Fashion designers have long realised that a sprinkling of feathers will impart Hollywood glamour and Parisian fin-de-siecle decadence to a dress. But it's now the turn of interior designers to flirt with plumes for luxurious effect.
As with fashion, where feathers are concerned, less is more. One of the easiest ways to introduce the plumes is by lighting up with something from Mat & Jewski. The Paris-based duo use feathers for lampshades that, when lit, form dazzling centrepieces. Their feathery beige lampshade for Euro990 (HK$10,030) is eye-catching yet subtle while the hanging lampshade in fuchsia (Euro860) adds vim to a minimalist living room.
Braver still is Spina in London whose feathery tassels have won fans, including Kelly Hoppen and the Beckhams. Its custom-made creations range from GBP100 (HK$1,104) to GBP3,000 but they're worth it if you really want to give your living room an other-worldly glamour. If you just want a touch of opulence, they also create handmade feather curtain tie-backs, which start from GBP35.
The key to decorating with feathers is to recognise that although they feel soft their impact is strong. Jiin Kim Inoue, an interior designer with consultancy Finchatton, loves using peacock feathers for their 'rich colour and lustre'. She says they and other feathers 'can add an element of visual surprise to an otherwise simple interior'.
This is something French company Airdiem knows well. Its handmade Bamileke headdress (about GBP480) is a traditional adornment worn by tribal chiefs in Cameroon, but the bold red plumage also makes a modern hanging piece for the living room.
Whether gracing a drawing room or salon a feather decoration makes a welcome change from wreaths and fairy lights, which have become ubiquitous.