Art Nouveau Style | How to create the Art Nouveau look

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How to decorate in the Art Nouveau style

People often get the Art Nouveau and Art Deco styles muddled up. I did it myself when I was a student. The first thing to do is understand the patterns, colors and designs of each era. This article on Art Nouveau will detail the patterns, motifs, colors and influences of this era. A concise outline of the Art Nouveau movement will give you some knowledge to help you make informed decisions.

The Art Nouveau movement lasted for about thirty years until 1910. This was a style were natural forms were used for inspiration and used in an original way. The most popular Art Nouveau motif was peacock feathers. The hallmark of the style are the curved undulating lines known as whiplash lines, plant like forms and highly stylized curvilinear designs. The style is often described as sinuous, rhythmical and dream like.

Art Nouveau Motifs and Patterns

• Floral motifs (often abstracted)
• Delicate female forms
• Peacocks
• Insect wings
• Bird feathers
• Shells
• Vines
• Flowers, (Poppy, wisteria, water lilies, Japanese lotus….)
• S curves
• Whiplash lines

Colors were muted and delicate. Natural vegetable dyes were used in wallpaper, chintzes and other materials. Art Nouveau is considered by many as primary a decorative style. The influence of Japanese print is also evident in the designs.

Art Nouveau Colors

• Pastels
• White
• Off white
• Olive
• Mustard
• Sage
• Brown
• Lilac
• Gold
• Peacock blue

Art Nouveau Wallpaper patterns

• Stylised long stemmed poppies and lilies
• Lancet shaped leaves
• Slender blooms

Stencils were also used. The Stencil Library is a great resource for Art Nouveau stencil patterns. They have a brilliant range from many historical eras. In 1904 Cowtan and Sons an English decorating company used flatten white or enameled white paint. This treatment was also used by Charles Rennie MacIntosh who created a number of white rooms.

Art Nouveau tiles

Pictorial tiles during Art Nouveau era were popular in Belgium and France. Illustrations by Czech artist Alphonse Mucha were used as the basis for the designs. This influence did not appear in England until 1920′s and 1930′s. The Art and Craft influence continued in the States. However the use of plain tiles was also popular. Victor Horta in his own house in Brussels (now the Horta Museum) used plain white tiles on the walls and the ceiling in a brick like fashion. Tube- lining was used to create motifs on plain tiles. The technique used similar to piping icing on a cake. The raised lines of the pattern give the tile a 3D appearance. Kenneth Clark Ceramics has a tube -lining tulip border tile available.

Art Nouveau Tiles

• Pastel shades
• Plain tiles or individual tile designs set among plain tiles
• Patterned tiles were mainly used in a row at dado height or as a random insert
• Highly stylized abstracted floral tiles
• Art Nouveau style panels were used to create complete interiors in Europe
• Panels also on facades of buildings
• In America and England individual floral designs on individual tiles or arranged in small panels up to dado height.

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The Rookwood Pottery in Cincinnati Ohio, Carter & Co and Poole Pottery in Dorset England, the Yorkshire Tile Company and Minton Hollins are some of the firms who have produced Art Nouveau tiles.

Art Nouveau Decorative Items

One of the icon items of Art Nouveau era is the Tiffany lamp created by Louis Tiffany. He studied art and went on to set up the interior decorating firm of Louis Tiffany & Associated Artists in New York. The firm still decorated in the Victorian styles with Arts and Craft influences. In 1885 the main focus of the business was glass art work so a new name was created Tiffany Glass Company. Tiffany designed windows for American churches for example Trinity Church Boston. They also moved into designing art glass for homes, clubs and other corporations.

The ‘Four Seasons’ glass panels establish an international reputation for Tiffany. His work was displayed in Bing’s Art Nouveau shop in Paris. His work included landscape, floral and semi abstract designs. Vases, bowls, paper weights were design in iridescent colorful glass called Favrile, Cyprite, Cameo and Lava. Tiffany lamps were made from metal bases with glass shades similar to stained glass and leadlight windows. Designs were natural forms, peacock feathers and insect wings. Some of the names of Tiffany’s work include ‘Trumpet Creeper’ lead glass and bronze table lamp and his ‘Peacock’ and ‘Cockatoo’ glass panels, an electric light with a colored shade called ‘Dragon Fly’

Art Nouveau had an impact on silver ware, pewter, painting, sculpture posters, advertising and ceramics design. When looking for decorative items remember to select items with beautiful flowing lines and curved forms.

Eco Friendly Way

Interior decorating in older styles can be a very eco friendly way to decorate. Visiting second hand shops, antique deals, garage sales and looking online can be a great way to find your Art Nouveau treasures. The most important thing is to have a clear idea of what you want, what you want to spend before you start looking. I recently saw some tiles from this era for sale on eBay at a very reasonable price.

Art Nouveau Flooring

Parquetry was often used in the Art Nouveau era. However Horta used mosaic tiles in swirling S curved patterns on the floor of his Tassel house. Linoleum was also popular. The trendy colors in matting in early 20th century were natural, white, olive and light brown. The Axminister loom was invented in USA in 1876. Brinton in England developed the Gripper version in 1890. These inventions allowed large carpets to be made in unlimited colors. Floral designs became the hallmark of British designers. Owen Jones’ book the ‘Dictionary of Ornament’ 1856 and Christopher Dresser’s ‘Principles of Design’ in 1879 continued to influence design. As did William Morris’ designs in particular the acanthus leaves and poppies design.

The Main Features of the Art Nouveau Style

• Muted delicate colors
• Flowing curved lines
• Natural forms
• Tiffany lamps
• Glassware
• Pewter
• Silver ware
• Peacock feathers
• Stained glass panels
• Furniture with curving lines and rounded forms
• Upholstery in Art Nouveau themes
• Smooth plain tiles
• Stenciled walls and ceilings
• Ironwork
• Electric lighting

Unfortunately Art Nouveau has been a most misunderstood style and is often dismissed as a decorative side line. Yet the original work of architects Hector Guimard in France and Victor Horta in Belgium is easy to recognise. Many of Victor Horta’s buildings are now on the World Heritage list. In Vienna Josef Hoffman developed the ‘Vienna Secession’ movement influenced yet different from Art Nouveau. This style was less curvaceous more rectilinear and straight lined in its forms. Charles Rennie MacIntosh, in Scotland, Antionia Gaudi in Spain and Louis Sullivan and Tiffany in the US each developed and expressed a form of Art Nouveau. There was a revival of Art Nouveau in the 1960′s and exhibitions of the style continue to inspire new generations.

Use our interior decorating digital moodboard editor or read the creative buzz blog for added tools and tips to help you to create a digital Art Nouveau moodboard.

Author: Rosena MacFadzean for SampleBoard.com

Art Deco Design | How to Create a Jazzy Art Deco Bedroom in 6 Easy Steps

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This post contains information and tips to help you create your little piece of Art Deco style. The colors, patterns, designs, furniture styles and decorative detailing of the Art Deco style will be revealed. Added to this are lists of where to find more information and suppliers of Art Deco items. If you follow the 6 easy steps you can easily put together your Art Deco master piece.

During the Art Deco era interior design was a main focus. Smooth surfaces, exotic materials and repeated geometric forms characterise this style. The style became part of the ‘Swinging Twenties’ part of the ‘Jazz Age’.

Tip: Read through the whole article before you start following the steps

Step 1:  Know what makes Art Deco different from Art Nouveau

Art Deco is a jazzy style with straight lines, geometric and abstracted shapes used in buildings, furniture and decorative details. This is the main difference from the earlier Art Nouveau style with its flowing lines, organic curved rounded forms, fantasy themes and gentle pastel colors. In comparison Art Deco is bold, colorful, showy and dramatic.

Tip: Look for

• Straight lines

• Geometric shapes

• Abstract patterns

• Egyptian scarab

• Sun Motifs

• Stepped ziggurat shapes

• Fan shapes

• Aztec symbols

• Stylised flowers

Step 2: Become familiar with examples of Art Deco design

You can do this from the comfort of your computer desk. Just use the information below to inform your research. This is the easiest way, but you can also visit your local library or you can research in your local area.

Tip: An easy way to find visual information is to do a Google image search. Please note some images labeled as Art Deco are in fact Art Nouveau

In France

• Emile –Jacques Ruhlmann a leader of French interior design and furniture design between 1918 – 1925

• Paul Iribe

• Andre Groult

• Neuilly Villa designed 1929 by Pierre Legrain

• Eileen Gray in 1920 designed Suzanne Talbot’s apartment

Art Deco USA

Design in the USA was Influenced by French Art Deco after the 1925 Paris exhibition. The Americans loved the bright surfaces and abstract patterns of the style. The 1933 World’s Fair ‘Century of Progress’ in Chicago saw many Art Deco motifs, designs and shapes used for example the rising sun motif and stepped ziggurat. Ely Jacques Kahn designed Art Deco skyscraper entrance lobbies

• Bricken Building

• Chrysler Building

• Empire State Building

• Banking Hall of the Irving Trust Company

Step 3: Select floor covering

For a bedroom plain wall to wall fitted carpet would be an excellent choice. This was a popular floor treatment of the time. Although geometric patterns and Sarouk Persian or Turkish carpets in geometric or floral salmon pink were popular in the States. In Britain large repeat patterns in soft muted colors (similar to William Morris designs) were used in hotels and on ocean liners. French carpets were formal in style with highly stylized floral designs. Brilliantly colored carpets with abstract patterns were used in theaters and department stores in the US and France. Animal skin floor rugs could also be used in your bedroom. Zebra skin rugs were popular and placed over the plain carpets. Linoleum continued to be popular as did parquet floors.

Tip: What you choose for the floor will influence all your other choices. Remember this when you make your selection.

Art Deco Floors:

• Plain

• Geometric

• Zebra skin

• Persian

• Turkish (Sarouk)

Carpets Available in Art Deco Style

Stark’s Navarre design

Stark’s Laseine design

Bosanquet’s Ives trellis design

Axminster Carpets’ Honeycomb design

Step 4: Select the wallpaper and paint colors

You may want to create a modern styled room with an Art Deco twist or create a room to reflect a real impression from the Art Deco times. Strong colors were used as a reaction to the pastels of the Art Nouveau style. However colors did vary between countries and the decades of the Art Deco era. In a bedroom green, ultramarine, sea green or deep blue could create a peaceful retreat. But black, red, crimson, burnt orange or hot pink could create a dramatic bold statement. Or a sophisticated elegant atmosphere could be created by using white on white, cream, coffee, beige, bluff or chocolate brown.

Tip: Some colors work better in a bedroom. Greens and blues are said to decrease the heart rate. Reds and oranges are said to stimulate and increase the heart rate.

Art Deco colors

• Chocolate brown

• Red

• Black

• Hot Pink

• Beige

• Coffee

• White on White

• Ultramarine

Walls, ceilings and woodwork were often smooth and sometimes glossy. Wallpapers were also popular. If you want drama and excitement in your scheme then wallpapers with bold geometric, Egyptian or Aztec motifs in vibrant colors would achieve this. The wallpaper designs of the 1930′s could create a sophisticated elegant look. The tea stained colors heighted with silver or gold would create a rich, smart interior space. A truly feminine room could be created using one of the many Art Deco floral design wallpapers. Or a classic modern Art Deco look could be achieved by using geometric patterns in cubist like designs.

Wallpaper

• Stylised Flowers

• Stripes

• Geometric

• Egyptian motifs

• 1930′s (tea stained colors highlighted with silver or gold)

Wallpaper Sources

Bradbury and Bradbury’s Glasgow Panel

G.P. & J. Baker’s Rose & Hummingbird

Step 5: Select the Furniture

The interiors of the Art Deco era housed furniture with straight (sometimes curved) clean lines. To create a classic modern room glass and chrome could be used. Lacquered furniture was also popular at this time so could be used to create an elegant sophisticated style. Exotic timbers could be used to create bold statements and rooms with a sense of drama. Upholstery was often designed in geometric patterns, but plain fabrics were often used. Large tasseled cushions of varying shapes covered with sumptuous fabrics were popular. Using cushions in this manner would create a more informal look.

Tip: It is best to make the final choice on paint color selections after the furniture has been selected

Furniture

• Chrome

• Glass

• Veneered exotic timbers

• Lacquered: Black, Scarlet, Pale yellow

Step 6: Select Art Deco Accessories

Ornaments were sparsely used during the Art Deco period. The classical minimal modern look was starting to have an impact at this time and influenced Art Deco design. The stepped profile is considered the shape of the Art Deco era. Abstracted fans, sunrise and Egyptian motifs were also popular. Lamps with female figurers holding a ball are a well known icon of the Art Deco era. Also cushion were used in strongly colored rooms, often black and red with red lacquer-work furniture and China pagoda lamps. So what could you use to finish off your Art Deco room? Fan design table lamps or a girl with a ball lamp could be used with sleek lacquered furniture or with exotic timber or glass and chrome pieces.

A mirror in a fan or step design would work well with most furniture designs. Art Deco interiors rarely displayed paintings however murals were sometimes used. Ornaments in bronze and other metals of the female or animal form were in vogue at this time so could make a nice addition to your Art Deco bedroom

Tip: One piece of Art Deco; a lamp, piece of furniture or wallpaper could be the starting point of your interior decorating scheme. Everything else selected should then relate to that object.

This article has illustrated there are three main themes you can use to create your bedroom in an Art Deco style.

You could create:

• A bold dramatic room with strong colors, bold geometric patterns and exotic timber furniture.

• Or secondly you could create a classic modern style using chrome and glass furniture, abstract patterns and muted or neutral colors with strong contrast.

• Or a luxurious sophisticated room could be created using lacquered furniture, subtle patterns and tea stained colored wallpaper with silver or gold stripes.

That is not to say you can’t mix some of the items from each style to create a really individual take on Art Deco. The important thing to remember when creating an Art Deco room; the motifs, patterns and designs are basically the same. I will be writing a series on Art Deco on my creative buzz blog.

I invite you to visit. It will be loaded with information and images.

We also offer an interior design mood board editor that you can use to create digital mood boards in various design disciplines. Visit SampleBoard.com to combine images easily and beautifully into digital moodboards.

Author: Rosena MacFadzean for SampleBoard.com