mood board: Art Deco

Elegance, sophistication, and glamour describe the Art Deco era, but this was just the frosting on a multi-tiered cake.  Art Deco culminated from the convergence of global culture and tastes – with motifs that included modern geometrics, Egyptian, Babylonian, African, and Aztec styles and Greco-Roman classicism.   For the latest in our series of mood boards, we’ll rediscover the glamorous world of Art Deco style. 

Art Deco was the nickname given for the style that arose from the influential 1925 world’s fair that occurred in Paris, France called the Exposition Internationale des Artes Decoratifs et Industriels Moderne.  Legendary designers, artisans, and architects contributed to the World Fair, including glass designer Rene Lalique, furniture designer Emile-Jacques Rhulmann, architect Le Corbusier, to name a few.

In our first mood board above, we show a French Art Deco console table from French Design, Inc. made from macassar ebony, a popular rich-looking wood of that era. Its center leg displays a gilt and silver artwork of geometric shapes.  On top of the table we have accessories that are globally inspired – the muscular Eve with Serpent sculpture from Renaissance Man is created in the Greek tradition and the vase, Biches Bleues, designed by Charles Catteau reflects African influences. The vase is from the Modernism Gallery.

For seating, we have a streamlined lacquered club chair from French Design, Inc.  The delicate side table, reminiscent of furniture designer Emile-Jacques Rhulmann, is made of rosewood and covered in shagreen, available from Gary Rubinstein Antiques.  On top of the table from TFTM Gallery is the coffee service from ocean liner, Il de France, and designed in the iconic Art Deco geometric shapes.  For lighting we have a French chandelier designed by Petitot and available from Versailles Antiques.  Petitot created an octagonal shaped light made of nickeled bronze and frosted glass insets with a sunburst design. The rug, though not Art Deco, is very geometric and is from Safavieh. 

For our second mood board on Art Deco, we have a lighter look with the furnishings.  The hemispherical desk is an American art deco style using mahogany with a sunburst inlay on its writing surface and figured maple veneer on its drawers.  The club chair is upholstered in gold velvet and both are available from Antiques of River Oaks.  The tall secretaire from Paul Stamati is made of macassar ebony inlaid with ivory detailing – see the diamond pattern.  For artwork, we have a cubist tile panel designed by Harris Strong and is available from Greenwich Living Antiques.  Lighting the room are half-moon lacquered sconces from Maison Gerard. 

Art Deco may have had its heyday in the 1930s and 1940s but the look is still being reproduced to this day.  These Art Deco furnishings may be mixed with more contemporary pieces that share the elegant and glamorous mood.