Art Deco Moulding & Trim Styles

ABOUT ART DECO ARCHITECTURE

The term Art Deco refers to an eclectic design style introduced at the Paris Exposition of 1925. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior decoration, industrial design and fashion. Its use in the visual arts and cinema made it synonymous with elegance, glamour, functionality and modernity.

See examples of Art Deco style architecture.

ART DECO ARCHITECTURE CHARACTERISTICS

Art Deco design employed stylized and simplified versions of Neoclassical, Egyptian, Constructivist and Cubist forms and drew inspiration from both machines and nature. The style used motifs such as the scallop shell, ionic volute, deer, leopards, palm leaves, sunbursts, cloud forms and repetitive geometries.

Notable characteristics of Art Deco design include:

Horizontal and vertical lines
Geometric shapes such as triangles, zigzags, trapezoids and chevrons
Sweeping curves
Ornate interior details such as gold, chrome, and lacquered wood
Symmetry
Bright, contrasting colors
Intricate carvings and other details

ART DECO STYLE MOULDINGS

Art Deco style mouldings are a combination of simple S4S shapes with eased edges, repetitive curves, clean lines and simple geometric design. Decorative crown mouldings were especially popular interior details in the Art Deco movement.

HISTORY OF ART DECO STYLE

Art Deco style emerged in the 1920s and lasted through the 1930s. It was launched by a group of French designers known as the Societé des Artistes Décorateurs (The Society of Decorative Artists). These designers believed architecture was seen as secondary to painting and sculpting, and they sought to change this by creating a new style.

The Societé des Artistes Décorateurs officially displayed Art Deco style at the 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris. After the exposition, this new architectural style grew in popularity and spread as far as Cuba and India.

ART DECO IN AMERICA

Following an American fair called “A Selected Collection of Objects from the International Exposition Modern, Industrial and Decorative Arts,” Art Deco architecture became popular in the United States. However, the American version of this style was not as opulent and often used less expensive materials. Franklin Roosevelt’s Works Progress Administration (WPA) created many Art Deco style public buildings, such as municipal buildings, libraries, and schools.

Art Deco style came to be associated with the Roaring ’20s in America since it was most popular during this decade. Famous examples of Art Deco buildings include the Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center, and the Chrysler building.

Some of the most influential architects in the Art Deco movement include Josef Hoffman, Le Corbusier, and August Perret. Notably, Art Deco architecture was used primarily in commercial buildings rather than residential homes. Today, Art Deco remains a popular style for interior decorating and furniture.