a well-chosen button adds to a garment — a small detail that signals genuine attention to craft.

Choosing Chair Ties and Key Tassels

Scale and colour coordination are the two most important selection criteria. Chair ties should be proportional to the chair — a delicate cord and small tassel for a slender side chair, a more substantial twisted cord and larger tassel for a solid wooden dining chair. Key tassels should relate in scale to the hardware they're dressing — small, fine-silk tassels for delicate antique furniture, more robust constructions for larger cabinet hardware. Both elements work best when they coordinate with the dominant colour family of the room rather than match any single fabric exactly — a neutral tassel on a patterned chair, or a jewel-toned key tassel on a neutral piece of furniture, creates the most refined, intentional contrast.

Also Explore

If you are sourcing chair ties and key tassels you may also want to explore these related decorative accent categories. Tassel trim — header tape with individual tassels — offers the same decorative tassel form in a continuous yard-sold format for cushion edges and drapery hems. Fringe trim provides decorative movement at cushion and furniture edges alongside or instead of individual tassel accents. Cord trim gives the seam-definition finish on upholstered pieces that chair ties complement at the chair back. Decorative buttons and rosettes are closely related individual accent pieces that serve similar finishing functions on cushions and accessories.