Rich palettes, decadent detailing and luxurious geometric patterns; the Art Deco influence has been enjoying a design revival. We take a closer look at how this historic era has inspired today’s modern designs.
Remaining one of the most exciting periods of design history, Art Deco was an iconic era that influenced a myriad of decades to come. The unique Arts Décoratifs movement of the 1920s and 1930s delivered global interpretations from opulent textures, sleek lines, statement motifs and decorative styles. Design forms straddling architecture, interiors, furniture, fashion and artwork have all indulged in Art Deco accents. To celebrate the era’s centennial, we explore six of today’s modern spaces that reinterpret elements of the Art Deco era.
The Crescent Light by Lee Broom and Ora Desk Lamp by Ross Gardam in the Dickens Manor by Doherty Design Studio
The 412 Cab Chair, designed by Mario Bellini for Cassina in Dickens Manor by Doherty Design Studio
Dickens Manor by Doherty Design Studio
With a modern twist, Doherty Design Studio brings back the majesty and grandeur of the ’20s through their elegant Dickens Manor project. A name fit for a period home with all the trimmings of its time, the Art Deco spirit is felt throughout bringing a timelessness and originality that can only be achieved by the real thing. Leadlight windows and doors, decorative ceiling details as well as the exterior of the home all pay tribute to the era of its birth.
Toorak Home by Hecker Guthrie
Through an appreciation towards detailing, luxurious materiality and a richly layered palette, Toorak Home celebrates this home’s original Art Deco roots. Originally designed in the 1930s by renowned architect Marcus Martin, the home needed to be brought into the modern-day. Hecker Guthrie successfully delivered through oversized scale, sweeping geometries, surprising curves and bespoke details – which all serve to enhance the existing home.
A range of Apparatus Studio pieces including the Cloud 37 Chandelier, Black Marble Neo Vessel and Black Censer in Toorak Home by Hecker Guthrie
A standout space within the home is the master bedroom suite, showcasing Art-Deco-inspired floor tiles, deep emerald full-height wall slabs and bronze window detailing.
Vaucluse Residence by Tzannes
Tzannes were enlisted to revive an original 1930s Art Deco residence located in Vaucluse, Sydney, home to a family of six. Enriched with luxurious materials and iconic design pieces including the Utrecht Armchair by Gerrit Thomas Rietveld for Cassina and LC7 Swivel Chair by Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret and Charlotte Perriand for Cassina, the Vaucluse Residence puts the typical family home aesthetic on its head, as an elegant yet eclectic adaptation.
The LC7 Chair, designed by Charlotte Perriand for Cassina in Vaucluse Residence by Tzannes
Wattle House Bar by Golden
The team behind Golden have perfectly captured a decadent bar within their Wattle House project. The luxurious use of custom-designed, perforated-brass metal cabinetry teamed against a dramatic, marble stone makes a strong case for the roaring ’20s – and is perfectly suited for an impromptu cocktail party.
The John Pawson Bowl and Atollo 235 by Oluce in Wattle House by Golden
The 529 Rio Coffee Table, designed by Charlotte Perriand for Cassina and Bibendum Armchair by Eileen Gray in Magnolia House by Arent & Pyke
Magnolia House Living Room by Arent & Pyke
Paying homage to an era of sophistication and beautiful design, Sydney-based designers Arent & Pyke gave this family home personality and depth. This rings especially true in the living room of Magnolia House where an Art Deco ambience has been given a colourful, contemporary-lens. Elements such as the honeyed parquetry flooring, bold tones, grand proportions and a touch of glamour all offer a tip-of-the-hat to the Art Deco period.
The Glasshouse by Nina Maya Interiors
A sense of indulgence and functionality prevail in this luxurious inner-city home designed by Nina Maya Interiors. At its very core, The Glasshouse represents craftsmanship and quality and delivers an elegant material palette of bronze, brass, marble, porcelain tiles, fluted glass and steel, as well as textural fabrics throughout. Interwoven with subdued green, grey and salmon tones, the selection of soft furnishings is no less refined and includes the Mad Chair by Marcel Wanders for Poliform, Jean-Marie Massaud Lounge and the 637 Utrecht Chair by Gerrit Thomas Rietveld for Cassina.
The 637 Utrecht Chair, designed by Gerrit Thomas Rietveld for Cassina in The Glasshouse by Nina Maya Interiors
