If you like the beauty of simple and clean lines of modern houses, or various house furnishings, you will appreciate the value of Art Deco/Art Moderne. This style is characterized by streamlined artwork such as clean lines and curves as well as bright colors, as opposed to the traditional intricate lines, ornate curves, and dark colors of the past. This modern style originated in the period between the two world wars mainly with the Bauhaus movement. The term Art Deco was first used in L‘Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes which was held in Paris after World War 1.
The excellent public to the elegance of the custom made interiors at the expo paved the way for interior designers to follow suit. Aside from interior designers, other craftsmen, artists, and manufacturers all over Europe and America began to incorporate the innovative aesthetic ideas of Art Deco/Art Moderne in their works. The streamlined style in the decorative arts of what is called the Machine Age began to appear in rugs and carpets in the mid-1920s to the 1930s.
At this time, dramatic changes in styles and patterns began to appear in furnishings and other decorative products. While the fad died a natural death in the 1940s, it came bouncing back in the late 1980s and through the 1990s. This modern art style is captivating because of its combination of versatility, luxury, function and cacophony of colors.
Art Deco/Art Moderne is essentially eclectic in nature because it combines Aztec and Egyptian elements. It makes extensive use of pyramidal shapes and strong and sharp angles. This art style also combines metal furniture, lacquered woods, and geometric glass shades. You might be correct to say that some of its elements are caricaturish, yet, however improbable the combinations, the overall effect is bold, and resonates with the glamour and hope that characterized the interwar period.