Art Deco Inspired Living Room: Where Elegance Meets Functionality
If you’re tired of the minimalist Scandinavian designs, or the frills of Bohemian decor, and you’re on the hunt for something that screams ‘glamour’, then Art Deco might just be the interior style for you. Geometric patterns, rich colours, and luxurious materials—all encapsulating that 1920s and ’30s glamour, but with a modern twist. Intrigued? Let’s dive into how you can recreate this timeless look for your living room.
What is Art Deco, Anyway?
First coined in Paris during the 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes, Art Deco is a style that emerged post World War I and boomed in the ’20s and ’30s. It’s characterised by linear symmetry, geometric forms, and an embrace of technological progress. Think of the Empire State Building, ‘The Great Gatsby,’ or even some old Hollywood films.
Key Elements to Consider
Colour Palette
While Art Deco allows for a wide range of colours, there’s a particular fondness for bold and contrasting hues like gold, silver, black, and jewel tones such as emerald green or sapphire blue. These can be incorporated through paint, upholstery, or accent pieces.
The room above has beige walls with wood wall panels and blue accents which serve as a dramatic backdrop. The decorative panels not only echo the Art Deco fascination with symmetry and form but also add a layer of depth and texture to the space. The furniture is a mix of modern and vintage influences, showcasing the sleek lines and plush upholstery typical of the era. The blue velvet sofa and chairs provide a rich contrast, adding a touch of opulence and comfort.
A key feature in this room is the use of metallic finishes, seen on the stylish lamps and the coffee table. This not only enhances the luxurious feel of the room but also reflects the Art Deco theme of glamour and brightness. Strategic lighting from table lamps casts soft shadows and highlights the shiny surfaces and fabrics, which is crucial in creating the right ambiance.
Art Deco is not just about style; it’s also about making a statement. The room’s large wall art, reminiscent of cloud-like marble patterns in subdued whites and greys, adds an artistic touch without overpowering the room’s design. The use of contrasting hues like silver, black, and different shades of blue, alongside the placement of elegant decorative pieces, such as vases and sculptures, exemplifies a well-thought-out design that respects Art Deco’s love for detail and the interplay of art and functionality.
This living room beautifully captures the essence of the Art Deco movement while maintaining a fresh and contemporary feel, making it a timeless space.
Spotlight on Farrow and Ball’s Hague Blue
This living room below is an excellent example of how Art Deco elements can be adapted to fit into a modern living space, combining the timeless elegance of the 1920s and 1930s with the comfort and versatility of contemporary design. It would appeal to those looking to inject a historical flair into their decor while maintaining a fresh, modern feel.
Key Art Deco Features:
- Colour Scheme: The rich, deep blue walls in Farrow & Balls Hague Blue, are typical of the Art Deco colour palette. This creates a dramatic backdrop that is both striking and mood-setting.
- Metallic Accents: The light fixture and other metallic elements in the room reflect the Art Deco love for shiny, opulent materials like chrome, brass, and gold.
Image: Farrow&Ball
Contemporary Elements:
- Furniture: The furniture, while luxurious, has a more contemporary styling with its clean lines and modern fabrics, diverging from the more ornate, often angular furniture typical of the Art Deco era.
- Layout and Decor: The room’s layout and the choice of decor items like the rug and the coffee table lean towards a more modern, eclectic aesthetic, blending various styles together.
Hague Blue is used on the walls here to create a rich, enveloping feel that serves as a perfect backdrop for the vibrant interior. The deep blue tone emphasises the luxurious textures and colours of the velvet teal sofa, which becomes a striking centrepiece against the dark walls. The gold chandelier adds a touch of elegance and contrast, brightening the space and highlighting the high ceilings. This room combines the boldness of Art Deco with contemporary chic, using the wall colour to unify various decorative elements, from the intricate gold picture frames to the lighter blue accents in the cushions, enhancing the overall cohesion and depth of the design.
Image: Farrow&Ball
This living room also utilises Hague Blue to great effect, painting a wood panelled wall that anchors the room. This choice of colour again adds a sense of drama, but also warmth, making the space feel more intimate and inviting.
The wall acts as a focal point behind a purple velvet sofa, allowing the sofa and colourful area rug to pop against its dark hue. Modern and minimalistic elements such as the clean-lined coffee table and the contemporary wall art are set off by the classic depth of the Hague Blue, which ties the eclectic furnishings together into a harmonious blend of old and new. The overall effect is one of understated elegance, where the wall paint plays a crucial role in balancing and enhancing both the light and darker elements within the room.
Image: Farrow&Ball
Hague Blue continues as a theme below, applied here on a feature wall that instantly draws the eye, creating a sense of depth and focus. The room features a more subdued palette, with a sage green velvet sofa that softly contrasts against the blue, offering a calm, inviting area to relax.
The Art Deco flair is visible in the symmetry and shapes of the furniture. Accessories like the vintage-inspired mirror, and the selection of eclectic, yet harmonious decorations echo the 1920s’ affinity for detailed craftsmanship and luxurious decor. The integration of modern and traditional elements in this room makes it a perfect example of how Art Deco styling can be adapted for contemporary living spaces.
Image: Farrow&Ball
Materials
Luxury is the name of the game here. Velvet, leather, chrome, and lacquered wood make frequent appearances in Art Deco designs. High-gloss finishes or glass accents add that extra layer of glam.
Geometric Shapes and Patterns
Art Deco is all about symmetry and geometry. This can be brought in through patterned rugs, wallpaper, or even through the shape of your furniture and decor pieces. Geometric motifs like zigzags, chevrons, and sunburst patterns can be incorporated into the room’s design.
Art Deco Lighting
Think opulent. Crystal chandeliers or lamps with frosted glass and chrome accents can illuminate your Art Deco living room, casting beautiful patterns all around.
Art Deco Furniture
Sleek, streamlined furniture with plush upholstery is key. Low-level seating, like low-back sofas or armchairs, combined with a glossy coffee table, brings that Art Deco look home.
Designing Your Space: Where to Start?
- Begin with a Layout: Identify the focal points in your room. This could be a fireplace, a large window, or even an accent wall.
- Invest in Key Pieces: Focus on buying statement pieces that embody the Art Deco spirit. This could be a lavish couch, a geometric rug, or a vintage bar cart.
- Mix and Match: It’s totally okay to blend modern elements with Art Deco to keep your room from looking like a time capsule.
- Accessorise: Use decorative elements like mirrors with ornate frames, sculptures, and vases to fill up space and add personality to the room.
- Less is More: While Art Deco is all about opulence, don’t go overboard. The key is to maintain a sense of balance and symmetry.
- Consult the Colour Wheel: If you’re unsure about how to mix and match colours, a quick glance at the colour wheel can offer some guidance.
- Layer Your Lighting: Have different light sources at various levels to create depth and ambiance.
- Textural Balance: Since the materials in an Art Deco room tend to be rich and luxurious, balancing them with softer textiles like rugs or curtains can add warmth.
This Art Deco living room showcases a stunning blend of opulence and modernity. The deep teal and purple hues used in this room create a rich, immersive atmosphere that is both inviting and sophisticated. These colours, classic to the Art Deco palette, help establish a sense of luxury and drama.
The room makes excellent use of velvet, a material synonymous with luxury. The incorporation of golden accents, visible in the round marble coffee table and wall decorations, adds a touch of elegance and complements the cooler tones of the furniture.
Lighting plays a strategic role here. The wall lamps provide a soft, diffused light that enhances the room’s intimate and cozy feel, while also highlighting the textures and colours of the decor. This layered lighting approach not only serves practical needs but also contributes to the overall ambiance, crucial in Art Deco design.
Texture is another element that this room uses effectively with the combination of velvet and metal. The contrast between the smooth metal surfaces and the soft furnishings adds a dynamic interplay of materials that is visually pleasing and typical of the Art Deco emphasis on varied surfaces and materials.
Overall, this setting is a contemporary take on Art Deco, maintaining the style’s traditional attributes such as geometric patterns, rich colours, and luxurious materials, while integrating modern comforts and aesthetics. The result is a space that feels both timeless and contemporary.
Let’s Create a Similar Look
The Art Deco living room in the image below, is an elegant representation of modern Art Deco design, utilising a minimalist approach while retaining the glamour and boldness the style is known for.
The room’s dark, moody blue tones on the walls, create a serene and sophisticated backdrop, emphasising the luxurious velvet sofa. The choice of dark blue not only reflects the Art Deco affection for strong, statement colours but also sets a modern and chic tone.
The furniture arrangement is simple yet effective, focusing on functionality and aesthetic appeal. The coffee table, a central piece, features a circular design which harmonises with the room’s geometric theme, a nod to Art Deco’s love for shapes and symmetry. The table’s composition—glass and a muted gold frame—adds a subtle touch of luxury without overwhelming the space.
Greenery in the corner introduces a fresh, organic contrast to the room’s darker tones and the metallic elements, enhancing the space’s dynamism and bringing a bit of nature indoors, which is less typical in traditional Art Deco, but a popular feature in contemporary interpretations.
Lighting in the room is strategically minimal, with a stylish floor lamp providing both a functional light source and an artistic statement piece. Its sleek, simple design complements the room’s streamlined aesthetic while ensuring the space feels warm and welcoming.
Overall, this living room is a masterclass in blending traditional Art Deco elements with modern design principles to create a space that feels both timeless and contemporary. The room’s balanced approach to colour, texture, and form exemplifies how Art Deco can be adapted for today’s interior design trends, maintaining elegance and luxury without sacrificing comfort.
Lets take a Look at Art Deco Cushions for Your Living Room
The first cushion showcases an elegant peacock feather motif in lush blues and vibrant teals, capturing the era’s enchantment with nature and ornate patterns. This piece would not only serve as a captivating focal point but also complement a range of sofa colours, from muted greys to rich blacks, adding a dash of sophistication. The second cushion features a classic tapestry-style depiction of a peacock amidst a floral scene, rendered in soft, earthy tones. This cushion would blend beautifully with natural materials like leather or linen, enhancing a space with its subtle colours and intricate detailing. The cushion on the right, bursts with geometric circles and a bold spectrum of colours, embodying the dynamic and vibrant spirit of the Art Deco period. Its rich textures and deep hues make it ideal for enlivening a minimalist space or adding depth to a boldly coloured armchair or bright coloured sofa. Each cushion not only adds comfort but also serves as a piece of art, creating an inviting and stylish atmosphere in any living room.
