Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
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.
21st Century and Contemporary French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Travertine, Carrara Marble, Marble, Onyx, Steel, Brass
1920s Italian Vintage Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1930s French Vintage Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Palisander
20th Century French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany, Walnut
Late 20th Century American Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Nickel
1930s Italian Vintage Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Nutwood
1930s Italian Vintage Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
1930s French Vintage Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Parchment Paper, Wood
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Ebony, Oak
Mid-20th Century Italian Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Mid-20th Century French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Sycamore
1920s French Vintage Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Mid-20th Century Unknown Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Rosewood
1930s French Vintage Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
1940s French Vintage Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Walnut
1950s Italian Vintage Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Mid-20th Century French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Lacquer
1930s French Vintage Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1930s Slovak Vintage Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
1930s Slovak Vintage Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
20th Century British Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Paint
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Stainless Steel
1940s French Vintage Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Metal, Brass
Mid-20th Century Czech Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
1940s French Vintage Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
1940s French Vintage Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
1940s French Vintage Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
1970s American Vintage Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1940s American Vintage Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1930s French Vintage Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
Early 20th Century Austrian Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Early 20th Century Unknown Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany, Wood
1930s French Vintage Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Rosewood
2010s German Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
Early 20th Century Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Bakelite, Mahogany
Early 20th Century Unknown Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Maple, Wood
1930s French Vintage Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
Late 20th Century Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
1930s British Vintage Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Chrome, Steel
1920s French Vintage Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Rosewood
Mid-20th Century French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Oak
1920s Austrian Vintage Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Maple, Walnut, Spruce, Plywood
1980s Vintage Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Glass, Wood
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Chrome
1980s American Vintage Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
1930s French Vintage Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
21st Century and Contemporary British Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Goatskin
1920s French Vintage Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Nickel
1920s Dutch Vintage Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
1940s Vintage Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1930s Italian Vintage Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Glass, Elm
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Metal, Brass
Mid-20th Century English Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1920s Dutch Vintage Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Faux Leather, Macassar, Oak
Early 20th Century Czech Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Oak, Lacquer
1920s French Vintage Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut