The Art Deco style emerged from France in the 1920s. It influenced art and the design of buildings and household items until the 1930s.
Appreciation for art deco design remains strong. Furniture and accessories incorporate the style’s characteristic precise geometric shapes and bold use of color. This makes them a versatile choice and perennial favorite in home decor.
Here’s what you need to know about incorporating art deco accessories into any room of the house.
Know Your Space
Every room has strengths and weaknesses. There might be a lot of natural light, but not much wall space. The ceiling could be high, but the room is narrow.
Knowing what aspects of a room you want to accentuate, and those you’d like to downplay, will help you choose your accessories.
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Surprise the Eye
The advantage of accessories made in the art deco style is versatility. Free from intricate detail and patterns, art deco pieces stand out. They can also complement a room’s primary style.
The key is to limit the number of accessories that aren’t in the decor’s primary style. For example, you could install an art deco chandelier or pendant lamp to drawn attention to the ceiling in an ultra modern room. Another option is to place an art deco glass bowl on the mantel above a fireplace in a rustic living room.
Let Them Shine
When placing art deco accessories in a room, avoid crowding them together. The dramatic lines, shapes, and colors of the pieces from this design era can be overwhelming if huddled together without purpose in one part of a room.
Art deco accessories make excellent statement pieces — if you let them stand out. For example, framed art deco posters can “carry” a wall space ten times its size, if placed alone.
Mirrors from the art deco era are natural attention-grabbers. The extra shapes of glass, often along the sides, create a sense of presentation and add flare to any room. Place them where they can’t be missed and will help illuminate and energize the room.
Use Authentic Art Deco Accessories
A few decades ago, art deco made a resurgence among consumers as a sought-after design style. Demand remains strong today. In response, many manufacturers of furniture and accessories have done a good job of replicating the main attributes of art deco. Yet, nothing can compare to the real thing.
During the original art deco era, glass and metal production was different. Glass was heavier. Metals were also heavier and sometimes contained components no longer used.
Authentic art deco items have a certain heft and aesthetic. Many replicas are outstanding. But anyone familiar with art deco materials and design can spot them without trouble.
If you want to gain the most from your art deco accessories, find a reputable source. Look for dealers or galleries that work with designers and architects, as well as the general public. Vendors, who specialize in art deco, are also better sources for authentic items than “jack of all trades” decor businesses.
Start Small
Anyone accessorizing a room with art deco items can’t go wrong starting small. Find a piece you love. Place it in a room and enjoy it.
Then find another piece you love and then another, until your room is exactly as you want it.
We, at Paul Stamati Gallery, have been helping designers and individual customers find quality furniture and accessories since 1982. You can see some of our collection and make inquiries online. Or, if you’re in the New York City area, come visit us.