Exploring Art Deco: Origins, Characteristics, and Modern-Day Influence

What do you think when you hear the words Art Deco? Art? Decoration? Art Deco is a style of art and architecture that originated in Western Europe during the 1910s and 1920s and later became popular in the United States in the 1930s.

Art Deco was found in the middle of World War 1 and World War 2 as a symbol of the West’s modern vision of progress. Since then, this architectural style is often applied in various fields, including exterior, interior, furniture, fashion, jewelry, and more. 

Art Deco established itself solely as a heavy decorative art, without any connection to specific philosophies or politics. Hence, in its peak era, this style was often related to gracefulness, functionality, modernity, and luxury.

The History of Art Deco

Art Deco emerged as a popular style from the 19th century to the early 20th century, flourishing in Western Europe and the United States. In the wake of World War I, the world witnessed a wave of revolutionary developments that reshaped society. The rise of industrialization and modernization sparked a bold movement among artists and architects. Thus, it inspired them to break free from traditional styles and explore innovative creations that defined a new era.

Art Deco takes its name from a prestigious exhibition in Paris, the International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts, which took place in 1920. Then, the exhibition showcased a remarkable array of talent from esteemed French artists, featuring jewelers, graphic artists, painters, architects, and fashion designers, all of whom brought their unique artistry to the forefront.

Art Deco design embodies the essence of its era, showcasing the optimism of modernity and the strides of technological advancement. And since then, this style transcends mere architecture, influencing interiors, furniture, and even fashion.

At its prime, this style of art started to show up in big places like Paris, Miami, and New York. However, following World War II’s conclusion, Art Deco started to fade. Nonetheless, its design aesthetic is still recognized as a representation of sophistication and elegance that captures the essence of advancement, where sophistication, modernity, and technology are vital.

The Characteristics 

Art Deco’s influence on architecture and interiors showcases distinct and striking features. Hence, you can discover the essence of elegance through its captivating geometrical shapes, luxurious materials, unique patterns, and a vibrant palette of bright, contrasting colors.

Here’s a closer look at the defining features of Art Deco:

• Heavy geometric influence, where sharp and structured shapes like circles, squares, and rectangles take center stage, gives a striking impact.
• Triangular shapes create a dynamic and bold appearance that captivates the eye.
• The dynamic curves of zigzags create a vibrant and energetic atmosphere.
• Trapezoidal shapes are a common sight in the realms of architectural and interior design, adding a distinctive appeal to various spaces.
• Straight and smooth lines deliver a sleek, modern aesthetic that captivates the eye.
• Loud, vibrant, and even kitschy colors might appear unusual; however, they resonate with the audience.
• Experience the elegance of streamlined and sleek forms. The slim, aerodynamic shapes of these designs embody speed and cutting-edge technology.
• Sunburst or sunrise designs symbolize desires and represent advancement.
• Designers use exaggerated curves to create a striking impact and an opulent look.
• Hard edges highlight the strength of the design.
• Low reliefs are a popular choice for enhancing the beauty of walls and buildings.
• Architecture and furniture design often employ stepped forms.
• The arrangement of the inverted, V-shaped, or chevron, for short, mark forms a captivating visual rhyme.
• Ziggurat patterns: This temple-inspired design from Mesopotamia is perfect for enhancing facades or rooftops.
• Experience the elegance of stylized floral patterns that infuse your design with a modern style while maintaining a decorative charm.

The Color Palettes 

This style’s color palettes are vibrant and timeless for any type of project. Characterized by their bold hues and striking contrast, these palettes evoke the glamour and advancement of the early twentieth century.

Below are some color palettes of art deco you can try:

• Golden Glamour: This palette combines gold, silver, dark brown, charcoal, and white. As a result, it creates a luxurious and high-tech vibe, ensuring graceful aesthetics in a design. 
• Oceanic Elegance: The color combination in this palette evokes a serene and calming feeling, reminiscent of the sea waves. Additionally, this color palette is ideal for medical service, spa, or beauty product branding. 
• Vintage Rose: This palette highlights the old rose colors with pink shades. This palette is perfectly suitable for beauty, medical, and children-related products because the soft pink color can give a comfortable and caring vibe..
• Bold Brave: The fusion of eye-catching colors such as red, black, grey, and silver crafts an exceptional visual experience. Additionally, these colors can inspire a dynamic and modern feel, capturing the audience’s attention.
• Midnight Luxe: This palette perfectly elevates the sense of luxury associated with the brand, making it suitable for fashion, branded products, or even technology. The combination of dark and light purple accentuates the appeal of sophistication.
• Urban City: The combination of monochromatic colors offers a sleek and contemporary aesthetic and thus, evoking the essence of modern city designs.

The Application of Art Deco in Modern Design

Art Deco in Graphic Design

In graphic design, Art Deco boasts an elegant and classy touch that certainly appeals to the audience. This style is often used to create a vintage-modern feel that is both timeless and visually charming. 

The following are the elements of Art Deco in graphic design:

• The style features distinctive typography, characterized by large, sturdy, and geometrical characters, such as the Metropolis or Parisine Deco font. 
• This style reflects stability and grace through its symmetrical composition. 
• Art deco features ornamental patterns like repeated lines, trapezoid shapes, and sunrise motifs. 
• The contrasting color palette, like gold combined with black or navy blue, creates a glamorous vibe.

Art Deco in Web Design 

Modern web design frequently incorporates Art Deco features, giving it a distinctive and memorable aesthetic. In this ever-changing era, the elements of this style remain undeniably perfect. Websites inspired by this style are ideal for hotels, boutiques, or any brand seeking a touch of luxury and elegance.

The characteristics of art deco in web design are as follows:

• Clean and symmetrical layouts: These layouts feature structured and balanced navigation, which enhances the user experience. 
• Deco-inspired fonts for headings: The use of deco-inspired fonts like Metropolis or Parisian Deco attracts attention. Thus, it becomes a distinctive characteristic of the websites’ headings or homepages.
• Bold and vibrant colors: Most art deco-inspired websites often use striking colors like gold, black, and white. 
• Ornamental pattern: Art deco, with its decorative lines and classic icons, creates a strong visual identity in a website.

Art Deco in Packaging Design

Premium products like perfumes, chocolates, or cosmetics typically feature product packaging that adopts this style. That is because this style will give the impression that the product is exclusive, high-quality, and elegant.

Characteristics of Art Deco packaging:

• The label features geometric patterns and golden lines, which enhance the luxurious and classic impression.
• The symmetrical and layered design evokes the visual appeal of iconic buildings from the 1930s.
• Decorative font makes the product name stand out more among other products.
• Metallic or matte color combinations give an undoubtedly classy yet modern appearance.

In conclusion, it is evident that certain design styles, such as Art Deco, withstand the passage of time and maintain their relevance, resisting the idea of becoming obsolete. Emerging in the 1910s and reaching its peak in the 1930s, Art Deco continues to captivate and inspire with its timeless style and enduring applications. Their longevity undoubtedly shows that this design style will continue to thrive in attracting their own dedicated market and passionate enthusiasts.

Reference:

Art Deco Design: History and Inspiring Examples – Creative Market Blog

The Best 15 Art Deco Color Palette Combinations