Inspiring Art Deco Hotels and Homes Around the Globe

What I find so captivating about Art Deco is that you get the best of both worlds: the sumptuous, graceful Neoclassical and Art Nouveau-inspired “high style” with its use of luxurious, exotic materials, and the streamlined, industrial age and Bauhaus-inspired “Art Moderne” which combined traditional materials with the new.

Looking back at history in the 1920s and 30s where WWI and the Great Depression happened along with huge technological and industrial progress, one can see why this form of glamor flourished. I’ve seen photos of old 1930s Hollywood movies with backdrops of luxury hotels, clubs and ocean liners all done in the Art Deco style. A public struggling post-war and hoping for a brighter tomorrow would have found escapist pleasure in such movies.

Who can resist Art Deco’s subtle, elegant blending of luxury with simplicity, beauty with comfort? It’s like giving a nod to the past while embracing the future. In that way, it was also about living fully in the present.

I’ve been browsing hundreds of luxe hotel rooms as well as residential beauties that represent the best of the Art Deco style. Here I present six of my favorite sources of inspiration.

Gorgeous Art Deco Hotels

Let’s take a look at the hotels first.

1. Beauty in the Heart of Iceland

I have never been to Iceland, but if I’m going there I would sure like to stay at the Hotel Borg.

The dramatic contrast between the dark walls and white curtains emphasizes the clean lines of the furniture. See the tulip sofa and chairs? Just like the ones we talked about here. 🙂

2. Imposingly Imperial in Prague

The sumptuous room below is the least expensive type in the five-star Prague Imperial Hotel.

If the basic room is this well-put together we can just imagine what the suites look like. I love the use of ecru in the soft furnishings.

3. London Calling

Expansive windows, wood-paneled walls, and a bright white ceiling form a beautiful shell for the Art Deco furnishings at the 45 Park Lane Hotel in London.

I love the velvet-upholstered armchair. The klismos chair adds an Empire-inspired touch to the room.

Mansions Fit for a King (and Queen)

Now on to some impressive residences.

4. Deco-licious Perfection in Monte Carlo

The room below is just one among the incredibly gorgeous bedroom suites in the Monte Carlo residence designed by Martin Kemp of Candy & Candy. I fell completely, hopelessly in love with this room.

Everything about it speaks of the perfection that can be achieved when designing an Art Deco-inspired space. Cashmere-paneled walls speak of pure luxury. However, nothing in this room is ostentatious. The curvilinear shapes of the bedroom suite, made from luxurious materials, have a clean sophistication. The pale rug goes well with the silver furniture trimmings.

This room is beautifully balanced, from the layout to the colors to every piece of accessory. Next to the use of luxurious materials, such breathtaking symmetry is the very heart of Art Deco. For me, this bedroom is Art Deco perfection personified.

5. Manhattan Masterpiece

Deco decadence! Unabashed glamor is what this Geoffrey Bradfield-designed Manhattan residence is all about.

I love the elegant use of gray, the mirror panels that make the room look bigger, and last but definitely not the least, the step ceiling.

6. Deco Elegance in New Delhi

The room below is the gold version of the silver glamor seen earlier. Jean-Louis Deniot knew exactly what to do with a narrowish room with a high ceiling.

The resplendent chandelier was so eye-catching I just had to model it! Beige-and-black give the room an exquisite elegance (yes, redundant perhaps, but so what?). And don’t you just love how the patterns on the pillows and carpet add a dash of excitement to the creamy serenity?

Not Another Beige Room

So there you have it, folks, all the inspiration anyone needs to create a room fit for the stunning Art Deco antiques we have curated on this site. These rooms show all the varied looks that can be achieved using this style. They also prove that two or three hues, with varying tones and shades, as well as a mix of beautiful materials and textures, does not a boring room make.

In this day and age when there are so many gimmicky rooms with throw-away furniture and garish color palettes (not to mention shiny white boxes joined together at odd angles and hailed as the “cool” in contemporary housing), Art Deco-inspired rooms stand out with their elegance and symmetry. Totally worth the effort and investment.

Books to Consider

Related Links

External Links to Sources

Hoosta Magazine – source of the Hotel Borg in Reykjavik photo.
Art Deco Imperial Hotel Prague Official Site – source of the hotel room photo.
Business of Luxury – source of the 45 Park Lane Hotel London photo.
Architectural Digest: The View from the Top – source of the bedroom photo by Candy & Candy.
Architectural Digest: Deco Deluxe – source of the bedroom in New Delhi and living room in Manhattan photos.

We Would Love to Hear from You!

So, what do you think? Do you like this style? Do you have similar ideas or products to recommend? Please share your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below.