Bringing Back Art Nouveau Homes
As our series begins to wind down, it has come time to tackle a slightly lesser-known interior design style, which serves as the forerunner to our beloved Art Deco motif; namely, Art Nouveau. While this style is still well known, it doesn’t seem to be as mainstream as some of the others. Its influence can be found everywhere, but many people may have difficulty finding a name for the organic shapes and lines touched with sophistication. We think that this style is stunning, and in this article, we plan to give you an introduction to Art Nouveau, where it comes from, and how to achieve it.
History
Art Nouveau was popular in a small period from the 1880s to the start of World War I (often called the Belle Époque) when the property of the industrial age was focused more on art than war. Art Nouveau was, in large part, a work of retrieval, as designers looked to combine the advances of technology with the beauty of traditional craftsmanship and the fine arts. It was a ‘return to nature’, of sorts that rejected the systemization of art technique and the dehumanization of manufacturing. It did not reject the opulence of its time but instead embraced it as an opportunity to practice the art of creativity more freely than ever before.
Key Traits
The most obvious trait of the Art Nouveau fad was its influence on nature. The style incorporated organic shapes and lines, intricately and lavishly done to imitate the wild and beautiful motifs found in the natural world. Sinuous curves and floral arrangements created elaborate and gorgeous asymmetrical ornamentation that pleased the eye and delighted the soul. A modern observer would be charmed by the romantic atmosphere of an Art Nouveau home and feel as though they had entered a highly advanced fairy colony. The New materials and methods of construction being discovered in the 19th century were taken full advantage of in the creation of this style as the rapid change that came with the turn of the century favored the artist for this very short period of time.
Modern Appeal
I think we can all agree that this ‘back to nature’ business is something we could all do with a bit more of. The whimsey of the Art Nouveau style combined with its undeniable glamour appeal to every nostalgic fiber of our being and to every part of us that ever wanted desperately to be a fairy princess at some time in the not-so-distant past. The style’s unusual use of neutral colors drawn from nature appeals to the current fad for neutral everything while preserving a feeling of personality and warmth. It’s also a great alternative for all the designers who want the glitz and glam of art deco with all the dark moody atmosphere. It can be achieved as a kind of ‘leveled up’ cottage core design.
Getting the Look
As we try to achieve the Art Nouveau whimsey, it is best to start with the color pallet. This is one of the few styles in our series that is not entity-customizable, especially when it comes to the color scheme. Neutral or pastel colors combined with a few rich dark shades such as forest green and brick red work to make an organic yet glamorous environment. Gold accents, preferably lithe and curving, give the desired opulence to the space while organic shapes keep it from becoming overwhelming. One of the cheapest ways to infuse the elements of Art Nouveau into your home is to acquire some good prints, which feature the idyllic Art Nouveau artwork and the asymmetrical lines and curves of the style.
In conclusion, we hope that this rather inadequate introduction to the Art Nouveau interior design style piqued your interest and will have you digging deeper. We love a little conservative rebellion and hope you do too as you find a return to nature and craftsmanship in the Art Nouveau style. If you haven’t already you should check out our other vintage styling blog guides on our website. Thank you for reading!
