About Art Deco Style Furniture
The phrase "everything old is new again" could easily be the motto of furniture designers throughout history. By borrowing and mixing elements, materials and colors from previous eras, they have been able to redefine beauty and functionality in unexpected ways to fit contemporary visions. The glamorous style known as Art Deco is no exception to the trend of merging the vintage with the modern. Does this Spark an idea?
History
The Art Deco period can best be labeled as a "sandwich" era of expression--a creative awakening of the arts that occurred between the end of World War I and the beginning of World War II. Its frequent association with free-spirited flappers, cool jazz and swanky parties is no coincidence. The optimism and hedonism that concurrently ensued in the early '20s was reflected in artists from multiple disciplines daring to take risks, break conventions and figuratively kick up their heels. Architects, jewelers and fashion stylists--inspired by the boldly colorful, geometric designs unearthed in the discovery of King Tut's tomb--immediately sought to emulate the visual magic of ancient Egypt. The avant-garde styling that characterized Art Deco made its debut in Paris in 1925 at The International Exposition of Modern Industrial and Decorative Art. Its popularity with the public triggered a response that spread to industrial design, furnishings, commercial transportation, haute couture and the media. Though its ornamental look was supplanted by the economics of minimalism following the Great Depression, Art Deco made a comeback in the '70s, and still finds its way into modern interior-design concepts that tout luxury living.
Significance
A number of artists and designers left their stamp of originality on Art Deco furnishings. Jacques-Emile Ruhlmann, for instance, utilized exotic woods in simple, sleek designs with invisible joints that suggested they had been sculpted--much like marble--from a single block of wood. German craftsman Ludwig Mies van der Rohe--who began his career as a stone cutter--was influenced by the architectural designs of Peter Behrens, and built furniture that utilized steel and chrome as primary components. From Charles Rennie Mackintosh we have furnishings, lamps, and mirrors that embrace the use of colored glass in geometric configuations. Rene Jules Lalique--admired for his stylized approach to vases, jewelry and figurines--hopped on board the Art Deco movement by designing custom glass panels for placement in furniture frameworks. Veneers and dramatic inlays depicting scenes were the trademark of Louis Sue and Andre Mare. A unifying theme of all of these craftsmen was that their creations would not only be utilitarian, but would also be objects d'art that people would be enthusiastic about collecting as an investment.
Features
Geometry plays a major role in the construction of Art Deco pieces, many of which incorporate not only Egyptian motifs, but also Mexican and African tribal-art themes that glorified natural wonders like the sun, the moon and the stars. Wood and enamel co-existed in many patterns along with shiny metals and plastics, which would later influence the pop-art movement. Sofa and chair fabrics inspired by exotic animals like zebras, giraffes and tigers were in abundance as well during the Art Deco period, along with depictions of brilliantly plumed birds, breathtaking flowers and wall art that invariably involved stylishly dressed young women and men enjoying the good life.
Considerations
The versatility, linear styling and bold color schemes of Art Deco furniture lend themselves to a number of different architectural design models, including American Casual, Arts and Crafts, Colonial and Urban Chic. While authentic collector pieces can be on the expensive side, reproductions are readily affordable at companies such as Art Deco Collection, Valerio Antiques and ICT Antiques, and add innovative and romantic accents to any room.
Expert Insight
Numerous books have been written on the subject of Art Deco furniture. Here are a few titles to further your education:
"Art Deco Architecture: Design, Decoration, and Detail from the Twenties and Thirties" by Patricia Bayer
"Art Deco Textiles: The French Designers" by Alain-Rene Hardy
"The Art Deco House" by Adrian Tinniswood
"Inside Art Deco: A Pictorial Tour of Deco Interiors from Their Origins to Today" by Lucy D. Rosenfeld
"Art Deco Furniture: The French Designers" by Alastair Duncan
"Art Deco House Style: An Architectural and Interior Design Source Book" by Ingrid Cranfield
Tags: About Deco, About Deco Style, along with, Deco furniture, Deco House