Art deco was all the rage in the 1930s.

Soft curved shapes and ornate trimmings.  Colours were dreamy pastels, stylish black and white or  very masculine dark mahogany.  A beautiful simplicity of form where nothing was left to chance.  In these times we live in art is forgotten as we strive for functionality.  People want their houses to be grey and uniform even getting rid of heritage tiles on the front porch.  The homes of the future becoming dark drab little boxes with expensive leather lounges and big televisions being the main stays of a modern living room.

 

Terracotta pavement blocks  lead to  nice outdoor table with deck chairs and sun umbrella surrounded by nice succulent plants in pebble gardens.  In the 1930s they had their mod cons too.  They may not have had televisions but they had radios and you can bet that a 1930s radio was way more than a plastic or steel box emmitting the sounds everyone wanted to hear.
It was also an object d’art and looked classy too.

The bedrooms were wall papered and dulcet toned to create a peaceful mood.  Heavy drapes tied back with sashes were decorative and co-ordinated unlike the wooden blinds or like the dreaded venetians of today.
When people entertained in the 30s they dressed the part and were every bit as elegant as their surroundings.  No thongs  or board shorts just stylish prints and flattering fitted swimwear for the pool.  Attention to detail in all things resulted in nothing short of perfection and isn’t that what we all aspire to?

Art deco wasn’t complicated it was the simple art of finding balance in the elements of colour and design which when assembled in a certain way created sightlines worthy of an elaborate film set.

© Renee Dallow

( Hybiscus Bloom)14/1/2014