Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz’s Retro Patio Look Is Trending Again – Here’s Why the Design Still Works 70 Years On
Fringed furniture has been transforming the way we decorate our gardens in 2026. Here, its roots go back to 1955
In 2026, fringe is all the rage. Fringed lamps, fringed cushions, and fringed curtains, once considered gaudy and dated, are suddenly the chicest option. As summer approaches, the Homes & Gardens team is thinking about how we will incorporate this trend into our outdoor spaces.
A 1955 photo of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz in their garden provides a blueprint. Over 70 years ago, the couple was already using a fringed umbrella and lounger for their outdoor furniture. This pairing creates a stylish and deeply textured contrast that connects their patio decor to the surrounding greenery. It uplifts the space, transforming it into an extension of their home.
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Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz at home in their garden, 1955
Shop The Fringed Outdoor Furniture Edit
A fringe rug is one of the lowest lift ways to bring this retro detail to your outdoor space. This flatwoven one from Anthropologie has style and substance for a long-lasting patio upgrade.
From blue and white stripes to red and white stripes. This beach umbrella isn't all form and no function though, it has a tilt function so you can move it to create shade where you need to. It also all packs into a very handy carry bag so you can take it from patio to beach.
This blue and white striped pillow is the perfect addition to a white outdoor chair. I love the tassel corners, which incorporate fringe in a more subtle way.
This chair would be an ultra-cool and oh-so-comfy addition to a covered patio. It makes the perfect unexpected pairing to match a more traditional collection of furniture.
Nothing is comfier than a hammock, and with the right fringe, it can be stylish too. It would look gorgeous with a collection of wooden pieces.
Some outdoor furniture comes with fringe, while other pieces have fringe thrust upon them. Adding fringe to your existing outdoor furniture would be a fun DIY to recreate a fringe-tastic look.
First, what makes fringe in home decor so appealing? Hannah Oravec, who is the founder and principal at Lawless Design, explains: 'Fringed outdoor furniture brings a softness and dynamic movement that many outdoor spaces are missing. Patios often rely heavily on harder materials like stone, metal, and teak, so fringe introduces a layer of texture that makes the space feel more relaxed and inviting.'
Fringed furniture also fits into the larger turn towards retro interiors. Hannah continues: 'It also has a nostalgic quality that nods to vintage garden furniture, which I love incorporating into outdoor spaces. When the fringe moves in the breeze, it adds a subtle sense of life and informality that makes a patio feel more comfortable and lived in.'
The increase of this vintage trend on the patio also fits into changes we're seeing in how people decorate their backyards. Hannah explains: 'I think its rise right now reflects the broader shift toward outdoor spaces feeling like true extensions of the home. People want their gardens and patios to feel as layered and thoughtful as their interiors. Fringe naturally fits into that approach because it brings a decorative, textile-driven element outdoors while still feeling timeless.'
Luckily, as Lucille and Desi's outdoor space shows, these fringed pieces are easy to style with simple furnishings you likely already have. Hannah advises: 'I like styling it alongside natural materials like teak, stone, and linen so the look feels collected, relaxed, and grounded in nature.'
Fringe is coming for the outdoors, and those who are aware of retro trends will be ahead of it. By looking to the design of the past, we can predict the design of the future.
