Art Deco

Art Deco was the dominant design style between two world wars. In our minds we associate it with skyscrapers, exciting ocean liners and Hollywood glamour. It was actually a design movement originated in Europe to modernize art, architecture and design – and living. It was known as modernistic or Style Moderne until the 60’s when Bevis Hilier, a British art critic & dealer came up with the Art deco label.

The Art Deco style was influenced by Cubism, Futurism and Constructivism – combined with elements & patterns from the ancient cultures of Egypt, the Middle East & the Orient. The influence of the machine can also be seen in the use of chrome and metallic finishes. Geometric order and geometric shapes became the paradigm of art & design..

Art Deco seems to be having a revival today. After years of minimalism and matt surfaces, people seem to want maximalism and glamour. Patterned wallpapers, satin throws, chandeliers and shiny surfaces have been sneaking back into our home.

If you want an Art Deco interior, the best thing is to follow its concepts – don’t just copy everything and create a themed room. That’s just naff. Here are some details that you can pick from to add a touch of glamour to your home:

Colors and wall coverings
Use wallpaper on one of the walls – patterns should be big & bold, geometric or botanic. Alternatively, it could be subtle and sophisticated with a pearl or metallic finish. The other walls you should paint with off-white colors in satin finish. If you don’t want any wallpaper, you can draw a mural on one of the walls, or paint it with a moody shade. You could also panel the walls – with velvet or leather tiles or big mirrors or lacquered wooden panels.

Materials
The following materials are characteristics of the Art Deco Style:

Wood-veneer, hardwood and pale wood
Mirrors
Aluminium, steel & chrome
Glass

Furnishing
Chrome tubular furniture fits the look, particularly for armchairs and tables. Sideboards and wardrobes should be veneered and round-edged – or be mirrored. Furniture looking like a skyscraper also defines this era. Wicker furniture provides the exotic touch. The idea of built-in furniture also emerged during the Art Deco movement – floor-to ceiling bookshelves and wardrobes became very popular. The idea of an integral bar captured the imagination of many – in fact it became the must-have element in interior design.
As far as window treatment is concerned, for a modern touch use floor- to-ceiling white sheer curtains in luxurious silk. If you want a statement, choose bold or rich curtains – made of velvet and thick satin or have large patterns of palms, oriental motifs or geometric shapes. 

The most important thing is to combine these elements sensitively. Do not have patterns on everything – just on one of the main spatial elements – either on the walls or on the floor or on the furnishing.
And things don’t have to me matchy-matchy – if you have other non- Art Deco furniture or accessories- they could work with this style. You just need to amend them a bit –  changing a door handle could make a huge difference. Coherence is the keyword – there has to be a visual relationship between all items.
Remember the basic concept of design:  the  magic number  Three-  only 3 materials, 3 colours, 3 textures etc…