Art Deco Is Back, This Time with More Subdued Finishes and Sophisticated Motifs
We're loving this gentler, more livable return to glamour.
By Dayle Wood
These trending picks were chosen by VERANDA's editors for Style Report.
Remember those peak-pandemic predictions that the roaring '20s would make a comeback when we emerged? Well, we're here to tell you that those prognostications for a return to glamour just may be coming true, at least from a home design perspective. Given the proliferation of strong lines, geometric shapes, dark color and shimmering materials we're seeing at design markets this spring, it's safe to say we are in the midst of a revival of Art Deco style.
Though the original art and design movement first emerged in France before World War I, it took its name—short for Art Decoratifs—from the International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts held in Paris in 1925, and reached its zenith in late that decade as its influence was apparent in everything from radios and glassware to ocean liners and buildings (like the Chrysler Building, which was completed in 1930).
And while today's Art Deco revival takes strong cues from the original movement from a century ago, contemporary designers, makers, and manufacturers have re-envisioned the distinctive style for the 21st century, starting with their approach to metallics. Where original Art Deco pieces featured bright gold or polished silver accents, today's hints of glint are more burnished, subdued, with more patina—making them a bit more livable. Glamorous, yes, but make it relaxed—a gentler transition for those wanting to ease back into Puttin' on the Ritz after two years of living in loungewear.
We're also smitten with the resurgence of Art Deco motifs—things like scallops, shell patterns, diamonds, arches, and palms. This graphic, repetitive use of highly-stylized shapes is one of the hallmarks of Art Deco design, and we're seeing them used not only on fabrics and wallpapers, but also as applied decoration on plates and cabinet-fronts or as inspiration for the frames of lighting or console tables. Here, discover our top picks for bringing home a little Deco glitz.
Dreamed up in collaboration with Maison Leleu, a the iconic French design house continuing the legacy of Art Deco master, Jules Leleu with this Jacquard fabric woven with a linen thread manufactured in its factory near Lyon. Its tonal color blocking—contrasting a bright indigo with an elegant deep shade of black—delivers an ultra modern take on this unmistakable Deco motif.
The Invisible Collection Artur Armchair
The Invisible Collection Artur Armchair
This low-slung and curvy silhouette, designed by Oitoemponto for the Invisible Collection and covered in Dedar's Tiger Mountain fabric, feels like an updated take on an Art Deco bergère or barrel-backed chair. The black lacquer frame adds extra polish.
This design by de Gournay, featuring graceful palm trees exquisitely embroidered on velvet using metallic threads and beads, invokes two Deco influences: beading and palms, a popular emblem of the era.
Made of porcelain with a hand-painted gold fillet, Haviland's Art Deco dinner plate perfects the Deco palette by pairing black, white, and gold, a winning formula particularly for a glamorous table.
Fromental Coquilles Wallcovering
Deco scallops take a dramatic turn in this Fromental wallcovering, which elongates the popular motif from the period and renders them in color-blocked pairings framed in metallic edging. The wallcovering's sumptuous velvety texture adds richness.
EJ Victor Nizwa Two-Door Cabinet
Designed by British furniture brand Bethan Gray for EJ Victor and featuring brass inlayed scallop accents on the charcoal wood doors, this cabinet takes clear cues from the original Art Deco era with its black and gold palette. Use it as a bar for the ultimate invocation of the roaring '20s.
For its first collection of sconces, Made Goods brings Deco glamour to your walls with this palm frond fixture cast in aluminum and finished with luminous antique brass. Flank an entry or powder room mirror with a pair for a brilliant statement.
Borrowing from geometric marquetry motifs from the Art Deco period, this screen printed wallpaper combines matte inks with metallic ones to add dimension, depth, and just the right amount of shimmer to any space.
Thom Filicia for Accurate Aurora Round Knob
Thom Filicia for Accurate Aurora Round Knob
Matte meets reflective brass in a textural juxtaposition that feels oh-so-Deco in this knob designed by Thom Filicia in collaboration with Connecticut-based hardware company Accurate.
This console channels the advancements in ironwork and architectural motifs of the original Art Deco period. With its slim profile and marble top, it would make a super sophisticated addition to an entry or hallway.
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