Glamour, Glyphs and Skyscrapers Glamour, Glyphs and Skyscrapers

INSPIRATION

Glamour, Glyphs and Skyscrapers

An iconic art movement that’s remained relevant for over a century, Art Deco has inspired some of the world’s most distinctive architecture. Here we explore its central motifs and highlight resplendent homes, hotels and buildings that epitomise the streamlined style.

MODERNITY AND MACHINERY

A celebration of luxury and progress, Art Deco embraced the modern industrialism of the 1920s and 30s. As a result, aerodynamic curves, gleaming finishes and sleek futuristic shapes are all prominently featured throughout the interiors and exteriors of buildings from the era, along with stepped forms, heavily stylised patterns, and geometric ornamentation. The movement’s affinity with progress also meant that designers and architects favoured newly manufactured materials such as steel, chrome and aluminium alongside more traditional options including stucco, stone, terracotta and glass.

Art Deco pioneers were also largely inspired by the exciting discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922, leading to the frequent use of Egyptian motifs such as pyramids, scarab beetles, hieroglyphics, and gold accents across textiles, furnishings and architectural design details throughout the period.

Decorative wall with Egyptian hieroglyphs and figures in a tomb-like setting. Decorative wall with Egyptian hieroglyphics and figures in a museum setting

HISTORICAL LANDMARKS

Although America’s first skyscraper dates back as far as 1885, demand for tall buildings soared in the roaring twenties which is why Art Deco monuments such as the impressive Chrysler Building and the Empire State Building dominate New York’s city skyline. Completed during the 1930s, both examples are often described as masterpieces of the age, featuring magnificently stepped exteriors and stunning interiors with preserved period features.

Many other Moderne Style buildings can be found across the States - especially within the Miami Art Deco District - however the USA wasn’t the only country to champion Art Deco architecture. Although the exterior of the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City is a blend of Neoclassical and Art Nouveau styles, its interior is decidedly deco, and features a breathtakingly beautiful stained glass stage curtain created by Tiffany’s. The Boerentoren in Antwerp - one of Europe’s very first tall buildings - also perfectly illustrates the style with its angular shape and decorative facade, as does London’s famed Hoover Building and its stone-clad Senate House, which provided visual inspiration for George Orwell’s cautionary novel, Nineteen Eighty-Four.

Tall apartment buildings with palm trees against a blue sky Urban scene with tall buildings and palm trees under a blue sky.

ART DECO DESIGN NOTES CAN BE FOUND WITHIN MANY OF THE WORLD'S MOST OPULENT HOTELS, INCLUDING PRINCE DE GALLES IN PARIS AND NEW YORK'S WALDORF ASTORIA.

Facade of The Waldorf-Astoria hotel with American flags and gold accents.
Claridges hotel entrance with flags above the door

LUXURY DESTINATIONS

As an aesthetic synonymous with lavish design and luxe materials, Art Deco design notes can also be found within many of the world’s most opulent hotels, including Prince De Galles in Paris. Located in the capital’s Golden Triangle, the old-world hotel has been regarded as the jewel of the Parisian Art Deco movement since it opened its doors in 1929, and today offers a modern take on the enduring style.

Equally as extravagant, the Fairmont Peace Hotel in Shanghai was the very first Art Deco building to open its doors in China during 1929, and its traditional beauty and grand features - including a spectacular domed rotunda - have stood the test of time. New York’s Waldorf Astoria, often referred to as the city’s unofficial palace, is also recognised as a landmark thanks to its plush 1920s interiors, and in London’s Mayfair, Claridge’s continues to exude Gatsby-esque glamour both inside and out.

Collectable Properties

Although hugely influential, as an art movement Art Deco was relatively short-lived - not least due to the advent of World War II - which means that only a small number of residential properties were built during the period, particularly in the UK, making them highly collectable. Typical examples include the Marine Villa on the Isle of Wight which has been lovingly restored to its former glory, and The Saltings - a Grade II listed property in Hampshire that offers sea views from every level. Although there are very few concentrated clusters of buildings from the era, Northwest London notably has more than its fair share with homes such as the White House in Hendon, a row of curvacious houses in Arnos Grove, and the prestigious Cholmeley Lodge apartments in Highgate village.

While original Art Deco properties may be few and far between, the striking style still Inspires new architectural projects in Great Britain and beyond, and continues to be a major influence across art, architecture, fashion, furniture and interior design one hundred years after its inception.

Add Art Deco elegance to your own home with our collection of cast iron freestanding baths, traditional vanity units and 1920s inspired bath taps.

Published by: Aidan Cooper