Lighting Art Deco Style
The Art Deco movement, whilst first appeared in the 1910’s, is just as relevant today as it was then.
A strong drive for modernity, the iconic styling has been tweaked over the decades to bring a fresh new relevance to the look.
Art Deco lighting is therefore ensured a real longevity in interior designs. The surroundings can be refreshed, colours changed, but the iconic art deco style in your lighting can remain as a shining beacon.
The endurance of this style is also testament to transitional style in interior design. In a period home, Art Deco lights can bring a fresh, modern look teamed with the character and quaintness of the era. In a modern property, Art Deco lighting can bring a sense of the glamour from the roaring twenties and thirties to sleek lined modern architecture.
There are also subtle nuances within the Art Deco style. You can be as subtle or as bold as you choose, safe in the knowledge that they will all work together in harmony.
Art Deco Lights for Living Rooms
Lighting in the living room needs to be versatile. The very name of this room ‘Living’, means that we carry out more than one function within this space.
It could be that we watch films and TV shows. We may choose to mend clothes, or read. One light is not up to the job of performing all of these tasks.
Art Deco was massive on wall lights. I can never think of the era, without recalling the iconic cinemas of this time with rich red walls with glamorous gold wall lights.
Wall lights are a great choice in the living room as they add to the overall ambient lighting. You can choose to use wall washers which are great at spreading light up and down the wall without adding glare to the room. If you use this on a wall which is not facing the TV, you’ll avoid that annoying ‘bleaching’ that can occur on your screen from reflective light.
The ceiling light in a living room is the crown in your Art Deco design. It sits alone on the ceiling, so is the perfect place to showcase the deco style. One thing we’d recommend here, is to use a dimmer switch. This will really help to ensure that you get your light levels right for any task you need to carry out, then you can dim it right down for a relaxing light at the end of the day.
Table and floor lamps are also key to getting your Art Deco lighting in the living room perfect. Table lamps are great used near seating and in the corners of a room. These will be in your eyeline when you’re sitting, so the design will echo the Art Deco look and keep it relevant.
Standard lamps are ideal for reading and as additional task lights too. They also add a sense of height to a room.
Art Deco Lights for Dining Rooms
Dining rooms, or dining areas within another room, need zoning. The simplest and best way to do this is to use a statement light directly over the table.
We’d recommend that for rectangular tables, you opt for a ceiling pendant bar, or an oval or rectangular ceiling pendant. The length of the light should be approximately two thirds the length of your table for the perfect balance.
Wall lights are also brilliant in the dining room. Adding a layer of light at the perfect height for dining, they also stretch the dimensions of the room visually for a feeling of space.
If you have a sideboard, or hostess trolley, a table lamp is perfect for adding a feature and bring the lighting for an Art Deco dining room to life.
Art Deco Lighting for Bedrooms
To achieve good bedroom lighting, you need to look at how you use the space. The central ceiling light is key to cementing the look that you are after. A dimmer switch used with this light is also great to easily adjust the light in the room dependant on the task.
If you read in bed (books, kindles or devices – they all count!), then a light at your bedside is necessary. Wall lights with reading arms offer both a task and ambient light, whilst bedside lamps will offer a good light to read by.
If you have a dressing table, consider using a pull-out wall light so that you can amend or angle your light with ease.
Art Deco Lights for the Kitchen
Spotlights are still a firm favourite for the ‘cooking’ section of the kitchen. But what we are seeing on the increase, is that kitchens are very rarely used for cooking alone. They have become a social hub of the home.
We’re seeing kitchen islands and breakfast bars. Much the same as a dining table, these areas also need zoning. What works particularly well to achieve this, is either 3 ceiling pendants, or a ceiling pendant bar with 2 or 3 lights on it.
If your kitchen is big enough to have a sofa or lounging section in it, then table lamps at either end make this modern concept a destination and makes it belong.
Art Deco Lights for the Bathroom
Safety first – we recommend that all lights used in the bathroom have a minimum ingress protection rating of 44 (IP44).
The choice for lighting your bathroom is vast! Choose bathroom chandeliers for maximum impact. You can also get bathroom ceiling pendants for a luxury look.
Wall lights either side of a bathroom mirror are as useful as they are decorative. The mirror is usually positioned over the sink, so the mirror and the lights help to zone the area.
Exterior Lighting in the Art Deco Style
Outside lights are a vital part of lighting your home. These lights will welcome you home at the end of a long day. They’ll light your way to put the bins out and to having a party in the garden and everything in between.
If you live near the coast (we’d say anything up to 10 miles from a coastline), we’d recommend our coastal outdoor lighting range. They have been finished with additional protection to ensure that the elevated levels of salt in the air do not damage the finish of the light as quickly as those without it.
Art Deco is everywhere you look. The movement inspired everything, from buildings, ocean liners, furniture and jewellery. This all-encompassing look is something that we’d recommend you apply to your interior design.
Again, this can be as subtle or as bold as you choose. Mirroring shapes, materials and patterns in various places through your room will ground and give credence to the overall look.
Cubism artwork, bright colours of Fauvism and repeated arch or fan patterns show an authenticity. Monochrome with golds and marbles is a strong and decadent interpretation of the style.
In later years (before this ritzy, halcyon era gave way to a utilitarian style after World War 2), the style was streamlined into a version referred to as Streamline Moderne. Shiny cool metals were introduced, chromes and steels along with plastics, making this look more readily available to the masses.
In summary, Art Deco was the first international style that incorporated visual displays of art into everyday objects. Glam up your home with stunning Art Deco lighting from Bespoke Lights.