ALL THAT JAZZ
One hundred years since the 1920s, embrace the decadence of the art deco aesthetic and the exuberant freedom that came with it
Why art deco is the ideal style to kick-start a brand-new Roaring Twenties, as we all look to cast off the gloom and create a party mood in our homes
Isn’t it about time we had a bit of fun? This very question must have hung in the air at the dawn of the 1920s. After years of war, followed by the devastating Spanish-flu pandemic, the world was ravaged and weary – hungry for a burst of something new and exciting. Enter the Roaring Twenties, the Jazz Age and the modern ebullience of art deco. This defiantly bold, contemporary moment in the decorative arts may well be the perfect style to adopt as we (finally) enter our own roaring Twenties, after a year of global turmoil.
Having its origins in the angularity of cubism, and taking motifs from China, Japan and Ancient Egypt, art deco brought a feeling of sleek freshness and unabashed luxury to interior design. The most expensive materials were used: ebony, ivory, marble, onyx, brushed brass and silver inlays. Jolts of jewel shades enlivened a largely monochrome palette, and patterns were geometric, throwing out the floral intricacy of the Edwardians. The look denoted decadence, hinted at world travel and, ultimately, was forged for a good time.
‘It’s slightly naughty. It makes you think of cocktails and seedy jazz clubs,’ says Fiona Thompson, a principal designer at Richmond International who, in 2014, was tasked with creating a 1920s-inspired space at the Beaumont hotel in
Mayfair. The building was being used as an Avis car-rental shop when purchased by the hospitality titans Corbin & King, the owners of the Wolseley; but Thompson’s task was to recreate it as an authentic-looking art deco hotel, originally owned by a fictitious American hedonist called Jimmy Beaumont. ‘We all got so into it we would constantly ask, “What would Jimmy do?’’ Thompson remembers. ‘We used specialist British craftspeople, giving them reference points including the Northwick Cinema in Worcester and the De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill, as well as the work of the designer Eileen Gray. And we used solely materials from the period: lots of walnut, marble and leather.’
Another reference point was Eltham Palace in Greenwich. Originally given to Edward II in 1305, the Palace had been allowed to decay until 1933, when it was leased by the millionaire couple Stephen and Virginia Courtauld. Three years later, they had not only restored the mediaeval hall, but tacked on their own art deco extension, created by the society architects Seely and Paget – a vast house replete with an unprecedented array of ensuite bathrooms and even a room for the couple’s pet lemur. ‘It was relatively controversial at the time,’ says Olivia Fryman, the curator of collections and interiors at English Heritage, which now presides over the Palace. ‘Queen Mary said it was “a little overdone”…’
The vast entrance hall, by the Swedish designer Rolf Engstromer, features a glass dome and walls covered in Australian blackbean veneer, incorporating marquetry panels by another Swedish artist, Jerk Werkmaster. Keeneyed viewers of The Crown may recognise this impressive room, which served as Norman Hartnell’s atelier, when the Queen is presented with her new-season dresses in the first series.
‘Virginia used the playboy designer Peter Malacrida
‘WHEN ILLUMINATED, IT MUST HAVE BEEN LIKE PARTYING INSIDE A JEWELLERY BOX’
to create her boudoir, which looks like this crazy ancient temple,’ says Fryman. ‘He also designed the huge dining-room, which is made of burr maple with very striking black and silver geometric designs on the doors and an aluminium-foil ceiling. I like to imagine them throwing dinner parties in there. When illuminated, it must have been like partying inside a jewellery box.’
Creating your own deco space is a matter of tracking down the right pieces, says the specialist and dealer Jereon Markies. ‘In England, furniture makers such as Hille, Harry and Lou Epstein, Maurice Adams, Betty Joel and Heal’s made stunning furniture in the 1930s,’ he explains. ‘These are highly collected in the UK but increasingly difficult to find.’ The interior designer Dennis Irvine, who, in 2012, was behind the art deco style of the Wellesley hotel in Knightsbridge, says it is a wise investment.
‘Art deco works in a modern environment because it’s timeless,’ he says. ‘Go for some classic pieces inspired by Eileen Gray or Jean-michel Frank. Also, any crystal from Lalique, if your budget stretches.’
Fiona Thompson recommends looking at lighting. ‘You can pick up some good Von Nessen lamps, particularly in European antique markets,’ she says, ‘but you can also just look at the materials and go from there. Think of sleek metals and warm woods. Everything should be polished – simple but glamorous.’
If you’re in need of extra inspiration, watch an episode of Poirot, pop into Claridge’s, marvel at the intact murals on the walls of the Silver Gallery and the Grade Ii-listed ballroom of the Sheraton Grand London Park Lane, or wander through the rooms of Eltham Palace. ‘This was a home built for entertaining,’ says Fryman. ‘No wonder we are drawn to art deco today. We all just want a good party.’