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(Photo by Wesley Tingey on Unsplash)
For centuries, countless design styles have been established and then forgotten. Yet, only a few among them have made their mark for the short period of time they were used. Even if they are not as popular as before, modern designs draw out inspiration from them and continue to improve.
One such design style is art deco. Although it was active for less than a decade, its opulent style caught many eyes. Even now, the art deco style is used in various fields related to art and design. Here, we will discuss the history and important characteristics of art deco interior design.
What is Art Deco Interior Design?
Art deco was one of the most popular styles of the 20th century. Even decades later, it remains an influential style. Art deco is easily adapted to suit any interior. This style is widely being incorporated into contemporary furniture.
Inherently, art deco is a grandeur and luxurious design style that creates a stunning and elegant interior design. Instead of extravagance, this opulent style balances rich and glamorous designs into perfect harmony.
(Photo by Alex Azabache on Unsplash)
A Brief History :
Art deco is a popular art and crafts movement of the 1920s. It originated in France and was given its name from the 1925 'Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes'. The exposition was solely focused on art deco styles. After that, art deco spread all across Europe and become popular in the United States during the early 1930s.
The art deco style was found in architecture, interior design, furniture, fashion, jewelry, and textiles. These styles were inspired by the advancements in modern technology after the first world war. The inspiration can be seen in the smooth lines, geometric shapes, and streamline forms, which are characteristic features of the movement.
Sadly, this magnificent design style started to fade during the 1940s. During the great depression that followed after the second world war, the public wasn't able to keep spending so much money on luxurious buildings and items. With this, the art deco movement faded into history and the era of modernism began. After that, during the 1950s and 1960s, post-modernism began flourishing and a new style of art deco was introduced as an element of post-modernism.
Important Characteristics :
1. Color :
There are no rules or boundaries when it comes to using colors in art deco interior design. However, a distinctive art deco style will usually have touches of silver, black, and chrome. So, it is important to consider this when choosing a color palette for the rest of the design.
2. Materials and Finishes :
Although art deco elements use a range of materials, each element typically has a luxurious, glossy, or reflective finish. Art deco interior design uses a variety of high-quality wood, each being either high polished or given a lacquer finish. This gives the wood unparalleled glamour. Subsequently, lacquered furniture is one of the most important elements in luxury art deco interior design. Other common materials used in art deco styles are chrome, brass, silver, and mirrored surfaces.
3. Patterns :
Art deco interiors embrace patterns in a rather elegant and graceful way. In both the old and modern art deco styles, patterns were widely used. Art deco interior design includes patterns with leaves, branches, feathers, trapezoids, animals, chevrons, and zigzags. Some of the patterns are jagged, stepped, or pointed edges that resemble the skyscrapers of the 1920s and 1930s. The modern art deco interior design takes a more eclectic approach with patterns spread throughout the room, creating a harmonious design.
(Photo by Alex Azabache on Unsplash)
4. Funiture :
Art deco style includes bold, dramatic, and unique furniture designs. The furniture is usually streamlined, symmetrical, geometrical, and modern. The furnishings are large in scale but lack intricate detailing. In this way, the furniture seems to create a contrast compared to the detailed designs of the interiors.
(Photo by Jean-Philippe Delberghe on Unsplash)
5. Decor :
The lighting fixtures in art deco interior design are more extravagant and eye-catching than other design styles. They are mostly made of glass or crystal, having an iron or brass finish. The floors are usually designed using black and white geometric floor tiles with large rugs of geometric patterns. Also, mirrors are popular decorative items in art deco interiors. They are usually large ornate mirrors that are used to make the room seem bigger and more polished.
(Photo by Jessica Kantak Bailey on Unsplash)
To design a room with art deco style, you need to opt for decorative items and accessories featuring shapes and color palettes inspired by the origins of art deco. Art deco is an extremely luxurious and glamorous design style that knows no bounds in using decorative items.
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