The Art Deco style was everywhere in the 1920s and 1930s, and it’s still extremely popular today. Blending black and white with luxurious gold accenting and interesting geometry, Art Deco blurs the lines of modern and classic, so it can be the perfect choice for making a statement with your home decor.
In this article, you’ll learn six steps to get started in transforming your home into something that exhibits style and elegance.
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1. Picking the Right Materials
Having an Art Deco home is all about displaying a sense of opulence, so no matter whether you’re choosing furniture, flooring, or ornaments, you’ll want to pay close attention to the materials you use.
Mirrored or glossy textures work well, as do marble-like surfaces, and thankfully, you don’t always have to get the real thing for something to look expensive. For example, feel free to experiment with materials like plastic in place of metals to get the desired effect on the cheap.
2. Selecting Furniture
When you’re putting together an Art Deco-style home, the furniture you choose is going to be a major component. There are many different types of furniture you could go for – it all depends on what you want to prioritise.
A chaise longue is a classic piece of Art Deco furniture that most living rooms in the style will feature, and even in areas like the dining room, you can add a 1920s flair with a marble dining table and chairs. All you really need to think about are the materials you selected prior and sticking to that rich colour pallet of blacks, whites, golds, and greys (which you can accent as you’ll learn later).
3. Geometric Patterns and Symmetry are Your Friends
Art Deco designers loved their use of geometry and symmetry to create interesting effects – it’s something that can be seen in both interior and exterior (architectural) designs of the time, and you can and should bring these features into your home to get the full effect.
Have a look at some Pinterest boards in the style for inspiration on how you can integrate geometric patterns and symtetry into your floors, walls, ceilings and more.
4. Use Bold Colours to Accent
While Art Deco has a relatively straightforward colour pallet, the best way to make your designs pop is to accent the base colours with something bolder.
There are multiple ways you can go about doing this, but start by thinking of what you could add in the form of deep primary colours (red, blue, and green). Naturally, false jewels work very well, even if it’s just adding an ornament here or there or getting creative and accenting your furniture with some plastic decals.
When you consider your furniture, you could also add colour by choosing boldly upholstered chairs, or perhaps get creative with some velvet curtains in a rich blue or green.
5. Don’t Forget About Lighting
Good lighting is crucial for any interior space to look its best, but this is particularly the case when it comes to Art Deco styling. Chandeliers are the obvious choice for the centrepiece, and again, there are plenty of cheaper options available if you don’t currently have the cash for an authentic one.
Wall-mounted scones are also great for accenting artwork or simply for adding to the general mood. Avoid harsh white LED lighting and go for warmer hues if you can.
6. How to Accessorise
And finally, it’s important to understand the power of the finishing touches. Unlike more minimalist styles, you can get much more creative with Art Deco styles and take more liberties with unique, wackier designs.
The first thing you should usually always add is a mirror: these makes the space look bigger, and further accentuate the geometric patterns you’ve set up. You can also get creative by choosing some stylish art for the walls – so long as it’s in keeping with the overall style you’ve chosen, anything goes; while there are some rules with Art Deco, it’s very much a style-routed expression, so feel free to experiment. If you like the look of it and you think it fits, then you’ve made the right choice!
Wrapping Up
Hopefully, you’ve found the above suggestions helpful. There are so many different ways to create a space in this style that you’re sure to be able to come up with something truly unique. Remember to have fun with it and indulge your creativity: your home is one of your greatest outlets for personal expression, and the Art Deco style allows you free reign.