Best art deco furniture and wallpaper for your home
6 min readArt deco furniture and wallpaper for your home
Nothing screams glamor like the vintage art deco furniture style of the 1920s. Stunning mirrors, lush jewel-tone fabrics and glossy woods were perfectly paired with gold trims and chic metals. It’s no wonder this look has made a comeback. People in the 2020s are feeling some serious roaring twenties nostalgia and decking their homes out like the set of “The Great Gatsby.”
Art deco, short for arts décoratifs, was inspired by art nouveau and evolved into mid-century modern style, but its distinctive qualities make it wholly unique. To get the look in all its glory, emphasize glamor and luxury in your space with some symmetrical patterns and bold gold finds.
What is art deco furniture?
Art deco furniture reached its height in popularity in France in the 1920s. Art deco is easily confused with adjacent styles like art nouveau, mid-century modernism and Bauhaus, but there are distinguishing characteristics that make art deco iconic.
Art deco furnishings and accents bring lavishness to any modern space. Everything from accent pieces like lamps, clocks, art prints and more can be found in art deco form.
Key characteristics of art deco style
Art deco is easy to spot in contemporary furniture that mimics the classic style, in films and television shows and in vintage shops. There are key characteristics that distinguish the colors, patterns and materials of art deco style from other interior design aesthetics.
Lacquered woods and intricate wood inlays
Art deco furniture features meticulously crafted wood and exotic wood inlays. Designers used rich wood like rosewood, zebrawood, violet wood, teak and mahogany.
Art deco pieces are dazzlingly glossy and sleek because they’re of their dramatic lacquer, which was also used on less expensive woods like maple and oak to give them an expensive appearance.
Art deco pieces also feature thin decorative wood veneer applied to the surface of armchairs and tables to add artistic style to functional pieces in a practice called marquetry. Common marquetry patterns were geometric and symmetrical designs like zig-zags and sunbursts.
Bakelite
Bakelite is a type of plastic that was invented in the early 1900s. As the first truly synthetic plastic, Bakelite quickly became commonly used in a variety of applications, especially in artistic applications. It was especially popular for its durable glossy surface. Much of art deco’s iconic furnishings employ Bakelite accents.
Lavish and expensive animal accents
Art deco is characterized by over-the-top glamor and drama. Alongside bold colors and patterns, soft, rich leathers, furs and snakeskin in black and tans were commonly used in upholstery as a symbol of luxury and wealth.
Today, you can get more sustainable, cruelty-free versions of these designs for a fraction of the cost by selecting modern art deco furniture with faux animal accents.
Geometric patterns paired with naturalistic themes
Art deco embraced total symmetry and unvaried repetition of design elements. Clean and angular lines, long and smooth curves and basic shapes created elegant design themes.
Metals
Metals are characteristic in art deco design, whose rise in popularity occurred during the Machine Age. Juxtaposed with natural elements like wood, these metal accents created a futuristic aesthetic in art deco furniture.
When curating your own art deco space, look for clean lines crafted in sleek and shiny surface materials like metallic stainless steel, chrome, glass, marble and mirrors.
Best art deco furniture
Majaci Console Table with Antique Gold Metal and Mirrored Accents
There’s little that screams art deco like mirrored furniture. This luminous table looks straight out of the roaring twenties and makes a striking statement in a living space. Features gold-tone metals, mirrored glass tabletop and accents and a high-shine gold-tone finish fitting perfectly in with any art deco aesthetic space.
Sold by Amazon
Gold Round Nesting End Side Tables
These tables add a touch of elegance and chicness to a living room or other living space and work well for holding drinks and snacks or resting stacks of books.
Sold by Amazon
Glitzhome Oval Gold Bar Cart with Mirrored Glass
Serve drinks in art deco style with this super chic and functional bar cart. A gold metal frame and tempered glass make this bar cart stylish and perfectly art deco, but it’s subtle enough to blend with other modern styles like mid-century modern or minimalist modern aesthetics. It is easy to assemble and clean with a dry or wet cloth.
Sold by Amazon
Modern Velvet Loveseat in Green
This affordable sofa features a bold green velvet paired with vibrant gold legs for a high art deco feel. It consistently receives high reviews for being unexpectedly comfortable and durable, given its price point. It is also modern enough to fit in with design elements that aren’t art deco.
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Upholstered Retro Velvet Accent Chair with Golden Metal Legs in Navy Blue
This is a quintessential modern art deco chair that pairs metal in a gold finish with a luxurious, petal-shaped, bold navy velvet upholstered seat. Looks glamorous.
Sold by Amazon
Best art deco wallpaper
1920s Geometric Peel-and-Stick Dark Gatsby Art Deco Wallpaper
Create a striking accent wall with this opulent dark 1920s-inspired wallpaper. While this pattern is chic enough to work in a variety of aesthetics, its perfectly symmetrical geometric fan prints are recognizably art deco and make a bold statement.
Sold by Etsy
Tempaper Feather Flock Self-Adhesive Wallpaper
Fans and repeating patterns alongside naturalistic themes were iconic motifs of the art deco design movement, and this wallpaper brings all that combined in an elegant bird print. This modern blue and white pattern brings style to any space and can be used on its own for a bold expressive statement or paired with other art deco features for maximum drama.
Sold by Macy’s
Art Deco Modern Geometric Peel-and-Stick Wallpaper
An easy-to-apply (and remove!) art deco wallpaper featuring visually striking geometric fans with dark, contrasting lines. It looks great on an accent wall and can also be used to add an art deco accent to furniture like bookshelves or entertainment centers.
Sold by Etsy
Best art deco accents
Lighting is an easy and versatile way to add an art deco accent to any room. This vanity light features characteristic art deco style with an exposed bulb and high-quality unfinished brass. It provides a relaxing low ambient light and is refined enough to pair nicely with other modern design elements or in a decidedly art deco space.
Sold by Etsy
Black Gold Striped Throw Pillow Cover
This luxurious-feeling pillowcase adds a bit of drama and art deco flair to any space. Bright gold geometric shapes are paired with deep black for a striking patterned pillow. It can be used with the throw pillow of your choice for a comfortable addition to your living space.
Sold by Amazon
Kate and Laurel Minuette Glam Square Wall Mirror
Mirrors paired with gold finishes were quintessential features of the art deco interior design movement, and this mirror brings all that glamor and drama in an easy-to-implement form. Hang this mirror in a dining area, above a sofa or even in a bedroom for flair and rich glamor.
Sold by Amazon
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Evelyn Waugh writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
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