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Decoding Art Deco

Art Deco is the contemporary term for the highly stylized decorative arts, interior design, industrial design, and architecture movement of the early twentieth century. The Art Deco style reached its apex at the Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes held in Paris in 1925, where exquisite furniture created by Parisian ébinistes, was showcased in theatrical rooms designed by Parisian ensembliers, or interior designers. The Art Deco style was bold and geometric, in contrast to the preceding Art Nouveau era (which was characterized by sinuous free-flowing forms), but also drew on other movements, from Cubism to ancient Aztec forms.

Paris laid claim to flawless craftsmanship in the decorative arts, with masters that included furniture and interior designer Jacques-Emile Ruhlmann, who has been a subject of an exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York as well as a recently published book, Ruhlmann: The Master of Art Deco, published by Rizzoli.

Ruhlmann: The Master of Art Deco

Left: International expert Florence Camard wrote Ruhlmann: The Master of Art Deco,which was originally published in 1984. This new monograph on the life and work of Art Deco master Jacques-Emile Ruhlmann replaces that first book, which has been out of print for years. (Camard et Associés archives)

Right: From Ruhlmann, the gold and white paneling and wall fixtures are highly classical characteristics. (Camard et Associés archives)

Ruhlmann: The Master of Art Deco

Left: From Ruhlmann, Art Deco rooms often featured low furniture and tall ceilings, with oversize chandeliers to fill the void. The scalloped headboard and the luxurious fur throw in this bedroom are also typical of an Art Deco bedroom.

Right: From Ruhlmann, the rounded club chairs are ubiquitous Art Deco interior furnishings. Ruhlmann designed the tall classical vase. (Camard et Associés archives)

In the United States, Art Deco architecture flourished, with the Chrysler Building, Empire State Building, and Radio City Music Hall each completed in succession, one year after the next. And, of course, Art Deco, with its stepped forms, chevrons, geometric curves and sunbursts, fully permeated the fashions and jewelry designs of the Roaring Twenties.

Elizabeth Doyle, co-owner of Manhattan-based vintage jewelry boutique Doyle & Doyle, told us that in jewelry design, "Art Deco has the most universal appeal... It is an era which appeals to many and offends very few." This statement rings true Art Deco style in all areas of the design world; it's a movement that transcends trends, as evidenced by sales that remain consistent on eBay from year to year, and high numbers of listings that average over 70,000 per month.

Yet while it’s effortless to slip on a gorgeous Art Deco inspired cocktail ring, incorporating Art Deco elements into your decor may prove a tad trickier, even though the style is timeless. Boston area designer Urit Chaimovitz provided us with some tips:
 
• Consider the lines and wood tones; pieces should feel like they are melding with one another. Items that are classified as Art Deco have flow and an inherent sensuality.

• Art Deco meets Chinoiserie is sublime; it’s a combination of pure luxury with a hint of sexy. The colors, shapes and movement create a spectacular fusion as both are elegant and sophisticated.

• Furniture upholstered in velvet, satin curtains, crystal chandeliers, gleaming black and white marble floors and embroidered pillows make a wonderful backdrop for Art Deco pieces.

• An Art Deco vanity table or mirror is both useful and beautiful in a boudoir. These elements mix well with upholstered headboards that are so popular today.

• For a more affordable yet equally alluring Art Deco moment, head for cocktails and barware.

• Take a favorite glam photo enlarge it and reprint in black and white then place it in a silver frame. Position an Art Deco vase with a few single variety stems in front of your new artwork to create a perfect vignette.

Interior designer Jeffery Delvy, whose work is shown below, loves mixing Art Deco pieces with many other styles. He points out that a high contrast between the Deco pieces and the other furniture brings out the best in both.

Ruhlmann: The Master of Art Deco


Left: Living room by Jeffery Delvy; "In this room there is an Art Deco coffee table and smoking stand. They work because there are so many varieties of styles in the room. It's just a matter of finding the right placement so that each piece is shown to its best." (photo courtesy of Jeffery Delvy)

Right: Dining room by Jeffery Delvy; "If you have a pair of chrome pair chairs, offset that with a wood framed sofa. Don't try to match the Deco pieces with other pieces in the room. Instead, make them stand out." (photo courtesy of Jeffery Delvy)

To decorate with Art Deco, check out these eBay finds.

  • Art Deco Velvet Sofa

    Art Deco Velvet Sofa

    Classically incorporating oak wood and smooth velvet, this authentic piece boasts and integrated bar and side cabinet.

  • Art Deco Butterfly Wing Serving Tray

    Art Deco Butterfly Wing Serving Tray

    (buy it now price, $175)

    Instead of investing in an expensive furniture piece, go for a serving tray, like this one with gorgeous inlaid wood details that are emblematic of the era.

  • Antique French Art Deco Mirrored Vanity

    Antique French Art Deco Mirrored Vanity

    (buy it now price, $3,000)

    This antique mapa burl walnut vanity with round mirror hails from 1930s France.

  • Vogue Art Deco Print

    Vogue Art Deco Print

    (buy it now price, $13.99)

    This Art Deco print, a reproduction of a Vogue cover illustration from 1920, evokes the fashion of the Roaring '20s.

  • Classic Art Deco Style Round Side Table

    Classic Art Deco Style Round Side Table

    (buy it now price, $650)

    With its geometric curves and mirrored top, this side table is a showstopper that could be incorporated seamlessly into even the most contemporary space.

  • Pair of Art Deco Style Chairs Faux Crocodile

    Pair of Art Deco Style Chairs Faux Crocodile

    (buy it now price, $862.21)

    The glossy black frame and scalloped fan silhouette are typical of Art Deco style side chairs, as is the exotic (if faux) upholstery.

  • Great French Art Deco 1930s Gouache Wallpaper

    Great French Art Deco 1930s Gouache Wallpaper

    (buy it now price, $420)

    These free-flowing stylized florals, hailing from France in the ‘30s, are painted in gouache, not printed. The wallpaper is actually quite similar to a Ruhlmann-designed version featured in the book.

  • Vintage Russian Art Deco Working Desk Clock

    Vintage Russian Art Deco Working Desk Clock

    (buy it now price, $325)

    The stepped design of this desk clock is indicative of the Art Deco period.

  • Art Deco Glass Vase Saint Lambert 1935 Belgium

    Art Deco Glass Vase Saint Lambert 1935 Belgium

    (buy it now price, $144)

    This example of Depression Era glass has the distinct Art Deco styling of geometric curves, often referred to as mimicking an ocean liner, on either side.

  • Architectural French Art Deco Chandelier c.1930s

    Architectural French Art Deco Chandelier c.1930s

    (buy it now price, $2,200)

    The design of the cut glass and the spiky brass detailing is similar to the style used on the spire of the Chrysler Building.


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