To answer the question of what is Art Deco Home Design, we must first answer the question of what is Art Deco? Art Deco is an art style that was prominently used in the visual arts and architecture of the early 20th century. We primarily think of Art Deco as an architectural style because buildings tend to last a lot longer than the posters, furniture, and fashion of the time. But back then Art Deco was all over the place. And now this bold art style has been making a comeback, especially in modern architecture.
Shining a Spotlight on Art Deco Home Design
At the Brisbane architects firm of Clements Clarke, we have seen a lot of interest in Art Deco home design from our clients. We’ve been asked what is Art Deco architecture and what makes a building Art Deco? To answer these questions, and to give you the reader more information about this popular architectural style, we decided to focus this Design Spotlight article on Art Deco Home Design. We’ll cover what distinguishes Art Deco from other types of architecture styles, the history of Art Deco, and we’ll touch on what we think the future of Art Deco will bring.
What is Art Deco Architecture?
Art Deco architecture is characterised by detailing made up of bold geometric angles and shapes. In Art Deco you see lots of triangles, pyramids, chevrons, and zig-zags. In the 20s, this kind of detailing was often repeated at varying scales inside and outside the buildings. A lot of these angles come to a point, and most of the time the points face upwards and outwards in a way that represents the sky being the limit. The colour palettes are often bright and vivid, or made up of contrasting colours that really stand out. Everything about Art Deco is boldly decorative and ornate.
The history of Art Deco Architecture
Ironically, the Art Deco art style didn’t have a name until the 1960s, which was well past the peak popularity for Art Deco of the early 20th century. The origin of Art Deco can be traced back to Paris architecture in the early 1920s. Art Deco made its official debut at the Exposition internationale des arts décoratifs et industriels modernes (International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts). This is also where the name came from – arts décoratifs became Art Deco. This was the time of The Roaring Twenties, known as the “good time decade” here in Australia and most of the rest of the world. It was a very positive and optimistic time, and people wanted to express this optimism in their art and architecture. Art Deco was the perfect art form to display the extravagance of the 1920s.
What is the future of Art Deco Architecture?
A home or building styled in the Art Deco style of the 1920s can be a bit much by modern tastes. But that doesn’t mean that Art Deco doesn’t continue to have a place in architecture. Touches of Art Deco are popular in modern architecture, and we expect this trend to continue into the future. Instead of the whole building being Art Deco, it’s common to see Art Deco incorporated into a design in ways that accentuate and highlight the overall aesthetic. An example of this would be the windows and doors containing elements of Art Deco. There are a limitless number of ways to include Art Deco styles into a home or building design.
Art Deco for your home
We hope we were able to answer the question of what makes a building Art Deco? Clements Clarke are the house architects Brisbane residents know and trust. If you are interested in a new home and you would like to incorporate Art Deco into the design, we can make it happen. Get in touch with us on 07 3852 3944 or contact us via our online form. We’d love to talk Art Deco with you.
