Art Deco is a style form that influenced fashion, decor and architecture of the 20’s and 30’s, firstly and most prominently in Paris, where it originated, and later on, in the rest of the world. It’s a highly theatrical style, and it was influenced by the leading avant-garde art movements of the era such as Cubism and Futurism, which can be observed through their characteristic symmetrical and rectilinear shapes. Art Deco represents the glamour and decadence of its time, and even today it’s admired for its sophisticated elegance and suave that can bring a touch of unpretentious luxury to any house.
Whether you wish to add a few Art Deco inspired designs to your interior, or entirely redecorate your house in this fashion, you’ll need to know where to place your focus.
Circle Motifs
You can start with your living room, because that’s where you have the most freedom to experiment. You can incorporate circular shapes anywhere from round coffee tables, lamps or decoration, to circle shaped patterns on your rug or elsewhere. Make sure it’s subtle and balanced though, flowing curves on bigger furniture will soften the space and lessen all the rigid and harsh lines. Imagine a rectangular mirror with prominent circular motifs around its frame.
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Lacquered Finish
Lacquered furniture became popular solely because of Art Deco. Nothing says Art Deco more than shiny, polished surfaces in classical Art Deco favorite black and white or red color. Of course, you can opt for other colors, and you can choose how much of a surface you want to reflect a shiny gloss. A glossy black and white marble checkered floor with a mirror somewhere on the wall to complete the effect will result in beautiful light reflection. Be careful with too much of lacquered furniture, because of its high maintenance.
Bedroom Decor
Bedroom is a place to play with fabrics and patterns. Don’t let any fabric be plain in your room, but don’t make a mish-mash of your sleeping area either. A great way to add some style and class to your room is with metallic and gold paints or simple details on your pillows, rugs or wallpapers. Prints are also welcome, even more so if you can find rugs with geometric shapes or subtle but patterned panel blinds with rhythmic motifs. If you’re going for different patterns, make sure you stick with one color palette or different shades of one color for coherent vibe.
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Lights
Atmosphere is crucial if you want to make your house feel like home or if you want to evoke a certain impression. Lighting is one way to achieve that. Install a few interesting wall lamps that will exude not only light but stylishness as well. Again, choose interesting, geometrical shapes, for example a sun shaped lamp that has that polished and glossy finish to it. For even more of an atmosphere, install a dimmer so you can adjust the light based on your mood.
Black and White
If you can’t decide whether sleek surfaces and strong geometry are your style, you’ll never get it wrong with the black and white color scheme. You either love it or hate it. Either way nothing will evoke iconic Art Deco style like black and white furniture. Checkered black and white pattern can find its place in almost every room, whether it’s bathroom tiles, kitchen floor or a living room vase. Plus, the combination is timeless, and you will most certainly always be able to find a piece of furniture that matches.
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Bold colors
If the monochromatic effect of black and white surroundings doesn’t appeal to you, bold and contrasting colors are also a part of Art Deco heritage. Any kind of color with a glossy finish will pop and be vibrant which is essentially what you’re going for. So, choose bold and high-contrast color palettes, but don’t end up with a rainbow design. Don’t go over three solid colors.