Art Deco Seating
Art Deco furniture is characterized by its celebration of modern life. More than its emphasis on natural wood grains and focus on traditional craftsmanship, vintage Art Deco dining chairs, tables, desks, cabinets and other furniture — which typically refers to pieces produced during the 1920s and 1930s — is an ode to the glamour of the “Roaring Twenties.”
ORIGINS OF ART DECO FURNITURE DESIGN
- Emerged in the 1920s
- Flourished while the popularity of Art Nouveau declined
- Term derives from 1925’s Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes (International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts) in Paris, France
- Informed by Ancient Egypt, Cubism, Futurism, Louis XVI, De Stijl, modernism and the Vienna Secession; influenced Streamline Moderne and mid-century modernism
CHARACTERISTICS OF ART DECO FURNITURE DESIGN
- Bold geometric lines and forms, floral motifs
- Use of expensive materials such as shagreen or marble as well as exotic woods such as mahogany, ebony and zebra wood
- Metal accents, shimmering mirrored finishes
- Embellishments made from exotic animal hides, inlays of mother-of-pearl or ivory
ART DECO FURNITURE DESIGNERS TO KNOW
VINTAGE ART DECO FURNITURE ON 1STDIBS
Few design styles are as universally recognized and appreciated as Art Deco. The term alone conjures visions of the Roaring Twenties, Machine Age metropolises, vast ocean liners, sleek typography and Prohibition-era hedonism. The iconic movement made an indelible mark on all fields of design throughout the 1920s and ’30s, celebrating society’s growing industrialization with refined elegance and stunning craftsmanship.
Widely known designers associated with the Art Deco style include Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann, Eileen Gray, Maurice Dufrêne, Paul Follot and Jules Leleu. The term Art Deco derives from the name of a large decorative arts exhibition held in Paris in 1925. “Art Deco design” is often used broadly, to describe the work of creators in associated or ancillary styles. This is particularly true of American Art Deco, which is also called Streamline Moderne or Machine Age design. (Streamline Moderne, sometimes known as Art Moderne, was a phenomenon largely of the 1930s, post–Art Nouveau.)
Art Deco textile designers employed dazzling floral motifs and vivid colors, and while Art Deco furniture makers respected the dark woods and modern metals with which they worked, they frequently incorporated decorative embellishments such as exotic animal hides as well as veneers in their seating, case pieces, living room sets and bedroom furniture. From mother-of-pearl inlaid vitrines to chrome aviator chairs, bold and inventive works in the Art Deco style include chaise longues (also known as chaise lounges) and curved armchairs. Today, the style is still favored by interior designers looking to infuse a home with an air of luxury and sophistication.
Find a collection of vintage Art Deco dressers, coffee tables, decorative objects and other furniture on 1stDibs.
1930s French Vintage Art Deco Seating
Bronze
Mid-20th Century Czech Art Deco Seating
Fabric, Wood, Beech
Mid-20th Century Czech Art Deco Seating
Fabric, Walnut
1930s Czech Vintage Art Deco Seating
Bouclé, Beech
Early 20th Century Art Deco Seating
Upholstery, Wood
Early 20th Century Italian Art Deco Seating
Velvet, Wood
20th Century French Art Deco Seating
Leather
Mid-20th Century Czech Art Deco Seating
Fabric, Wood
Mid-20th Century Czech Art Deco Seating
Wood, Beech
Early 20th Century Danish Art Deco Seating
Sheepskin, Bouclé
1940s French Vintage Art Deco Seating
Wrought Iron
1930s French Vintage Art Deco Seating
Mahogany, Velvet
1920s French Vintage Art Deco Seating
Walnut
Mid-20th Century French Art Deco Seating
Walnut
1930s French Vintage Art Deco Seating
Rosewood, Upholstery
Late 20th Century Italian Art Deco Seating
Fabric, Beech
1930s French Vintage Art Deco Seating
Wicker, Rattan
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Seating
Wood, Fabric
20th Century French Art Deco Seating
Leather
Mid-20th Century Czech Art Deco Seating
Wood, Beech
1930s Danish Vintage Art Deco Seating
Fabric, Mahogany
1940s European Vintage Art Deco Seating
Leather
1950s French Vintage Art Deco Seating
Lacquer, Mahogany, Wood, Foam, Upholstery
Mid-20th Century Czech Art Deco Seating
Fabric, Wood, Walnut
Mid-20th Century Unknown Art Deco Seating
Iron
2010s Unknown Art Deco Seating
Velvet, Walnut
1930s French Vintage Art Deco Seating
Fabric, Walnut
1920s French Vintage Art Deco Seating
Leather, Faux Leather, Beech
Early 20th Century British Art Deco Seating
Faux Leather
1920s Czech Vintage Art Deco Seating
Fabric, Beech
1950s Dutch Vintage Art Deco Seating
Steel
1930s Czech Vintage Art Deco Seating
Fabric, Bentwood
1940s French Vintage Art Deco Seating
Upholstery, Wood
Early 20th Century American Art Deco Seating
Chrome
1930s Canadian Vintage Art Deco Seating
Chrome
1940s Dutch Vintage Art Deco Seating
Beech
1930s European Vintage Art Deco Seating
Upholstery, Walnut
1930s Czech Vintage Art Deco Seating
Beech, Plywood
1930s Czech Vintage Art Deco Seating
Beech, Bentwood
1950s American Vintage Art Deco Seating
Steel, Chrome
21st Century and Contemporary French Art Deco Seating
Wicker, Rattan
1930s French Vintage Art Deco Seating
Leather, Faux Leather, Beech
20th Century American Art Deco Seating
Fabric
20th Century Austrian Art Deco Seating
Beech, Ebony
1940s Czech Vintage Art Deco Seating
Fabric, Bentwood
1930s Danish Vintage Art Deco Seating
Beech
1930s French Vintage Art Deco Seating
Wood, Faux Leather
1930s Czech Vintage Art Deco Seating
Fabric, Wood
1930s French Vintage Art Deco Seating
Velvet, Walnut, Bentwood
1930s Portuguese Vintage Art Deco Seating
Cherry, Walnut, Pine
1930s Czech Vintage Art Deco Seating
Steel, Chrome
Mid-20th Century French Art Deco Seating
Upholstery
1930s Austrian Vintage Art Deco Seating
Chrome
Late 20th Century European Art Deco Seating
Upholstery
19th Century English Antique Art Deco Seating
Metal
1980s American Vintage Art Deco Seating
Fabric
1930s French Vintage Art Deco Seating
Leather
Mid-20th Century Czech Art Deco Seating
Wood, Fabric