Art Deco Enhancing

Common motifs in Art Deco pieces include zigzags and geometric shapes with bold patterns. Typical materials used in this style of decor are aluminum, lacquered wood with inlay, and stainless steel. Bold colors are essential for achieving this look in a room. Using neutrals for walls provides a clean palette to add splashes of color. Thin stenciling on walls in corners or near the ceiling can make a nice accent to neutral walls. Rag rolling and stippling were also common painting techniques during that era and can enhance this look.

Although linoleum flooring was common during the original Art Deco period, you might not want it in your home today. You can still create a nice Art Deco effect on hardwood floors with rugs. Rugs in this decor style have bold colors and geometric patterns, and a few well-placed ones can really brighten up a room. If you’re decorating a large space, consider a large rug for the center of the room and smaller ones for contrast throughout the area.

Art Deco furniture often features light-colored visible woodwork, curved corners, and a variety of materials and fabrics, including velvet and leather. Expensive window treatments aren’t necessary, as most windows of this period had simple curtains or no window treatments at all. A plain cornice box above the window might be all you need to achieve the Art Deco effect around a window. A few unframed mirrors on the wall can give the room a nice touch and make the space appear larger. Go a step further by purchasing colored glass mirrors.

Lighting during that era was predominantly glass and chrome, so choosing the right light fixtures is crucial for capturing the overall look. Streamlined, wall-mounted light fixtures in fan or bowl shapes are the easiest to find in hardware stores. If you use lamps for decoration, lampshades should have deep fringes on the sides, and the base should ideally be modeled like a figurine.