Art Deco remains one of the most sought-after styles of antique furniture available that is available for people who are collectors or looking for a unique centerpiece to decorate their homes.
What exactly is Art Deco?
Art Deco design dates back to the 1920s and 1930s. It grew in the Art Nouveau movement of the late 19th and the early 20th Century before it became the dominant fashion of the time. The term Art Deco comes from a French expression that means decorative art, but it wasn’t used to define the style of the time until the 1960s.
It is easily recognized by its sharp and striking geometric shapes and vibrant colors, Art Deco design was extensively used in fashion, architecture transport furniture, and home objects like lights and lamp stands. Art Deco brings to mind the wild 20s which was the time of speakeasies and prohibition, Jazz and Jazz in Paris and Berlin nightclubs that cabaret before that Wall Street Crash and the Great Depression of the early 1930s. Alongside Art Nouveau, Art Deco has a lot in common with Modernism and Bauhaus but has enough distinct elements to make it distinct from other artifacts of the past.
Specifics from Art Deco Furniture
Art Deco furniture is crafted with exotic woods, like ebony, rosewood, and zebrawood. It is also crafted with inlays of different kinds of wood. The furniture is completed with Japanese lacquer to give smooth, glossy appearance and feel. The decorative embellishments include geometric patterns like sun rays, starbursts, straight-edged floral designs and zigzags. Additionally, inlays made of the mother of pearl or ivory were frequently used to add a accent to dressers, sideboards as well as dining table.
Animal hides and stainless steel skin upholstery, and lacquered or veneered wood are all part that are characteristic of Art Deco era seating, particularly armchairs and lounges.
The majority of Art Deco furniture pieces were not designed for mass production, however, visually, this style focuses on the simplicity of production by machines contemporary design, geometrical and harmony. One of the main principles of this Art Deco movement was that the practicality of the piece could not be a substitute for its beauty and aesthetics. This was among the main reasons that expensive and expensive materials like ivory, gold and crystal were widely used.
Art Deco Objects
The Art Deco movement was as widespread in household items as furniture from the time. For instance, Bakelite became the first synthetic plastic, and it gained a lot of attention in the 1920s and 1930s as the primary material for the manufacture of Bakelite radios. The widespread use of synthetic plastics did not immediately compromise the design. Bakelite radios remain extremely collectible for those who want a real Gatsby-era Americana and the geometric patterns, snakeskin patterns lines and symmetry making up the foundation of design of the radios.
Similar to furniture, despite the Bakelite material was a guarantee that it was robust, durable, and resistant to scratches however, the beauty and elegance of the pieces remained above the practicality. This is also true for timepieces made during that Art Deco era, where clock faces are housed within beautiful, elegant pieces that captivate the eyes much more than what the need to keep track of time would necessitate. Other items, like mirrors, vases, lamps and book ends, as well as other objects that aren’t functional, such as sculptures and figurines remain a reminder of the past, with a sense that was Art Deco wealth, luxury and extravagantness.
Art Deco also tips into tables with crystallized decanters of cognac and wine mixed with exquisite glassware and crockery that is a perfect blend design patterns of the time, typically with silver or gold leaf.
The enduring Appeal of Art Deco
What is the reason why Art Deco continue to appeal 100 years later? For some, it’s because it’s the depiction of a simpler, more contemporary, more chic and more civilized age where people were more at ease in the present. The depictions of the time in both film and writing that depicted everyone moving in the Charleston at mirror lined ballrooms and drinking highballs with highly sequinsued attires, have proven appealing to a lot of.
Additionally, Art Deco furniture has an unbeatable ability to blend with furniture from different periods. It is a great match for more modern and older pieces from the 20th Century. The style of an Art Deco desk is an attractive centerpiece in minimalist spaces and more busy, more minimalist spaces. It is simple to mix and match with different styles without detracting from the visual impact. This is as it is able to bridge the gap between more traditional designs and the later 20th Century pieces.
The blend of post-World War chaos and disorder was a reflection of the times when the world was in transition through the aftermath of the war and shifting economic landscapes throughout Europe as well as America. In this context many believe it is Art Deco is a style that is revived following a period of change as well as uncertainty and chaos, because it gives reassurance comfort and the promise of better times to come.
The value of Art Deco
While they are young in comparison to many of the eras of antique and vintage furniture and furniture, many of the original Art Deco pieces are expensive and will last for a long time. This is due to the fact that they are constructed with solid and sturdy materials that don’t quickly fade, which means that anything available is likely to be in good quality. Furthermore, this kind of quality ensures that each piece can be utilized to its fullest. It’s not necessary to keep it only for display.
Every Art Deco chair can be used to sit and read a book. A complete set of dining chairs and tables will be suitable for use every throughout the day, and not only for occasions. The durability of chests of drawers, as well as cabinets is a great way to use them regularly and can add a dash of glamour to a space.
It’s not difficult to locate Bakelite radios in operational condition as well as Art Deco clocks. There are different furniture and other items from the time that aren’t as useful however, their depreciation is extremely low because of their high-end workmanship, the ability that allows Art Deco to work with other pieces from the period, and the continuous demand for pieces from the 1920s and the 1930s.
In the end, using and re-using Art Deco pieces significantly reduces the carbon footprint of a home. It decreases the need for new furniture, a lot of which comes from unsustainable resources like plastics, as well as the amount of transportation needed to transport new furniture around the world. Also, in addition to offering the best value for money the look of Art Deco pieces for your home can also benefit the environment.
