Art Deco Bedroom - Bed by Emile-Jacques Ruhlmann

Designs Ideas for creating an Art Deco Bedroom

Only the finest quality materials were used in Deco bedroom furniture. It was important that the look of the bedroom was sumptuous, luxurious and über-sexy!

All of the bedroom elements had to portray a similar glam aesthetic, however, the individual pieces were often a very eclectic mix of design styles.

Non-traditional bedroom furniture such as armchairs, mini-sofas or chaise lounges and coffee tables also started making their way into the boudoir. Having a small reading area or cozy vignette in front of a fireplace within the bedroom was the height of luxury and easily portrayed the look of wealth and affluence.

Classic Characteristics of Art Deco Bedrooms

Wood

Art Deco bedroom furniture - beds, dressers, armoires, side tables, etc. were most commonly made out of very rare and very expensive exotic woods. The most coveted woods were ebony, mahogany, Amboina and violetwood.

Ruhlmann's 'Sun-Bed' is one of the most famous examples of Art Deco beds.

Other common, but less expensive woods used were ash, oak, maple and redwood.

Art Deco Birds Eye Maple Bedroom Suite - Image courtesy: Christies.com — Art Deco Birds Eye Maple Bedroom Suite - Image courtesy: *Christies.com*

Marquetry, which "is the craft of covering a structural carcass with pieces of veneer forming decorative patterns, designs or pictures" (Wikipedia), was very popular during the days of Deco as well. You would most often see this exquisite art form displayed on Art Deco bedroom pieces such as headboards, bedroom screens, dressers and on the arms of chairs.

Wood inlay was a very common technique used as well. Two extremely popular examples of Art Deco bedroom furniture wood inlay during the 1920's and 1930's can be seen in mirrors and armchairs.

"Parquetry is a geometric mosaic of wood pieces used for decorative effect" (Wikipedia) and it became a huge trend during the 1920s. Elaborate, geometric patterns would be seen on the parquet floors of a typical Art Deco bedroom.

Both, natural wood and wood veneers were heavily lacquered to achieve that sexy and sleek, glossy look.

Exquisite Art Deco Parquet Floor - Hoover Building, London UK - Photographer: Nick Garrod — Exquisite Art Deco Parquet Floor - Hoover Building, London UK - *Photographer: Nick Garrod*

Vanity Tables

Vanity or make-up tables were stylish, glamorous and so 'au courant' during the height of Art Deco.

They were most often made of wood, however glass, chrome, Lucite, ivory and mirror were also used, as they gave off that lavishly-rich look. Matching stools or perch chairs were just as plush and alluring as the dressing tables themselves.

Gorgeous Lalique glass perfume bottles, ivory combs and brushes and exquisite lipstick tubes and rouge compacts graced the vanities...so glam!

French Art Deco Mirrored Vanity

French Art Deco Parchment Vanity by Jules Leleu

A rare Saddier et Fils sycamore and ivory dressing table, France, circa 1928

Geometric Patterns

Angular patterns - zig-zags, chevrons, pyramids, ziggurats - were seen on carpets, area rugs, drapes, bed linens and upholstery.

Art Deco Bed - Ziggurat Headboard - Birch with Black Lacquer Inlay.  Image courtesy: Rupertcavendish.co.uk — Art Deco Bed - Ziggurat Headboard - Birch with Black Lacquer Inlay. Image courtesy: *Rupertcavendish.co.uk*

Sconces, mirrors and other bedroom accessories were also incredibly streamlined and resembled geometric silhouettes.

The 'sweeping curve' was another classic Art Deco geometric design frequently seen in the bedroom. Spectacular curved walls and large round moulding on ceilings created a strikingly dramatic look.

1939 Art Deco Bedroom - Movie still from "Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day"

Colours

Bold, bright colours were very popular during this time, however bedrooms were more muted and subtle. A monochromatic palette was also preferred.

Art Deco Monochromatic Bedroom - James Oviatt Penthouse

Fashionable Art Deco colour-schemes were creamy-neutral, powdery-metallic blue (see image above from "Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day" movie) and ashy-gunmetal grey. Bold colours like rich-cranberry, peacock-blue, emerald-green, canary-yellow and royal-purple were used as accents - perhaps a few throw pillows or a casual throw on the bed.