100 years of Art Deco

Telegraph

29-01-2025

'It's exactly 100 years this month since Art Deco entered the picture – and never left. In the Roaring 1920s, an era of gin, jazz and joie de vivre, 'les arts décoratifs' (the English term took a few decades to catch on) were the focus of a major exhibition in Paris. Leaving Victoriana and Edwardiana in its wake with its geometric patterns, bold colours and innovative materials, Art Deco would come to influence the design of everything from necklaces to skyscrapers.
The Hoover Building in Perivale is an archetypal example of Art Deco architecture
'It was ground-breaking and shocking – a distinct rejection of the old-fashioned styles and establishment that had led Europe into a horrific war,' says the historian and author Melanie Backe-Hansen. 'It was part of an alluring world full of glamour, music, dancing and prestige. And it still holds that place as being 'modern' and distinct, while also reminiscent of a 'golden age'.'
All over London, you can see monuments from this period of innovation: from the Isokon flats in Belsize Park, the Hoover Building in Ealing and Battersea Power Station to the city's most famous five-star hotels, including the Dorchester and Savoy, and Fleet Street's imposing paeans built in the heyday of newspapers.
The decor of 45 Park Lane's lobby lounge is an homage to the energetic decadence of the Roaring 20s
A century on, Art Deco continues to make a splash in London's prime property scene, with the transformation of two landmark buildings – 60 Curzon in Mayfair, and The Whiteley in Bayswater – combining modern luxury living with 1920s architectural pizzazz.
The design hallmarks of this era are instantly familiar, including its curving facades and experimental use of chrome, marble and walnut. 'Art Deco captures the optimism and energy of a transformative era, blending artistic expression with functionality in a way that still feels modern,' comments Lee Polisano, founding partner and president of PLP Architecture, the architects behind 60 Curzon.
Once a storied Mayfair nightlife institution, 60 Curzon Street's rebirth as super prime London real estate, plays up its Art Deco DNA
The Mayfair site that previously housed the celebrity-studded Mirabelle restaurant has been 'romantically reimagined' as a boutique scheme of 32 residences with top-notch concierge services and wellness amenities. And underpinning the design, says Polisano, are the basic principles of Art Deco: 'A sleek, streamlined aesthetic reflecting a newfound fascination with innovation, globalism, and luxury,' he says, pointing out the intricately detailed Portland Stone facade handcrafted bronze balustrades and entranceways.
The building also brings back a slice of upper-class living in its 'service spaces', Polisano explains, 'where back-of-house functions are kept entirely separate, without interfering with the choreography of the resident. This is lost in contemporary luxury buildings over the past century.'
For Joyce Wang, who has designed an apartment priced £17.25m at The Whiteley, whose £1.2bn renovation is nearing completion, it's the 'enduring opulence' of the Art Deco era that has inspired her vision for this private residence with six-metre-high ceilings. 'The Whiteley's original style evokes a sense of classic luxury and elegance,' says Wang, who has also curated a selection of accessories that reflect the global outlook of the department store's founder William Whiteley, from antique Georgian chandeliers to modern mixed-media artworks.
Some property hunters can't resist homes from this era, says Becky Fatemi, executive partner at UK Sotheby's International Realty. She mentions American buyers who are familiar with such landmarks from the era as New York's Chrysler Building or Miami's vibrant Art Deco district, and Middle Eastern buyers 'who are drawn to the grandeur and opulence inherent in the style'.
The era's rich individuality also resonates with younger wealthy buyers, adds Claire Reynolds, managing partner at UK Sotheby's International Realty. 'In a period marked by rapidly changing trend cycles, the enduring sense of quality and longevity, paired with a design language that feels both modern and nostalgic, has allowed Art Deco to evolve without losing its essential character,' she says.
Art Deco design complements settings from different eras too. Architect David Hartley from OWN London draws influence from Art Deco, 'which is both elegant and modern' – and cites Eltham Palace as 'a prime example of the style blending with a separate era of architecture – medieval in this case'. Its rotunda even served as inspiration for the billionaire John Caudwell, who has installed a replica in his revival of the iconic 1920s Le Provençal hotel on the French Riviera.
Revamped in the 1930s, Eltham Palace and Gardens marries its medieval foundations with Art Deco signatures
Accessories from the era can also add an eye-catching touch to a contrasting backdrop. Interior designer Portia Fox suggests adding a Lalique vase to a table setting, 'or an ornately decorative upholstery fabric or beautiful vintage lamps give a fresh take on Art Deco in a building from a different time'.
Buildings from the Roaring 20s come with some practical plus points too, says Simon Barry from Harrods Estates. 'Many feature large windows that flood interiors with natural light – and Art Deco mansion blocks were the first in London to use steel and concrete construction, providing much better levels of sound insulation than their Victorian predecessors.'
For those who don't want to go the full Deco, 'gestures and nods towards the simplicity and refinement of it' may provide a happy medium, suggests Guy Meacock from Prime Purchase buying agency. 'The subtle adoption of Art Deco is all the rage among design schemes. Crittall windows, for example, are everywhere.'
They are indeed – and many owners are likely unaware of the origins of the trendy glazing adorning their kitchen extensions. It's a mark of quality, however, that a century on, Art Deco innovations look as good as ever.
Art deco in the sun
Love Art Deco? The apartments, penthouses and garden villas at Le Provençal enjoy a beachfront Cap d'Antibes location and an illustrious history. Once a glamorous hotel dating from the 1920s, where guests included Coco Chanel, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Charlie Chaplin, its reimagining into residences exudes the Jazz Age era. Its design is inspired by both Eltham Palace and Manik Bagh, the Bauhaus palace of the Holkar Maharaja of Indore State. Developed by Caudwell into 35 residences priced €4.5m to 15m, it's selling through Beauchamp Estates. beauchamp.com
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