I Want That Art Deco Look!

Use Miami's Art Deco District as inspiration for your home interior.

What you want: A room full of 1920's and 30's modern glamour that celebrates contemporary materials like Bakelite and metal with bold color and exotic touches.

Colors: Think passion, drama, Cubism and the deep colors of Fauvism. For a recognizable example, think Miami's Art Deco District! Use touches of vivid green, yellow, orange, violet and red against cream or beige backgrounds. Highlight these with black and metallic accents for color definition and that modern edge.

A cheerful, wild world of color awaits you when you go Art Deco!

Floor: For living room or bedroom flooring, opt for pale wood or carpets in the cream family. Give kitchens and bathrooms a linoleum treatment in a solid color like beige or green. Use a flamboyantly colored rug with geometric patterns or with one solid color to give your floor some extra flair.

Picaros I Rug

Lighting: Lighting in your Art Deco room should be fun and interesting. Play up lighting with geometric pendant lights. A figure lamp, with a winsome female form holding aloft a sphere of light, can perform double duty as a sculpture and light source and rings of Art Deco authenticity. Chrome finished metals paired with patterned or opaque glass give wall lamps and table lamps modern sleekness that was so sought after during the time.

Rosenthal Flush Mount

Furniture: Incorporating built-in furniture, like desks, shelves, breakfast niches and bars into your living spaces pays homage to the popular Art Deco trend. Add mixed media pieces that juxtapose luxurious materials like gold leaf and lacquers with contemporary metals, glass and resins. Pick pale woods like ash and walnut for centerpiece staples like coffee tables and cabinetry. Enhance the look with the tubular steel chairs of the era's heyday.

Accents: Keep rooms interesting by adding beautiful perfume bottles, 1930's Depression glass and vases to surfaces. Palm trees, Asian-inspired screens, and vibrant pottery add touches from abroad and reflect the worldly flavor of the period, when technology made widespread travel possible. When thinking of a motif, consider using geometric designs like chevrons, diamonds or zigzags, or more stylized shells, palms and sunrises. If that doesn't appeal to you, try a mural for a refreshing change of pace!