Since its debut on scenes in 1920 Art Deco’s gorgeous extravagant style has grown into one of the most sought-after interior styles.
While the original Art Deco period was a brief one, its impact has been sweeping, homeowners and designers alike have employed the style to add a flair to their homes a glamorous style (Interior design Masters actress Siobhan Murphy’s amazing Art Deco home is just one instance!)
If you’re planning to restore your home’s historic charm or simply want to bring some 1930s style to your house We’ve broken down the main characteristics of this distinctive style.
From furniture and fireplaces to wallpaper and other 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 first emerged in the early 1920s, and continued to reign until the outbreak of Second World War. The extravagant elegant style is recognized for its use of geometric patterns, simple forms and futuristic designs. They also represented the renewed optimism that followed the conclusion in the First World War.
Was it that 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 became popular across the globe and grew in popularity throughout the 1930s, which was roughly up to the beginning of WWII.
In essence, the Art Deco movement is split into two distinct phases: the one prior to that of the Wall Street Crash of 1929 and the one that was a part of The Great Depression.
The first phase utilized expensive materials and was influenced by a hope and optimism, while the subsequent phase saw designs becoming more minimalist, with costly materials being replaced with cheap ones such as plastic.
After being discarded from fashion, Art Deco style saw an immense rise in popularity in the 60s, and continues to influence interior design in the present.
Art Deco furniture
The Art Deco era saw furniture design evolve into a flurry of elegance, sophistication and advancement. Designers chose forms and materials that reflected technological advances, and materials like Bakelite chrome, chrome, glass, and steel became the essential to the style of the day.
Silhouette was also a key element in Art Deco design, and majority of pieces featured the famous ‘Skyscraper’-inspired straight lines, a stepped profile with flowing, geometric forms.
Due to the boom in the economic system and the influence of Roaring 20s style, the first phase of Art Deco furniture design was inspired by exotic locales. Ivory, mother of Pearl tortoiseshell, snakeskin and mother of pearl were some of the exotic materials used to decorate everything from consoles to coffee tables, dressing-room furnishings to bed. In the later years, Art Deco designs were slightly more subtle, yet they retained some glamour.
If you’re hoping to get the Art Deco look into your home Here are some aspects you may want to include:
Mirrored furniture
In the 1920s and 1930s Mirrored furniture was considered the ultimate in elegance and was a popular choice for Art Deco design.
Mirrored tables for consoles were particularly well-liked, and frequently included designs inspired by high-rises (think The Chrysler Building! ) Aeroplanes, cruise ships.
Metal furniture
It was the Art Deco era was also described as the ‘Machine age and, influenced by the numerous technological advances which were happening all around them, designers used boldly shaped metal accents to give them a futuristic style.
If you’re looking to incorporate some of these futuristic furniture pieces into your style, keep an eye for pieces that have polished chrome and stainless steel The extremely reflective surfaces will provide you with the most authentic appearance.
Visit our website when shopping for an Art Deco sideboard.
Furniture lacquered
The exotic, heavy furniture was the trend in the Art Deco interior scheme, and the more exotic the wood, the more desirable. The wealthy chose costly mahogany, ebony, and violetwood. However, the maple, oak and even ash were quite widespread.
To give the impression of glamour, many wooden furniture was coated with many layers of high-gloss lacquer to give them a shine. Even armchairs and other textile furniture had lacquered inlays therefore if you’re in the market for Art Deco furniture, you will not be disappointed by high-gloss wood.
Leather seats
In the time when Art Deco design was all about displaying the wealth and elegance of the time it was the preferred fabric for couches, chairs, and ottomans.
Brown, black and tan-colored leather were the most well-known 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 take a look at the no-cost alternatives available?
Art Deco fireplace
Since that the Art Deco movement was all about celebrating technological advancement Most fireplaces of the period were constructed by machines, and specifically ones that were innovative and innovative during the 1930s. Mirror, chrome and steel designs were very popular and so were tiles and polished wood models. Many of them had colored glass accents, or strikingly-shaped cast iron designs.
In regards to silhouette, many of Art Deco fireplaces featured the iconic shape of the’skyscraper that had sharp edges and straight lines. The bold chevron and zigzag patterns were also popular, as were certain fireplaces featured tiles and decorative metalwork.
Art Deco accessories
The vast majority of Art Deco furniture sported muted colors, designers frequently called for accessories to give the added layer of luxury the look and feel. Cushions with animal prints along with those with geometric patterns , or even a large block of vibrant color, were among the most sought-after designs and were often utilized to dress the look of plain leather armchairs.
Nature themes were also well-liked when it came to Art Deco design, so be sure to look for items featuring patterns of shells, sunrises as well as Oriental floral designs to give you an authentic look. Fur and satin are essential to the traditional Art Deco style – they were frequently paired with glossy lacquered items to make an edgy contrast.
Art Deco rugs
Rugs were an integral component in The Art Deco aesthetic, and huge, luxurious, hand-crafted carpets were usually laid over extremely polished parquet flooring or white and black checkerboard tiles.
Certain rugs had strikingly strong geometric designs, while others featured subtle, Oriental floral prints. Rugs printed with animals were very popular and were utilized to create texture in spaces, especially bedrooms.
Art Deco mirrors
Mirrors were a crucial element in the Art Deco scheme, and were frequently employed in every room of the house to create sensations of luxury and grandeur.
Art Deco colours
A lot of the color designs employed to create Art Deco design can be traced back to the social environment of the day. Metallics, particularly extravagant 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 – such as canary yellow, bright peacock blue, bright red, violet and emerald also became popular due to their uplifting vibe.
In the same way some interior designers opted for somewhat more subtle tones and various shades of cream, brown and taupe were used to give rooms to give them a contemporary sleek, modern look.
The most well-known colour combination of the day, however was a elegant black and white – for those who want to create the instant Art Deco feel into your home, you cannot be wrong with monochrome.