It's no secret that Art Deco is having a bit of a revival in 2024. But while we're totally on board with a return to glitz and glamour, this era-defining design style can feel both daunting and at times, a little too costumey. That's where 'Updated Deco' comes in.
Updated or 'new' deco marries the distinctive art deco decor style of the 1920s and 30s with contemporary style. Think geometrics, opulent materials, curved lines, and a retro color palette that works to bring oodles of personality and character into your home.
Sound intriguing? We've sat down with design experts to find out their favorite ways to inject a roaring twenties twist into interiors with the updated deco trend. Here's what they had to say.
What is the 'Updated Deco' trend?
In order to avoid your scheme feeling like a Great Gatsby-themed party, it's important to embrace an overall simple-meets-high-society vibe. This can be done one of five ways, as we've highlighted below. Here, we share the 5 best characteristics of updated deco decor, and how to use them in your home.
1. A retro color palette
When it comes to updated deco, less is definitely more. To avoid your scheme looking too literal, take a more muted and retro approach to the Art Deco color palette.
Art Deco was an age of riotous joy, noise, cocktails, glamour, and color. And while that sounds like a great foundation for a home bar scheme, perhaps that doesn't translate quite so much throughout the entire home. Draw inspiration from retro color trends and look to bring in a color palette made up of rich burgundies, sage greens, light blues, and buttery yellows.
In contemporary spaces, it's all about creating a contrast. Pairing rich, saturated tones with neutral backgrounds that let the colors breathe and introducing vibrant accents to add drama to more subdued hues. Incorporating earthy tones like terracotta, ochre, and olive green will add a sense of warmth and authenticity to updated deco interiors.
2. Curved lines, rounded corners, and pill shapes
Clean lines and angular, shapes define the Art Deco movement. But a great way to soften the hard lines of modern minimalism is to embrace fluid, sweeping curves, circular shapes, archways, and rounded corners. From arched doorways and curved moldings to circular mirrors and elliptical patterns, these softer lines imbue spaces with a sense of past and present, like in the Art Deco kitchen seen above.
This departure from hardness signals a shift towards a more inviting approach to Art Deco. The resurgence of pill-shaped furniture and decor has become emblematic of the updated deco aesthetic, evoking a sense of nostalgia for the iconic designs of the era, while the organic silhouette brings a contemporary sensibility.
'I like little hints of a motif, rather than a full-on homage to a time period,' says interior designer Bethany Adams. 'So maybe the lines of the furniture or lighting reference the time period, but are very much from the modern world. Art is a fun way to nod to Art Deco, too, because it was such a visually rich time and there are graphic prints and artworks that can easily be incorporated into your current scheme without having to commit to a full overhaul,' she suggests.
3. Gilded and glamourous small details
Its the small details that make the biggest impact, and no interior design style reflects this more than Art Deco. Look to adopt a few interior design tweakments, such as upgraded hardware as seen on the vanity above to bring a little gilded glamour to your existing pieces.
'Embrace opulent architectural details, ornamentation, rich patterns, and textures, or add some of your own,' advises Hannah Fenton, founder of Cult Revival. 'Architectural salvage yards are brimming with such design elements that honor history and serve as great conversation pieces.'
Gold and brass have long been associated with the era, making it the perfect choice for adding a touch of extravagance. From gilded trimmings and hardware to ornate mirrors, moldings, and lighting fixtures, these opulent accents add depth and dimension to modern interiors.
4. Statement wall decor and sconces
Use your walls as a form of expression. Statement wall decor, mirrors, and light sconces have become defining features of Art Deco living rooms, adding layers of ambiance to spaces while paying homage to the bold aesthetics of the original movement.
‘Defined by opulence and a refined palette of elegant whites, sophisticated black, jewel tones and glamorous metallics, an art deco feel throughout a home can be created in a number of ways,' says Stefan Ormenisan, creative director and co-founder of MindTheGap. 'Weaving touches of luxurious materiality such as marble, lacquer or gilt designs with geometric or graphic elements throughout your interior, whether through gold accents such as door handles or mirrors which will instantly elevate your space, upholding the inherent luxury and glamour of the art deco era,' Stefan suggests.
Lighting plays a pivotal role in highlighting architectural features and accentuating focal points. Whether it's sleek, streamlined designs or ornate, sculptural pieces, sconces will enhance the ambiance and create a sense of gilded-age drama.
5. Stylized geometrics
Of course, it wouldn't be Art Deco without a shout-out to print and pattern. From bold, angular shapes to intricate geometrics, these motifs serve as a defining element that brings rhythm and structure to interiors.
For an updated take on the trend, designers are reimagining those iconic designs with a modern twist, experimenting with scale, color, and texture to create something that resonates with today's style.
'I adore the Art Deco style, both in its original form and its current resurgence,' says Gretchen Murdock of MODTAGE Design. 'Art Deco's timeless allure embraces clean lines, geometric elements, and luxurious materials like metal and marble. Modern interpretations include the use of stylized geometrics and warm metals as accents. The Art Deco style continues to inspire, shape, and redefine modern elegance and we are on board for this,' she adds.
Wall treatments like wallpaper ideas and art installations play a crucial role in setting the tone of a space. 'Very much considered the golden age of wallpaper, introducing an art deco atmosphere to your home offers a decadent and unique opportunity to use a bold wallpaper with geometric patterns and metallic details which will encapsulate the timeless style of the art deco era,' adds MindTheGap's Stefan.
If you've been wondering, is art deco really back on trend? Hopefully, this updated iteration of the style is just what you need to convince you to adopt a transitional design in your home, with a balancing act of old and new. Look to muted versions of the palette, experiment with geometrics, curved lines, and a little glamour, and most importantly: have fun. This is an interior style for the bold and the vivacious.
