Art Deco Style in your Home
12th June 2013With the recent release of the latest film version of The Great Gatsby, which is set in the roaring 1920s, Art Deco is very much in vogue at the moment. The stunning locations and visuals have captured people’s imagination, leading to many rediscovering their love affair with Art Deco.
If you’ve been inspired by the film and want to learn more about Art Deco and how to achieve this look in your home, here’s our guide.
Art Deco was the main style of the 1920-30s and was prominent right up until the end of the Second World War. The first reference to Art Deco was by French architect Le Corbusier, who used this term in his article 1925 Expo: Arts Déco for the popular journal L’Espirit Nouveau. Moving on from the Victorian era and Art Nouveau, industrialisation and the rapid changes taking place brought about a new age of style, inspired by technology.
This new style took influence from nature and the motifs of Art Nouveau, although gone were the flowing, organic lines and in its place came sharp geometric and angular shapes. Art Deco was all about balance, symmetry, vivid colour and sleek lines, with none of the ornate floral patterning that had been commonplace in the style of the pre-20s.
Worldwide Influence
Although the Art Deco movement began in France, it quickly spread across Europe and the world. In some Art Deco buildings and designs there was a strong African influence with animal skins, prints and ivory used, as at the time Safaris were very popular with the rich. Art Deco was not just for the affluent though, as this era saw the beginnings of mass produced furniture which was affordable and aimed at the middle and working classes. Art Deco was the first style that was available to everyone.
A Splash of Colour
Previously the colours of paint available had been fairly limited or subdued, but all that changed with Art Deco, which brought a splash of colour to the design world. Colour was often used to create contrast and draw attention to the design of a building or object. Typical colours used in Art Deco style include glossy black, chrome, silver, red, yellow, cream, off-white, beige and various shades of green.
If you want to create an Art Deco feel in your home, try using some of these colours and combine contrasting colours together, (for example black and white or red and green) to get an edgy look.
Getting the Art Deco Look
Even today Art Deco influence can still be found in many places and is popular in the home. If you would like to add a bit of an Art Deco twist to your home, use wallpaper with bold, symmetrical patterns and colour. Wallpaper in the style of Art Deco should be available from most good DIY and wallpaper retailers, although if you are after something authentic there are many specialist retailers.
To keep the look subtle, use the wallpaper on one wall and then paint the others in suitable shade to create a contrast between the wall and the wallpaper. You could also try experimenting with hanging animal prints on the wall or mirrors, as these are other Art Deco staples.
Decorative wall mouldings are also good for creating a subtle hint of a particular style. If you’re after cornice in the style of Art Deco, look out for bold symmetrical designs with sharp lines and steps. Art Deco cornice designs tend to be quite minimalist and will look great if you’re after a modern, cutting edge decoration to finish off a room.
You could complement this look with matching skirting boards and take it even further with some nice pieces of Art Deco furniture or a painting in the style.
We hope you’ve found our advice useful on creating an Art Deco style in your home. We’ve got a fantastic range of decorative mouldings to fit any style you choose! If you’d like more information get in touch with us and we’ll be happy to help you find the right options to enhance your home’s decor.