Art Deco Style
Art Deco interior design style, also called style moderne, takes its name from the exhibition held in Paris in 1925, L’Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes, but it has its roots in the early reaction against the “spaghetti” style of Art Nouveau. It was already well developed before the First World War but little progress was made from 1914 until after 1920.Art Deco was characterised by a taste for solid rectilinear shapes, smooth lines, streamlined forms, and a revival of interest in the classicism of the late 18th century. It was influenced by contemporary art movements such as the Fauves, allied to the Ballets Russes, with their use of bold colour, and the Cubists with their interest in primitive art and the geometrical dissection of form. In addition, the style took note of aspects of modern life, particularly machines and transport. Many Art Deco works were made of chrome, plastics, and other industrial materials. Unlike most other modern styles, which were undecorated, Art Deco used various decorative motifs, notably lightning bolts, wheels, chevrons, fans, sunrays, circles, pyramids and waterfalls.
It was a luxury style employing rich and rare materials such as ebony, shagreen, ivory and exotic woods as well as labour intensive techniques like gilding and lacquering. It was practised as high art in the interiors of fashionable France but was largely ignored in Germany, where the work of the Deutsche Werkbund and the Bauhaus led directly to unadorned Modernism. It found little favour in Britain with the exception of some major building projects, but provided a rich source of ideas for mass production for the popular market, particularly in designs for ceramics and textiles.
Style-conscious homes of the 1920s often had exotic Eastern influences or the distinctive look of Art Deco. Some of these designs were inspired by Greek or Egyptian forms and colours. The Egyptian influence followed the opening of Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922. Surface decoration was one of the main elements of the style, and wood, metal, motifs and decorative objects were also important. Walls were usually pale, in different shades of beige or off-white. Woods were light-coloured, and wallpaper borders were frequently used for definition. The fabrics were often in geometric prints or with period motifs in muted pastel tones, beiges and browns, bright oranges and mauves or lime green. Bedspreads could be in silver satin, with carpets and walls to match, and contrasting curtains. Lighting was dramatic and animal skins were a popular accessory.
In the 1930s came the great slump but, despite the Depression, interior decorators prospered. The look was more subtle than in the 1920s. Plain walls in soft beiges, eau de nil green, silver grey, pale peach, ash pink, powder blue, coral or turquoise were combined with curtain fabrics in a slightly deeper colour - chocolate or tan, deep blues and greens - for emphasis.
There was less pattern in general, though geometrically patterned rugs and textiles by the designer Marion Dorn were particularly fashionable. Abstract paintings were important accessories, light and dark woods were much in use and murals were very popular. Mirror glass was used to give an illusion of space.
Art Deco Style In brief:
- Interiors begin to lose mouldings, cornice, picture rails and have a streamlined effect;
- Compensated by luxurious surfaces and finishes;
- Use of mirror glass, lacquer, straw, vellum, silver and gold papers
- Stippled paint finished much in fashion.
© Adrienne Chinn
