How to Bring Those 1920s Vibes into Your Home: Let's Talk Art Deco

by Kaley Lamberson May 24, 2019

How to Bring in Those 1920s Vibes into Your Home

When we talk about the 1920s, these iconic figures immediately come to mind: Josephine Baker, Charles Lindbergh, Jack Dempsey, Greta Garbo, Charlie Chaplin, Al Capone, Babe Ruth, Louis Armstrong - we know we’re missing a few. What also comes to mind is Art Deco. A movement in the decorative arts and architecture that originated during that time period.

Over the last couple of years, we've seen a resurgence in the Art Deco movement. Artists are returning to the geometric patterns and designers are using 1920's luxury as their inspiration. (1)

The style emphasizes surface embellishment, drawing heavily on the colors and styles of some of the early modern art movements, from Impressionism through Cubism. (2)

Art Deco (c.1908-1935)

Art deco began in Europe, particularly Paris, in the early years of the 20th century, but didn't really take hold until after World War I. It reigned until the outbreak of World War II. Art Deco was not a single style, but a collection of different and sometimes contradictory styles.

Think about the New York City skyline, the Chrysler Building, Rockefeller Center and the American Radiator Building, just to name a few. They were all built between 1924-1933.

By the 1930s, mass production meant that everyone could live in the deco style. Travel became popular. African safaris were all the rage and animal skins, ivory, mother of pearl, and tortoiseshell began to appear in the home. After Tutankhamun's tomb was discovered, Egyptian pyramids and sphinxes adorned everything. (3)

And yet, here we are, a century later and we still admire this beautiful era.

So Let’s Go Over How You Can Get the Look

Be sure to look for the following when trying to achieve an art deco look:

geometric and angular shapes
chrome, glass, shiny fabrics, mirrors, and mirror tiles
stylized images of airplanes, cars, cruise liners, skyscrapers
nature motifs - shells, sunrises, flowers
theatrical contrasts - highly polished wood and glossy black lacquer mixed with satin and furs

Now, when it comes to styling you’ll want to find furniture that contains streamlined shapes and in single pieces rather than suites. If you’re looking for the perfect statement rug, a large rug in geometric patterns is a must. Light featuring female figures were very popular back then, but you can opt for lighting in chrome or glass that is etched or sandblasted. Color schemes such as silver, black, chrome, yellow, and red are going to be very bold and are great for hallways. Creams, greens, and beige are great for living rooms and bedrooms. And of course, we have you covered when it comes to choosing the perfect style for your walls. Here are some of our favorites from our Art Deco Collection! They are sure to bring instant inspiration: