Customer Reviews

Art Deco Interiors: Decoration and Design Classics of the 1920s and 1930s

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I searched through all of the Art Deco books and decided on this one. I am decorating my home in the Art Deco style of the 1920s and 1930s and have found a source for unlimited decorating ideas. I haven't found another book with so many great pictures. Not many people realize that true art deco is from the 1920s and 1930s and not the 1950s. It's hard to find a book like this one that focuses only on the true art deco form.

I agree with the reviewer from England who stated she was trying to find inspiration for decorating her home and could not find it in this book. This book is 80% text - extremely well written and researched - but only 20% pictures. Those pictures are many times small, black and white, and sketches - not photos at all. The photos that are here, many are truly stunning. But they are of movie sets, ship interiors, large buildings, etc. I was hoping for a book which would have one full color photographed page of floor lamps, another of wall sconces, ceiling lamps, furniture, hardware for cabinets, etc., each on its own page so I could get some inspiration. A section dedicated to photographs of walls and how they were stenciled so I could see many different designs would have been terrific. If I can, I am going to return the book. It was of no use to me. I would suggest ordering a book or two from Dover, which is far less [money] and might have more colors and designs for inspiration.

I loved it!!!! Fantastic, beautiful color photography and the designer's original renderings, beautifully printed and presented---an EYE POPPING cavalcade of art deco interiors, from simple to sublime! Theatres, train stations, restaurants, the bedrooms and baths of famous actors and designers...it is hard to imagine that one can imagine so much! Text is readable and interesting. Highly recommended!

I am still looking for a book that will help me decorate my 1930's home in its original style, and this book isn't it. It does have some good photographs etc from the period of more stately homes, but for the average home it's not much help at all. Disappointing.

This is a beautifully produced book which covers the whole range of art deco. A wonderful gift for the person who has everthing and loves style whatever period or for the serious follower of designs. My architect "stole" my first copy. The book is dangerous though......ended up purchasing an office in an art deco building. In short a great read and source of ideas.

The author does a fine job of compiling the broad spectrum of Art Deco styles from simple lines to eye popping detail, focusing of course on interiors. Both residential and commercial buildings are included in the book's repertoire. This is really not an attempt at a scholarly historical work although the historical aspects of the style are not ignored. More to the point, this book is a lot of fun to look at and exposes the reader to the richness of the Art Deco pallette.

This is an excellent book on art deco interiors. The chapters are ordered beginning with the origins of art deco and finishing with the art deco revival of recent times. It contains many pictures (some old ones are in black and white, the rest in colour) and it is nicely conceived, written and designed. Not only home interiors are covered but also all kind of public places, hotels, train stations, churches, trains, ships. In one word: excellent.

This is a pretty dry book. First it helps to know a little French. Secondly, all this book does is throw in a couple hundred names of designers and places. Third, when the author speak of different designs which were created by people there are no images to back it up, so you really can't produce an image in your head of what the author is describing, the images that are in the book are mainly black and white and drawings which really didn't give me a sense of what the designer was trying to portray. As a designer I purchased this book to learn more about the art deco style, characteristics, elements, materials and influence, which is not what I found in this book.

This book was more encyclopedic than inspiring. This would be great for a student of design. It was not helpful for me. I wanted to find decor and furnishing ideas for my unostentatious 1930's home. This book did not offer help to the interior design novice.

I'm amassing a collection of art deco books, and this is treasured among them for its historical thoroughness and beautiful pictures. I'm furnishing my '30s home and I find I just can't count on furniture store SAs to know what art deco is. Perusing the book, I am discovering what salient features to look for and just what kind of deco look is right for my situation, so I am armed with knowledge before I enter a store. The chapters include French Interiors, Streamline Moderne, Art Deco in public places (movie theaters, for example), and the revival of the '70s and '80s. Another deco book I recommend is by Young Mi Kim from the Architecture and Design Library.