8 Art Deco Interior Design Ideas to Get You Inspired (With Pictures)
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Kristin Hitchcock
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Art Deco is an interesting, distinctive style that emerged in the early 20th century, particularly in the 1920s and 1930s. This interior design style is characterized by bold geometric shapes, clean lines, rich colors, and a sense of luxury. It is often ultra-modern, though it is different from your usual modern style.
That said, Art Deco can encompass a wide range of different characteristics. Some people may play towards the bold colors, while others may embrace the strange art that often hangs in Art Deco homes.
In this article, we’ll help you design your home in an Art Deco style with plenty of suggestions.
The 8 Art Deco Interior Design Ideas
1. Geometric Shapes
Art Deco is characterized by its use of bold and distinct geometric shapes. These shapes include squares, rectangles, triangles, circles, and polygons. These forms are often used to create intricate patterns, both in two-dimensional designs and in the architectural details of buildings.
The emphasis on geometric shapes conveys a sense of order and symmetry, reflecting the modernist ideals of the era. Often, the use of these obvious geometric shapes is one way Art Deco is obviously set apart from other design styles.
2. Symmetry
Often, Art Deco also uses a lot of symmetry. You’ll often see it in architecture, furniture, and decorative objects. Symmetry is used a lot. Often, this symmetry is utilized to achieve a sense of balance and harmony.
Without symmetry, the Art Deco style can be a bit too much. You need symmetry to help balance out the outrageousness of this style.
3. Streamlined
While this form is all about bold colors and lines, it is also about modernism. Therefore, it emphasizes the ideas of progress and sleek, streamlined forms. Often, this idea is more common in art and other aspects of Art Deco. However, it may also be apparent in interior décor.
This is particularly evident in transportation design, such as streamlined trains and automobiles, which were influenced by the emerging machine age.
4. Ornamentation
One huge part of Art Deco is the use of intricate accessories. Often, gold and stylized decorations will be used, sometimes in the form of repetitive patterns. Stylized plants are common, but they aren’t absolutely necessary like in some other styles.
Sometimes, this style may draw from other cultures for inspiration, such as ancient Egyptian. It’s important to balance the clean, modern look of the style with ornate details. That’s how you end up with an Art Deco style.
5. Luxurious Materials
Because Art Deco is meant to make the room seem luxurious, luxurious materials are often utilized. You’ll commonly see high-end materials like marble, chrome, glass, lacquer, ivory, and exotic woods. Of course, it is possible to take this aspect too far. You don’t want to use too many interesting materials.
Instead, use rich materials alongside sleek lines and forms.
6. Bold Colors
If you’ve looked at any Art Deco examples, you’ve probably noticed the use of bold colors. Vivid and vibrant colors like deep reds, royal blues, emerald greens, and gold were often used to create striking visual effects. These colors not only added to the visual impact of Art Deco designs but also reinforced the sense of glamour and extravagance.
Often, furniture pieces are used in these bright colors. However, it’s best to only use one or two bold colors per room. Otherwise, it may seem a bit overwhelming.
7. Sunbursts, Zigzags, and Other Patterns
These ornate patterns are extremely common in Art Deco. Of course, no particular person can explain to you why these particular patterns are common. However, someone likely decided they looked good, and then the same patterns just kept getting repeated. While these patterns aren’t necessarily a must-have, they are extremely popular.
You’ll usually find these patterns in decorative elements and textiles. Sometimes, they’re even put on the walls.
8. Lots of Vertical Lines
In architecture, Art Deco often features strong vertical lines that create a sense of height and grandeur. Skyscrapers of the era frequently employed vertical lines to emphasize their towering presence. However, you’ll also find this feature inside homes. Vertical lines are a solid option if you don’t want a more dramatic pattern.
Final Thoughts
As you might notice from this article, Art Deco is all about balance. You want bold colors—but not too much. You should use lots of extravagant patterns and décor, but don’t go overboard. You want it to seem luxurious, but you don’t want to use every luxurious material known to man. You probably won’t use all of these tips in every room.
Art Deco’s influence extended beyond its visual characteristics. It captured the spirit of the time, reflecting the social, cultural, and technological changes of the early 20th century. Its sleek and glamorous aesthetic captured the optimism of the Roaring Twenties. Despite being obviously a result of its time, this decoration style is still pretty popular today.
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Featured Image Credit: New Africa, Shutterstock
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