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So Your Style Is: Art Deco
With old-school swagger and irresistible glitz, art deco design makes a splashy statement in the home
Houzz Contributor. Fresh out of journalism school, I fell into decorating media and immediately discovered a new passion. An Atlanta native, I spent several years as an editor for Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles magazine before making the leap to national publications and websites such as Houzz, Better Homes and Gardens and Southern Accents. I live in Birmingham, Alabama, with my husband and son, who’ve gotten used to coming home and finding the furniture rearranged. When I'm not dragging case goods across the floor, I enjoy good food and wine, college football, music of all kinds, and traveling.
Houzz Contributor. Fresh out of journalism school, I fell into decorating... More »
What it is: Art deco style spanned the period between World Wars I and II, peaking in the late 1920s and early '30s. It emphasized form as much as function and focused on glamour and opulence. As the Great Depression deepened, so did art deco's popularity — it provided a sense of escapism for a nation that desperately needed it.
Why it works: Art deco style embodies the best of the Roaring Twenties. It's exuberant and suave, with a sophisticated elegance and a forward-thinking mindset. It broadcasts an air of luxury and whispers of the world as an oyster.
You'll love it if ... You like your jewelry bold and flashy. You dressed as a flapper for your last Halloween party. You long to live in Miami's South Beach (those gorgeous hotels!). You know the difference between a martini and a Gibson, and you'll take the latter. You have a long-standing love affair with chrome.
Why it works: Art deco style embodies the best of the Roaring Twenties. It's exuberant and suave, with a sophisticated elegance and a forward-thinking mindset. It broadcasts an air of luxury and whispers of the world as an oyster.
You'll love it if ... You like your jewelry bold and flashy. You dressed as a flapper for your last Halloween party. You long to live in Miami's South Beach (those gorgeous hotels!). You know the difference between a martini and a Gibson, and you'll take the latter. You have a long-standing love affair with chrome.
by Tongue & Groove
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Style Secret: Evocative Lighting
Mood is everything in art deco style, and layered lighting is crucial to creating the right atmosphere. Sconces and torchères beam light up or down to cast a flattering, sultry glow. Art deco fixtures were futuristic for their era, with polished, shiny materials such as chrome and brass, and many reflect the strong geometric influence that's a hallmark of the style.
Glam it up: Art deco lighting borders on bombastic yet maintains a fundamental elegance. The sunburst pattern (a popular art deco motif, by the way) that emanates from this sconce lends a sassy top note that makes the space stand out.
Mood is everything in art deco style, and layered lighting is crucial to creating the right atmosphere. Sconces and torchères beam light up or down to cast a flattering, sultry glow. Art deco fixtures were futuristic for their era, with polished, shiny materials such as chrome and brass, and many reflect the strong geometric influence that's a hallmark of the style.
Glam it up: Art deco lighting borders on bombastic yet maintains a fundamental elegance. The sunburst pattern (a popular art deco motif, by the way) that emanates from this sconce lends a sassy top note that makes the space stand out.
Style Secret: Strong Geometry
Perhaps the signature element of art deco style is its emphasis on geometric shapes. Angular patterns, stepped designs and bold curves all highlight the look — no fussy, dainty patterns or profiles. Picture a 1930s theater marquee and you'll have the idea.
Glam it up: Like a stroke of eyeliner, the black tile in this bath helps to define and draw attention to the space (imagine how timid it would look with the mint-green and white palette alone). It plays off the square and rectangular planes of the sink, mirror and sconces for visual cohesion and a beautiful interplay of angles.
Perhaps the signature element of art deco style is its emphasis on geometric shapes. Angular patterns, stepped designs and bold curves all highlight the look — no fussy, dainty patterns or profiles. Picture a 1930s theater marquee and you'll have the idea.
Glam it up: Like a stroke of eyeliner, the black tile in this bath helps to define and draw attention to the space (imagine how timid it would look with the mint-green and white palette alone). It plays off the square and rectangular planes of the sink, mirror and sconces for visual cohesion and a beautiful interplay of angles.
Style Secret: Sleek Surfaces
In keeping with its optimistic overtones and view to the future, art deco is all about shine, shine, shine. Lacquer, polished wood and metal, and glossy paint combine for a slick and gleaming effect. Sprinkle glass and mirrored pieces throughout an art deco room to add to the reflective quality.
Glam it up: Want to take an art deco space over the top? Add a note of shagreen, a highly textured leatherlike material traditionally made from the skin of sharks or rays. Don't worry — imitation versions on the market closely approximate the real thing without the concerns of animal cruelty.
In keeping with its optimistic overtones and view to the future, art deco is all about shine, shine, shine. Lacquer, polished wood and metal, and glossy paint combine for a slick and gleaming effect. Sprinkle glass and mirrored pieces throughout an art deco room to add to the reflective quality.
Glam it up: Want to take an art deco space over the top? Add a note of shagreen, a highly textured leatherlike material traditionally made from the skin of sharks or rays. Don't worry — imitation versions on the market closely approximate the real thing without the concerns of animal cruelty.
by Fisher Hart
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Style Secret: Lush Textiles
Natural weaves and plain fabrics? Not in this style. Graphic patterns and sleek textures rule. Mix vinyl, silk and satin for layers of tactile interest; choose rugs, carpets and upholstery with geometric, rhythmic motifs. Animal prints feel appropriately showy as well.
Glam it up: A touch of metallic silver or gold brings an extra-swanky feel to an art deco room. Don't overdo it, but feel free to choose textiles that are shot with shimmer: a coverlet woven with gold threads, a pillow embroidered with silver detailing.
Natural weaves and plain fabrics? Not in this style. Graphic patterns and sleek textures rule. Mix vinyl, silk and satin for layers of tactile interest; choose rugs, carpets and upholstery with geometric, rhythmic motifs. Animal prints feel appropriately showy as well.
Glam it up: A touch of metallic silver or gold brings an extra-swanky feel to an art deco room. Don't overdo it, but feel free to choose textiles that are shot with shimmer: a coverlet woven with gold threads, a pillow embroidered with silver detailing.
Style Secret: Black and White
Black and white is the iconic art deco palette. Classic, sophisticated and timeless, it has an inherent drama that fits this style like a custom Chanel suit. And combined with the shine that typifies the art deco look, a black and white color scheme simply dazzles.
Glam it up: Craving color? Go bright. Golden yellow, kelly green, peacock blue and regal purple all evoke the energy that pervaded the art deco era at its peak. Be savvy about using these brilliant hues, however — art deco interiors tend toward minimalism, so err on the side of restraint. Play them against a quieter backdrop and limit them to one or two dominant choices to avoid an over-the-rainbow mishmash.
Black and white is the iconic art deco palette. Classic, sophisticated and timeless, it has an inherent drama that fits this style like a custom Chanel suit. And combined with the shine that typifies the art deco look, a black and white color scheme simply dazzles.
Glam it up: Craving color? Go bright. Golden yellow, kelly green, peacock blue and regal purple all evoke the energy that pervaded the art deco era at its peak. Be savvy about using these brilliant hues, however — art deco interiors tend toward minimalism, so err on the side of restraint. Play them against a quieter backdrop and limit them to one or two dominant choices to avoid an over-the-rainbow mishmash.
| Style Secret: Lacquered Furniture True to the hallmark art deco gleam, lustrous lacquer became popular in a big way during this period. Its attention-getting gloss makes exotic elements, such as this fan-shape headboard, feel even more so. You can't go wrong with classic black, red or white, but think beyond the basics — consider spicing up a simple palette with one signature piece lacquered in an outrageous color such as persimmon. Glam it up: Give lacquered case goods even more pizzazz by bedecking them with glamorous hardware. Seek out vintage door, drawer and cabinet knobs and pulls, or consider some of the excellent reproductions that are available. Choose angular and, yes, geometric shapes that fall in step with the lines of the time. |
| Style Secret: Mirrored Furnishings Mirrored consoles, chests or tables are a must in an art deco room. While you don't want to go crazy with them (the space shouldn't feel as if you can never escape your reflection), two or three judiciously chosen pieces help to bounce light around and bring the sparkle. Glam it up: Hang a framed mirror above a mirrored piece of furniture for a dramatic one-two punch. The white bamboo that surrounds the mirror in this living area blends into the background just enough to avoid overshadowing the mirrored table that's the real star of the room. |
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Style Secret: Symmetry
True to its emphasis on line and form, art deco style has a fundamental symmetry that departs from the earlier Victorian and art nouveau philosophies of decorating. This symmetrical approach extends to all aspects of the style, from architecture to furniture design to the placement of art and accessories.
Glam it up: Symmetry doesn't mean rigid lines and straight profiles. The theatrical, flowing curves of this mirror maintain balance but help to soften the space. The arrangement on the table beneath bears out the theme of repetition.
More 'So Your Style Is':
Traditional | Arts & Crafts | Hollywood Regency | Rustic | Old World | Cottage
French Country | Transitional | Contemporary | Midcentury Modern | Industrial
Eclectic | Coastal | Preppy
True to its emphasis on line and form, art deco style has a fundamental symmetry that departs from the earlier Victorian and art nouveau philosophies of decorating. This symmetrical approach extends to all aspects of the style, from architecture to furniture design to the placement of art and accessories.
Glam it up: Symmetry doesn't mean rigid lines and straight profiles. The theatrical, flowing curves of this mirror maintain balance but help to soften the space. The arrangement on the table beneath bears out the theme of repetition.
More 'So Your Style Is':
Traditional | Arts & Crafts | Hollywood Regency | Rustic | Old World | Cottage
French Country | Transitional | Contemporary | Midcentury Modern | Industrial
Eclectic | Coastal | Preppy
Ideabook updated on April 23, 2012.
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For attached photo: http://www.printedart.com/content/lash
marcie
http://custm.co/hz/40
I love the look of mirrored pieces, but with an almost four year old, I would be spending all of my time with a bottle of window cleaner in hand!
Great Ideabook, I particularly love the mint green bathroom.