12/03/2020 Read in 5 minutes.
An Art Deco living room can be bright, restrained, dark or light, but always magically beautiful, with a cocktail atmosphere and an inspiring interior. In this article you will find many design projects and photographs of completed renovations from the portfolio of the Fundament Group of Companies and learn more about this amazing French style of interior design.
Style Features
The interior of the living room in the art deco style is characterized by the presence of many shiny and glossy elements. It combines contrast, abstraction, elite finishing and richness of content.
A distinctive feature of the style is the variety of ethnic components, clear lines and shapes, contrast of finishing materials, harmony of calm shades of global design.
Who is it for?
From the very beginning of its existence, Art Deco has been considered an elite style, designed for a rather narrow, richer social stratum. This is because, unlike other popular styles such as Scandinavian or minimalist, following simple rules is not enough.
At least two problems are responsible for its limited applicability:
- Firstly, it is only applicable in large and spacious rooms.
- Secondly, this is a rather expensive style, rich in antiques and expensive furniture, which is often decorated with gold, inlaid with ivory, mother-of-pearl or made using the inlay technique.
People who are able to satisfy such requirements have the opportunity to create a luxurious, stylish and prestigious art deco living room interior.x
Materials used
Often, natural stone (onyx, marble) is used in the design of the space, and the space is decorated with mosaics or stained glass. Artistic painting of walls in discreet shades or luminescent decoration is also used.
The following elements are most often used for decoration:
- natural ingredients (wood, stone);
- exotic (skins or imitations);
- ethnics (ornaments, figurines).
It is these materials that will allow you to set the character and reflect the essence of the stylistic direction.
Art Deco style decor and accessories
Decorative items in the Art Deco style are abundant and varied. These are vases in the Egyptian or Greek spirit, wall decorations in the form of the sun, bronze figurines, paintings, clocks, newspaper holders, napkin rings, decorative fountains.
Mirrors are of particular importance in an Art Deco interior. In addition to their practical purpose, they enhance the “brilliant” effect, deepen and expand the space, and sparkle and shine richly.
Heavy curtains of complex drapery made from natural materials with gilded tassels and deep folds will add additional coziness to the living room. A lot of decorative pillows on a wide sofa are an indispensable attribute of bliss and luxury.
Multi-tiered stands for fruit, cakes and pastries, similar to the silhouettes of New York skyscrapers, look quite in the Art Deco style and will decorate a festively set table in the living room.
Decoration of walls, floors, ceilings
The main surfaces in the interior of the Art Deco style living room are decorated in neutral shades. Additions can be made with bright colors. Furniture often becomes accent “spots”.
Glossy ceramic tiles or classic parquet are laid on the floor, which is best laid traditionally: in a herringbone pattern, since the option is most appealing to the overall geometric concept of the style. Christmas tree weaves ideally support the ethnic idea of the ornament. The color scheme is preferable to light shades.
Walls also look better in light colors. It can be milk or light caramel. It is advisable to choose classic options as finishing materials: painting or silk-screen printing. Decorative decoration here will be ornaments.
You can immediately choose ready-made materials with a pattern or apply the pattern yourself. The color of the decor usually differs significantly from the main shade of the walls.
The ceiling is designed in harmony with other surfaces. There should not be a sharp contrast. At the same time, you can use both smooth, glossy materials and structures with different textures. A modern multi-level option is also possible, but it must focus on the overall stylistic direction of the interior.
Color spectrum
There may be several options; the concept should be selected based on the characteristics of the room and your own preferences. Several characteristic features can be identified:
- Warm colors are mainly used; they fit better into the concept and at the same time allow you to create not only a respectable, but also a cozy environment. Cool shades should be avoided.
- If the natural light is good and the area of the room is large, you can use dark rich tones as the main ones - chocolate, blue, plum, dark gray, etc. It is important to choose a tone that will fit into the decor and highlight it favorably.
- When the room is not very large or you want to make it light, you should not choose white as the background. Shades of ivory, beige and other similar solutions are much better suited.
- The main tone should always be a neutral tone, but bright accents can be quite contrasting. For them, either deep, saturated tones are chosen, or fairly bright, but not flashy shades. It is important not to overdo it with their use.
- If you decide to use bright or aggressive colors as a basis, it is better to involve a designer in interior planning. It is very difficult to decorate a living room using such colors without experience.
By the way!
Techniques such as gilding, silver surfaces, etc. are widely used. All this allows you to emphasize the main shade or focus attention on individual elements.
Decor elements
The design of the living room in the art deco style accepts various additional decorations. Wall decor consists not only of the ornaments made when decorating the surface.
It is acceptable to use various contemporary paintings. The best options would be paintings in the style of Cubism or Abstractionism. The design of the painting itself is also of considerable importance here. It is better if it is a metallic frame in sharp contrast with the main image.
Also, the necessary emphasis is achieved by using mirrors in an unusual frame. This can be an imitation of the sun, which is also incredibly in tune with the general art deco style. A frame in this design can not only complement the mirror. It will ideally decorate watches and other decorative elements.
Advantages and disadvantages
The advantages of art deco include:
- freedom, the ability to combine elements from different directions;
- the presence of various decorative elements;
- errors in the use of individual elements can be interpreted as an original approach to design;
- art deco is a high-status and respectable movement, characteristic of the upper strata of society;
- it is allowed to use elements from different directions;
- in the design of the premises there is a certain element of shocking, but without exaggeration or excess.
Style Disadvantages:
- many users find this style too artificial and annoying;
- the difficulty of obtaining the expected result if there is no special training. A few almost imperceptible details can completely negate the whole idea and turn the interior into a chaotic heap;
- decorating a living room will require expensive materials and exclusive furniture that is not on sale;
- In the modern world, the attitude towards art deco is complex. Not everyone accepts it, which can lead to a lack of the expected effect, especially if public premises are being decorated.
To create a style, you need to consult an experienced designer. Trying to create an art deco look in a room yourself can backfire.
Considering the high cost of furniture and the complexity of finishing work, it is strongly recommended to use ready-made solutions (samples) or take advice from specialists. The main problem in creating art deco is the ability to stop in time, which is only possible with external control.
Living room combined with kitchen
In the Art Deco style, the living room and kitchen are often combined. The living room contains a dining area with a large-scale table, but decorated with a weightless glass tabletop design. At the same time, the dining area is often designed in the format of an island, dividing the space into components.
Often in this style, preference is given to a bar counter to delimit the space into zones. It is not customary to focus attention on the kitchen area. The set is chosen to be laconic and discreet.
Selection of Art Deco furniture
This is the biggest expense in most cases. There are a number of selection features, as well as requirements that need to be taken into account in order to get the desired result:
- Mass production models that can be found in others will not work. Here you need to either choose products that are brought in small batches and are extremely rare, or make them to order so that there is an exclusive and one-of-a-kind option.
- Ideally, the material used should be expensive or exotic wood. As a last resort, their realistic imitation is used; it is important that the products are made with high quality.
- Designs of unusual shapes with fancy legs and interesting design are perfect. In this case, the elements can be decorated with gilding, have forged metal inserts, etc.
- The central place in the setting is usually occupied by a sofa, which should be decorated in a luxurious style. It is better to choose upholstery from expensive materials or leather.
- If there is a dining group in the room, it is worth choosing a massive wooden table, decorated with carvings or inlays, complemented by good chairs with high backs.
- It is very important not only to choose high-quality and stylish furniture, but also to arrange it correctly. Art Deco uses the principle of division into functional zones.
- Exotic types of leather can be used for upholstery, but such products will be very expensive. Light upholstery looks especially impressive with dark furniture.
By the way!
Furniture upholstery can be decorated with ornaments or patterns; Egyptian or oriental motifs are best suited.
Light in the interior
A special place in the decor is given to light. All kinds of enchanting designs are used as lamps: cascading sconces surrounding the space with a waterfall of light splashes, chandeliers in the form of balls.
Special attention is also paid to the richness of the design: rhinestones, sequins, faceting. Such elements incredibly enrich the interior. There should be a lot of light, but given the scale of the area, it is better to divide it into zones.
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Decorating a living room in the Art Deco style is a fascinating activity that allows you to have plenty of imagination and show originality. A room made in this style will definitely become the pride of the owners.
What lighting to choose for an Art Deco living room?
The multi-level, complex lighting used in Art Deco design is designed to emphasize the mysterious and promising atmosphere of the style. The main role is played by a crystal chandelier with numerous pendants that create gentle shimmers of light. A table lamp on the coffee table, floor lamps and sconces near the sofa will add depth to the living room space and emphasize light and shadow transitions. Spotlights will decorate tiered passages on the ceiling, niches and arches, and illuminate wall contour frames - paintings, decorative baguettes, mirrors.
