Why You Should Be Thrifting Art Deco Gems This Year

While there are an abundance of aesthetics to help guide your choices when decorating and styling a home, Art Deco decor reigns as one of the most visually interesting and adaptable. Taking its inspiration from the early decades of the 20th century and the rise of machines and industrialization, Art Deco is marked by arches and geometric lines, metallics, rich jewel tones, mirrors, and accents like black lacquer and opulent and luxurious fabrics like velvet and silk. It's a classic style that always feels fresh, making its furniture and décor pieces great finds to keep an eye out for when thrifting or perusing secondhand décor due to their style and adaptability.

Art Deco style has its roots in Paris during the 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes, which showcased architecture, jewelry, home products, and art from creators worldwide. It became popular in the U.S. between the two world wars, rising to prominence in the Jazz Age of the 1920s and continuing into the 1930s. The style was a reaction to the fussiness of popular Victorian style and the more ornate Art Nouveau movement in design, presenting more masculine and streamlined shapes. Its reliance on industrial manufacturing helped bring the style into even more people's homes away from the style hubs of European cities. This also means that, unlike more handmade styles, a lot of it was manufactured and sold, making it easier to find now.

Art Deco pieces have both a vintage and modern feel. While their roots are in the 1920s and 1930s, the era's sleek lines and shapes make them easily blend into any genre. Unlike the curved and ornate shapes found in 18th century pieces, Art Deco reveled in streamlined and sleek lines and materials, forming a striking way to offset ornate Victorian pieces from previous decades or sleeker mid-century modern rooms that would follow. This adaptability also makes them amenable to a variety of styles today, like industrial chic and Mediterranean, for a fresh look. 

To find pieces in the thrift store to incorporate Art Deco into your home, look for rich woods, geometric or repeating arched shapes, and elaborately carved or mother-of-pearl inlays. A great number of upholstered pieces are available in Art Deco color combinations like red and black or gold and cobalt, some featuring chrome or brass accents. Seek out larger upholstered furnishings in rich fabrics like velvet and silk, or opt for Art Deco in smaller doses in lamps, ottomans, mirrors, vases, or artwork. You can often find real Art Deco-era antiques available at higher price points from reputable dealers, or thrift lovely reproductions from the style's reemergence in the 1970s and 1980s that help bring in a sense of Art Deco glamour.