'Great Gatsby' Style: 9 Inspiring Art Deco Escapes
Kick up your heels at a jazzed-up room across Europe or the U.S., then bring your favorite 1920s design ideas home
If you haven’t heard, the 1920s are here all over again. The young women in Downton Abbey are wearing drop waists and beads. Boardwalk Empire's set designers have been quietly stocking up at art deco antiques shops. And another big one, The Great Gatsby hit theaters May 10, 2013.
Downton Deco Hideaway: Burgh Island
Check-in time at this vision-in-white art deco resort in Devon, England, is dictated by the tides. You’ll need to wait for optimal conditions to walk across; during higher tides you'll ferry across on a sea tractor just like Lord Mountbatten, Noel Coward, Wallis Simpson and Edward VIII did. Burgh Island has 25 rooms with original furnishings.
Check-in time at this vision-in-white art deco resort in Devon, England, is dictated by the tides. You’ll need to wait for optimal conditions to walk across; during higher tides you'll ferry across on a sea tractor just like Lord Mountbatten, Noel Coward, Wallis Simpson and Edward VIII did. Burgh Island has 25 rooms with original furnishings.
Burgh Island might just have the coolest chairs on the planet. The chairs in the Peacock Bar (next photo) are by Lloyd Loom.
What to know about Burgh Island:
Where: Bigbury-on-Sea, Devon, England
Completed: 1929
Architect: No specific name is known, only that the building was done by owner and industrialist Archibald Nettlefold’s engineering firm.
Fun fact: Two of Agatha Christie's novels were inspired by Burgh Island, and the novelist spent time there.
Deco diversion: The 26-acre island has a "mermaid bathing pool," built in the sea and secured with a sluice gate. For a proper drink in deco digs, off you go to the Peacock Bar (shown here) with its mesmerizing stained glass dome.
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Where: Bigbury-on-Sea, Devon, England
Completed: 1929
Architect: No specific name is known, only that the building was done by owner and industrialist Archibald Nettlefold’s engineering firm.
Fun fact: Two of Agatha Christie's novels were inspired by Burgh Island, and the novelist spent time there.
Deco diversion: The 26-acre island has a "mermaid bathing pool," built in the sea and secured with a sluice gate. For a proper drink in deco digs, off you go to the Peacock Bar (shown here) with its mesmerizing stained glass dome.
More info
Art Deco Bed-and Breakfast: Le Macassar
At the very heart of where World War I’s Battle of Somme took place is the small town of Corbie. Within it is the extraordinary Le Macassar, a six-room B and B that is a virtual art deco museum. As British owner and art deco collector Ian Nelmes says, “This part of the world has some remarkable deco architecture given the amount of rebuilding that went on after the end of the first world war.” This house in particular, owned by the same family till the 1970s, has stayed in remarkably good shape.
At the very heart of where World War I’s Battle of Somme took place is the small town of Corbie. Within it is the extraordinary Le Macassar, a six-room B and B that is a virtual art deco museum. As British owner and art deco collector Ian Nelmes says, “This part of the world has some remarkable deco architecture given the amount of rebuilding that went on after the end of the first world war.” This house in particular, owned by the same family till the 1970s, has stayed in remarkably good shape.
Barely a year after the Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris (widely recognized as the starting point of the art deco movement), the couple who owned the house commissioned artisans to renovate it in the new aesthetic. Shown is the Moroccan Alcove at Le Macassar.
The house contains pieces by a who’s who from the period, including art nouveau furniture designer Louis Majorelle, glassmakers Lalique and Daum, and Iznick tile master David Ohannessian, as well as artists Émile Aubry, Jean Dupas and Othon Friesz.
What to know about Le Macassar:
Where: Corbie, France (an hour and a half from Paris)
Remodeled: 1926; the buildings themselves are centuries older
Fun fact: Exotic materials are visible throughout, including birdseye maple, ash and Macassar Indonesian wood, as well as intricately carved wood like that of the billiards table (detail shown).
Deco diversion: The nearby towns of Amiens, Albert, Saint-Quentin and Lille offer art deco tours and have several antiques shops.
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Where: Corbie, France (an hour and a half from Paris)
Remodeled: 1926; the buildings themselves are centuries older
Fun fact: Exotic materials are visible throughout, including birdseye maple, ash and Macassar Indonesian wood, as well as intricately carved wood like that of the billiards table (detail shown).
Deco diversion: The nearby towns of Amiens, Albert, Saint-Quentin and Lille offer art deco tours and have several antiques shops.
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Two Deco-dant Escapes in France
The South of France was one of the hot spots the Lost Generation visited to soothe their disillusionment, soaking in the sun and gin. And Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald tore it up along the coast, from Cannes to Cap d'Antibes — at the 118-room Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in particular. It's like F. Scott's fictitious old-money East Egg with French flair.
The South of France was one of the hot spots the Lost Generation visited to soothe their disillusionment, soaking in the sun and gin. And Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald tore it up along the coast, from Cannes to Cap d'Antibes — at the 118-room Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in particular. It's like F. Scott's fictitious old-money East Egg with French flair.
What to know about Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc:
Where: Cap D'Antibes, Côte d'Azur, France
Completed: 1870
Built for: Auguste de Villemessant, founder of Le Figaro newspaper
Fun facts: The pool, carved from basalt, has been there since 1914. It is said that Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc was the model for Gausse’s Hotel in Tender Is the Night.
Deco diversion: See the collected (but minor) works of Picasso in the Musée Picasso, where he lived in the 1940s. Tourism info here.
More info on Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc
Where: Cap D'Antibes, Côte d'Azur, France
Completed: 1870
Built for: Auguste de Villemessant, founder of Le Figaro newspaper
Fun facts: The pool, carved from basalt, has been there since 1914. It is said that Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc was the model for Gausse’s Hotel in Tender Is the Night.
Deco diversion: See the collected (but minor) works of Picasso in the Musée Picasso, where he lived in the 1940s. Tourism info here.
More info on Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc
The Promenade de la Croisette (Boulevard by the Sea) and the imposing Grand Hyatt Cannes Hotel Martinez was a playground for the Lost Generation. Today the hotel has 409 rooms.
The hotel's 400 sun beds overlook the Bay of Cannes.
What to know about Grand Hyatt Cannes Hotel Martinez:
Where: Cannes, Côte d’Azur, France
Completed: 1929
Architect: Charles Palermo
Fun fact: When an Italian hotelier purchased the land and existing villa, he planned to build the largest art deco palace on the French Riviera.
Deco diversion: Nearby Boulevard Carnot is a time warp focusing on art deco and the Belle Époque.
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What to know about Grand Hyatt Cannes Hotel Martinez:
Where: Cannes, Côte d’Azur, France
Completed: 1929
Architect: Charles Palermo
Fun fact: When an Italian hotelier purchased the land and existing villa, he planned to build the largest art deco palace on the French Riviera.
Deco diversion: Nearby Boulevard Carnot is a time warp focusing on art deco and the Belle Époque.
More info
Two West and East Egg Getaways, Long Island, New York
Flashback. This photo shows the "cottages" F. Scott Fitzgerald would have seen being built around him in Long Island. No wonder he invented The Great Gatsby. In his book Long Island was divided into West and East Egg. Today a couple of these uberhomes accept overnighters. Let us unveil these splendors for us all to pant over.
Flashback. This photo shows the "cottages" F. Scott Fitzgerald would have seen being built around him in Long Island. No wonder he invented The Great Gatsby. In his book Long Island was divided into West and East Egg. Today a couple of these uberhomes accept overnighters. Let us unveil these splendors for us all to pant over.
Does this photo look familiar? It's the same "cottage" shown above, only flash forward to now, with some of the Frederick Law Olmsted–designed landscape filling in nicely. Its name, Oheka, is a mash-up of the owner’s name, Otto Herman Kahn; Kahn's image was made famous in the form of Mr. Monopoly. Oheka Castle now has 32 guest rooms, including the Gatsby, Carnegie and Olmsted suites, and current owners Gary and Pamela Melius live on the property and greet overnighters.
"Mr. Monopoly" designed the estate so he could entertain distinguished guests like Charlie Chaplin and Enrico Caruso. The wood in this room is faux bois, which mimics the look of grain. The well-known business oligarch had a fear of fire.
What to know about Oheka Castle:
Where: Huntington, Long Island, New York
Completed: 1919
Architects: Delano & Aldrich
Fun facts: This is the second-largest private home in America, at 109,000 square feet, with 127 rooms on 443 acres (only The Biltmore in North Carolina is larger). The grand staircase, inspired by the Chateau Fontainebleau in France, has a hand-wrought iron railing crafted by master metalworker Samuel Yellin.
Deco diversion: Of Long Island's era of opulence, only a few houses remain. You can tour a few, such as the Mill Neck Manor House, Old Westbury Gardens and Vanderbilt Museum.
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What to know about Oheka Castle:
Where: Huntington, Long Island, New York
Completed: 1919
Architects: Delano & Aldrich
Fun facts: This is the second-largest private home in America, at 109,000 square feet, with 127 rooms on 443 acres (only The Biltmore in North Carolina is larger). The grand staircase, inspired by the Chateau Fontainebleau in France, has a hand-wrought iron railing crafted by master metalworker Samuel Yellin.
Deco diversion: Of Long Island's era of opulence, only a few houses remain. You can tour a few, such as the Mill Neck Manor House, Old Westbury Gardens and Vanderbilt Museum.
More info
When a former Georgian-style private house can be transformed into a 187-guest-room hotel, we're talking spacious. That's the reality of Glen Cove Mansion.
What to know about Glen Cove Mansion:
Where: Glen Cove, Long Island, New York
Completed: 1910
Architect: Charles Adams Platt
Fun fact: Originally built for a Standard Oil executive and his congresswoman wife, the house made appearances in Hitchcock's North by Northwest.
Deco diversion: See Oheka Castle, above.
More info
What to know about Glen Cove Mansion:
Where: Glen Cove, Long Island, New York
Completed: 1910
Architect: Charles Adams Platt
Fun fact: Originally built for a Standard Oil executive and his congresswoman wife, the house made appearances in Hitchcock's North by Northwest.
Deco diversion: See Oheka Castle, above.
More info
Big City Weekend: New York City
Parts of the earlier Great Gatsby movie (1974), starring Robert Redford and Mia Farrow, were filmed at The Plaza Hotel in New York. It was also a hangout of the Fitzgeralds, and scenes in the book The Great Gatsby take place there.
Parts of the earlier Great Gatsby movie (1974), starring Robert Redford and Mia Farrow, were filmed at The Plaza Hotel in New York. It was also a hangout of the Fitzgeralds, and scenes in the book The Great Gatsby take place there.
As a proper tribute, The Plaza has unveiled its Fitzgerald Suite (shown). Conceptualized by the set and production designer of the latest Gatsby movie, Catherine Martin, it has photos of F. Scott and Zelda, and a library of books and movies about the author. You may also spot the fictional Tom Buchanan’s sporting trophies and other film props.
What to know about The Plaza:
Where: New York City
Completed: 1907
Architect: Henry Janeway Hardenbergh
Fun facts: The Grand Ballroom (shown here) is true to the Gatsby period. It is, as architectural historian Francis Morrone states, what one in Gatsby’s own mansion would have looked like.
Deco diversion: The hotel offers tours with Morrone (with a minimum number of guests). Also, at the New York Public Library, you can see the art deco collection, which includes original patterns, catalogs and other ephemera.
More info
Where: New York City
Completed: 1907
Architect: Henry Janeway Hardenbergh
Fun facts: The Grand Ballroom (shown here) is true to the Gatsby period. It is, as architectural historian Francis Morrone states, what one in Gatsby’s own mansion would have looked like.
Deco diversion: The hotel offers tours with Morrone (with a minimum number of guests). Also, at the New York Public Library, you can see the art deco collection, which includes original patterns, catalogs and other ephemera.
More info
Big City Weekend: Los Angeles
Throughout Los Angeles are fine examples of deco, none more visually absorbing than West Hollywood's Sunset Tower Hotel, with its glorious zigzag moderne exterior.
What to know about Sunset Tower Hotel:
Where: Los Angeles
Completed: 1929
Architect: Leland A. Bryant
Fun facts: The lobby and Tower Bar, on the ground floor, were once Bugsy Siegel’s apartment. Throughout the lobby are Jerusalem limestone tiles.
Deco diversion: The Los Angeles Conservancy leads art deco walking tours every Saturday at 10 a.m.
More info
Throughout Los Angeles are fine examples of deco, none more visually absorbing than West Hollywood's Sunset Tower Hotel, with its glorious zigzag moderne exterior.
What to know about Sunset Tower Hotel:
Where: Los Angeles
Completed: 1929
Architect: Leland A. Bryant
Fun facts: The lobby and Tower Bar, on the ground floor, were once Bugsy Siegel’s apartment. Throughout the lobby are Jerusalem limestone tiles.
Deco diversion: The Los Angeles Conservancy leads art deco walking tours every Saturday at 10 a.m.
More info
Art Deco on Wheels
I couldn't end this collection of art deco hotels without including one of the more famous moving landmarks: the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, which runs different routes, including one from Paris to Istanbul, which takes six days. Vintage carriages include tulip lights by Lalique as well as mahogany paneling inlaid with marquetry patterns.
I couldn't end this collection of art deco hotels without including one of the more famous moving landmarks: the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, which runs different routes, including one from Paris to Istanbul, which takes six days. Vintage carriages include tulip lights by Lalique as well as mahogany paneling inlaid with marquetry patterns.
The Lalique tulip lights in the dining car.
What to know about the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express:
Where: Many European cities
Its beginnings: Made its inaugural run in fall 1883. Has since undergone carriage and route changes and extensive refurbishments.
Fun fact: Sleeping car number 3544 served as a brothel in Limoges, France, during World War II.
Deco diversion: Drink the line's most popular cocktail, the Agatha Christie.
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Where: Many European cities
Its beginnings: Made its inaugural run in fall 1883. Has since undergone carriage and route changes and extensive refurbishments.
Fun fact: Sleeping car number 3544 served as a brothel in Limoges, France, during World War II.
Deco diversion: Drink the line's most popular cocktail, the Agatha Christie.
More info
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For many the '20s were a time of liberation and optimism — the birth of jazz, the radio and the flapper. The curvy lines of art nouveau unfurled slightly to bring a new style, art deco (and eventually straightened to bring midcentury modern). After seeing The Great Gatsby, should you have an urge to get close with the design or drink a French 75, slip into the Roaring Twenties at one of these hotels.