What is Art Deco interior design?

A style from the 1920s and 1930s known for bold geometric patterns, rich materials and shine: velvet in jewel tones, brass, mirror, lacquer and marble, set against cream or black.

What colors are used in Art Deco?

Deep jewel tones such as emerald, sapphire, teal and burgundy, with cream, black and brass or gold. Most rooms use one jewel tone and let cream and black do the rest.

What's the difference between Art Deco and mid-century modern?

Art Deco is earlier and more glamorous: velvet, brass, mirror and symmetrical patterns. Mid-century modern, from the 1950s and 60s, is lighter and plainer: walnut furniture on slim tapered legs, simple shapes and a few warm colors like mustard and teal.

Does Art Deco work in a small room?

Yes, if you keep the walls cream, use one jewel tone and add one or two mirrored or glass pieces to bounce the light around. A small bathroom is one of the best places for it.

Can I see my own room in Art Deco style?

Yes. Upload a photo of your room and pick Art Deco: you get the same room back with Art Deco furniture, colors and decor, and the walls, windows and camera angle stay. A design at the standard size uses 1 credit, and the packs are $9.90 for 50 credits, $19.90 for 150 or $39.90 for 500, paid once.

Art Deco Interior Design: Try It on Your Own Room

What Art Deco interior design is

Art Deco began in Paris in the 1920s and spread to the skyscrapers, ocean liners and movie palaces of the 1930s. It was the look of a fast, confident new age: strong geometric shapes, rich materials and plenty of shine.

At home it means a room that feels dressed up and is still comfortable: a velvet sofa in emerald or navy, brass and mirror catching the light, fans and sunbursts on the rug or the walls, and black lines that hold it together. It's the opposite of the quiet styles: here the decor is the point.

Comes from: Paris and New York, the 1920s and 1930s
Feels: Glamorous, graphic, a little theatrical
Best in: Living rooms, bedrooms and small bathrooms
Easy to overdo: Yes: one pattern, one metal and one jewel tone are enough

How to spot an Art Deco room

Four things give it away, and this one living room has all four.

Art deco living room with an emerald velvet sofa, a round mirrored coffee table and a fan-shaped brass floor lamp, AI example design

01
Jewel-tone velvet
Emerald, sapphire or deep teal velvet on the sofa, the bed or a pair of chairs, often channel-tufted in vertical ribs.
02
Brass, gold and mirror
Brass lamps, gold frames and mirrored or glass tables add shine. Here: a fan-shaped brass floor lamp and a round mirrored coffee table.
03
Fans, sunbursts and stepped lines
Patterns are geometric and symmetrical: fans, sunbursts, chevrons and arches, on the rug, the art, tiles or cabinet fronts.
04
Black lines and contrast
Black lacquer, black and cream floors and thin black or gold edges frame the color, so the room looks crisp instead of busy.

Which rooms suit Art Deco design

Art Deco suits the rooms where a little drama is welcome. In the living room and the bedroom it's velvet, brass lamps and a patterned rug; in a small bathroom, green tile and a brass mirror go a long way. In a kitchen it's the boldest: dark green or black cabinets, brass handles and a checkerboard floor.

Example designs, created with AI
Art Deco bedroom
Emerald velvet bed · Brass fan lamps · Emerald and gold rug
Try Art Deco on my bedroom AI bedroom design ideas in more styles
Example designs, created with AI
Art Deco kitchen
Emerald green cabinets · Checkerboard floor · Brass globe pendants
Try Art Deco on my kitchen AI kitchen design ideas in more styles
Example designs, created with AI
Art Deco bathroom
Emerald green tiles · Black lacquered vanity · Geometric floor
Try Art Deco on my bathroom AI bathroom design ideas in more styles

Example designs, created with AI. Each one starts from an ordinary room, so you can see what changed.

Art Deco colors and materials

Start from one deep jewel tone, emerald, sapphire, teal or burgundy, and set it against cream or warm white so it glows instead of swallowing the room. Add black for the lines and edges, and brass or gold for the shine.

For materials: velvet, lacquered or glossy wood, marble, brass, smoked or mirrored glass, and patterned tile. Make the lighting a feature of its own, like a fan sconce, a globe pendant or a tiered chandelier.

Emerald
Sapphire
Cream
Champagne
Brass
Black

Art Deco mistakes to avoid

Too many patterns
Pick one big pattern, on the rug, the wallpaper or the tile, and keep the rest plain. Fans on the rug, chevrons on the cushions and sunbursts on the wall at once look like a costume party.
Mixed metals
Brass or chrome, not both. One warm metal repeated on the lamps, the mirror frame and the handles looks deliberate.
Dark walls in a dark room
Emerald walls close in a room with one small window. Keep those walls cream and put the jewel tone on the sofa, the bed or the curtains.
Shine on everything
Gloss needs something matte beside it. Velvet, a wool rug and plain painted walls keep the brass and mirror looking rich rather than cheap.

How to make your own room Art Deco

Choose one jewel tone, emerald, navy, teal or burgundy, and put it on the biggest soft piece: the sofa, the bed or the curtains.
Keep the walls cream or warm white, unless the room gets plenty of light and you want one dark wall.
Bring in one warm metal and repeat it: a brass lamp, a gold mirror, brass handles.
Add one geometric pattern on a big surface: a fan or stepped-pattern rug, wallpaper or tile.
Make the lighting a feature: a fan-shaped floor lamp, globe pendants or a sconce with a fluted shade.
Finish with black: a thin black frame, a lacquered side table or a black and white floor.

Dated living room before the redesign, with a gray sofa, a wooden coffee table and beige carpet, AI example photo

Example photo, created with AI

Example designs, created with AI

Before

Art Deco

Or see it first: upload a photo of your room below and pick Art Deco. The walls, windows and camera angle stay; the furniture, colors and decor change.