Since its appearance on fashion in 1920s Art Deco’s elegant extravagant style has grown into one of the most sought-after interior designs.
While the original Art Deco period was a temporary one, its impact is a long way reaching and both designers and homeowners have employed the style to add a flair to their homes a glamorous style (Interior Designs Masters Star Siobhan Murphy’s stunning Art Deco home is just one of many examples!)
So, whether you’re renovating your home’s original period features or are looking to add the glamour of the 1930s in your own home We’ve listed the most important characteristics of this distinctive style.
From furniture and fireplaces to wallpaper and accessories read on to find the your complete guide to Art Deco style!
What exactly is Art Deco?
Art Deco is a style of architecture, visual art, and design that came into existence in the early 1920s, and continued to reign until the outbreak of Second World War. The lavish elegant style is appreciated for its use geometric patterns, sleek shapes , and futuristic-looking designs. They also represented the renewed optimism that came with the conclusion in the First World War.
What was when was the Art Deco period?
“Art Deco,” as it is known, Art Deco was coined at the International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts in Paris in 1925. The style quickly gained popularity throughout the world and grew in popularity throughout the 1930s, which was roughly up to the advent of WWII.
In essence, the Art Deco movement is split into two distinct phases – that before it was hit by the Wall Street Crash of 1929 and the second phase that occurred during The Great Depression.
The initial phase used expensive materials and was influenced by a hope The second phase saw designs becoming more minimalist, with costly materials being replaced with inexpensive ones like plastic.
After being discarded from fashion, Art Deco style saw an immense return in 1960s, and continues to influence fashion in the interior in the present.
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Art Deco furniture
The Art Deco era saw furniture design evolve into a flurry of elegance, sophistication and advancement. Designers chose designs and materials that represented technological advancements. Materials like Bakelite chrome, chrome, glass, and steel became the essential to the style of the day.
Silhouette was also crucial in Art Deco design, and majority of pieces featured the famous ‘Skyscraper’-inspired straight lines, a stepped profile as well as flowing, harmonious forms.
Due to the boom in the economic system and the influence of Roaring 20s, the early Art Deco furniture design was inspired by exotic locales. Mother of pearl, ivory tortoiseshell, snakeskin and mother of pearl were some of the exotic materials that were used to decorate everything from coffee tables, dressing table furnishings to bed. In the later years, Art Deco designs were slightly less opulent, but they still had the glamour of earlier designs.
If you’re trying to create the Art Deco look into your home Here are some things you could include:
Mirrored furniture
In the 1920s and 1930s mirror furniture was thought to be the ultimate in luxurious and a favorite for Art Deco design.
Mirrored tables for consoles were particularly well-liked, and frequently had designs that were influenced by high-rises (think The Chrysler Building! ) Aeroplanes, cruise ships.
Metal furniture is a popular choice for furniture
It was the Art Deco era was also called the ‘Machine Age and, influenced by the numerous technological advances which were happening all around them, designers included strikingly shaped metallic accents into their designs to create a futuristic appearance.
If you’re looking to incorporate some of these futuristic-looking furniture pieces into your design, look out for furniture with polished chrome and stainless steel The high-reflective finishes provide you with the most authentic style.
Furniture with lacquer
Furniture made of exotic, heavy wood was the latest trend in the Art Deco interior scheme, and the more exotic the wood, the more desirable. People who could afford it were able to afford costly mahogany, ebony, and violetwood. However, the oak, maple and even ash were extremely widespread.
To enhance the feeling of glamour, many wood pieces were coated with many layers of high-gloss lacquer to give them a glossy appearance. Even armchairs and other textile items had lacquered inlays which is why if you’re considering Art Deco furniture, you aren’t going to be disappointed with high-gloss wood.
Leather seats
In the time when Art Deco design was all about displaying luxury and class it was the material of choice for couches, chairs, and ottomans.
Brown, black and tan-colored leathers were the most sought-after however, some were dyed in more vibrant Art Deco shades, like the cherry red and Tangerine.
To get a more up-to-date view of this aspect of the Art Deco trend, why not look into the no-cost alternatives available?
Art Deco fireplace
Since that the Art Deco movement was all about celebrating the advancement of technology The majority of fireplaces from this period were built by machines, and specifically ones that were innovative and innovative during the 1930s. Mirror, chrome and steel designs were in style and so were tiles and polished wood models. Some even featured colored glass accents, or strikingly-shaped cast iron designs.
In terms of shape, a lot of Art Deco fireplaces featured the iconic “skyscraper” shape that had smooth lines and stepped edges. Zangzag and bold chevrons were also very popular, and some fireplaces had ornamental metalwork and tile mosaics.
Art Deco accessories
Since the vast majority of Art Deco furniture sported muted colours, designers often relied for accessories to give an additional layer of luxury, the look and feel. Cushions printed with animal prints along with those that featured geometric patterns or a big block of bright color, were among the most sought-after designs and frequently used to jazz the look of plain leather armchairs.
Nature themes were also prominent throughout Art Deco design, so be sure to look for items featuring patterns of shells, sunrises as well as Oriental floral designs to get the authentic feeling. Fur and satin are important to the authentic Art Deco style – they were often combined with shiny lacquered items to make an edgy contrast.
Art Deco rugs
Rugs were an integral element in The Art Deco aesthetic, and the large, lavishly-made carpets were usually laid over high-quality polished parquet flooring or white and black chequerboard tiles.
Certain rugs had strikingly strong geometric designs, while others featured delicate, Oriental floral prints. Rugs with animal prints were very popular and were employed to give texture to rooms, particularly bedrooms.
Art Deco mirrors
Mirrors were an integral part to the Art Deco scheme, and were commonly employed in every room of the house to create sensations of luxury and grandeur.
Art Deco colours
A lot of the color patterns utilized for Art Deco design can be traced back to the social environment of the day. Metallics, particularly the luxurious blues, greys silvers and golds were frequently chosen as they were a reflection of the wealth of the day as well as energetic, bright colors like canary yellow bright peacock blue, bright red, the emerald and purple gained popularity due to their uplifting vibe.
In the same way certain interior designers chose somewhat more subtle tones and various shades of cream, brown and taupe were used to give create a modern minimalist look.
The most well-known color combination of the day, however was a simple black and white. If you’re looking to bring immediate Art Deco feel into your home, you cannot be wrong with monochrome.
