Furniture of the Art Deco era was the embodiment of luxury. With the economy flourishing various exotic textures, materials and finished were explored. Exaggerated curves, Glossy wood, Mirrored surfaces, use of rich Hardwoods such as Ebony, mahogany and Macassar, Chrome plastic, bold colours, Metalwork etc were the key features of the Art Deco furniture. Vintage furniture is making a huge comeback, anyone looking to add a bit of elegance and style to their interiors is searching for the furniture from this era. Its Sofas, tables, Armoires, Chairs, Armchairs, Desks, beds are the most sought after.

If one browses for Art-deco furniture, the results are endless, which can be overwhelming. You have so much to choose from, to make your work just a tad bit easier here are the few key features of Art- deco Furniture to help you get that chic French look to your space and making sure that what you desire is what you get. Here are some of the key features of Art Deco furnishings.

• Exotic Woods: Some of the prominent designers such as Ruhlmann had the expertise of turning rich exotic woods into beautiful pieces of furniture adorning your living space. The rarer the wood the more it was coveted. Violet wood, Macassar ebony, Mahogany etc were used.

• Lacquered surfaces: These wooden furniture pieces were given a smooth sheen by applying several coats of lacquer which gave them a timeless look emphasizing their newness. This was done more to less expensive woods and veneers too to keep them ever shining.

• Bold colours- With gentle organic curves Bold colours like black, red, white and other jewel tones were used as style statements.

• Upholstered: Along with exaggerated forms glamour was added by using different forms of upholstery such as Leather, tanned shark skin, snakeskin, hides of other animals too and Fur was used.

• Wood inlay: Different wooden inlays was reflected in the Art Deco furniture. Parquetry another form of wooden art which was popular in that era “the craft of covering a structural carcass with pieces of veneer forming decorative patterns, designs or pictures.” (Wikipedia).  Dressers, armoires and dining tables would be embellished with this type of craft.

• Metal: With the rise of machine age n the 1920s, Wrought Iron stained glass were incorporated by the designers such as Edgar Brandt and Charles Piquet for Light fixtures and some infused them with the furniture.

• Luxurious embellishments: The furniture pieces were lavishly ornamented with an inlay of brass, ivory, and Mother of pearl finishes.

If you are looking to add a Parisian look to your interior, and that too on a budget; try recognizing iconic furniture pieces from this era that fit your lifestyle and get that feeling without having to spend a fortune on them. In small spaces, one-piece can also set the tone, and then you can design around it.

image : Prayog Design Studio