In the 1920′s the standard of inside decoration enhanced in conjunction with criteria of housing

Several residences of this time period had been embellished inside the Arts & Crafts style, variations of traditional Georgian and Colonial styles, or Art Moderne which embraced the marvels of the Machine Age of the 1920′s and 1930′s.

“One who sets out to furnish a given house for the occupancy of a given family faces a three-fold problem. He must select and arrange from the house such things as suit the age, sex and temperament of the individual members, meet their needs, express their tastes and aspirations, and fit their purse. He must, moreover, see that the things so selected and arranged suit the house itself, in scale, coloring and style. Finally, he must see to it that these things are not only suitable but intrinsically good-looking, and that they combine to form a harmonious and beautiful whole.” …The Principles of Interior Decoration by Bernard Jakway 1922

Architects and interior designers of the interval recommended simplicity, inside and outside the home. There was an emphasis on functionality, efficiency, economy, and cleanliness. Kitchen, living and dining rooms opened on to each other creating a larger space that achieved unity by the use of similar finishing materials in each room. Built-in bedroom furniture, such as bookcases, breakfast nooks, sideboards, china cases and window seats, reduced the amount of free-standing furniture. This enabled rooms in bungalow type houses to be small and cosy without being cluttered.

Bathrooms and kitchens ended up very utilitarian before the 1920s, but by the mid 1920′s bathrooms in particular became fashion statements. The earlier white sterile environments ended up brightened by the use of colors like blue, green and yellow.

Here are some examples of color schemes for different rooms as decorated by prominent 1920′s interior decorators:

Kitchen – For the kitchen cabinet, the wainscoting, and the corner cupboard I chose Nile Green and Navy Blue, using Blue for the trimming and the shelves of the corner cupboard. The table I painted solid Nile Green. Inside sunny breakfast nook I painted the benches and the table with the same Navy Blue. Then I was ready for the touches of contrasting color. The wall was finished with Ivory flat wall paint, spotted with Green Tint flat wall paint, harmonizing beautifully with my Green and Blue. So I painted the chairs and stool with Duco Mandarin Red, and repeated this gay note inside the checked gingham that made the window curtains and tie-on pads for the chairs…Agnes Foster Wright

Bedroom – For the beds and nightstand I selected Duco Nile Green – lovely against the pink and white sippled wall of Flat Wall Paint and quite perfect with the deep green of the plain carpet and the chintz of the upholstered chair and stool. For the dressing table and bench I used Duco Canary Yellow, with decalcomania transfers in pastel shades. And then, for the mirror and picture frames, Duco Gold. Bedspreads of soft pink with comforters in a soft wine shade…lampshades and accessories in pastel shades – these completed the color harmony…Elsie Sloan Farley

Living Room – For the table I used Duco Sagebrush Green – a rich color – and for the desk and ladder-back chair Duco Mandarin Red. A wooden screen I first painted with Duco Nile Green and then embellished with some pasted-on old French designs and a narrow border of the Sagebrush Green. Duco Ivory to line the desk and paint the desk chair completed a color harmony which I think you will agree is both cheerful and restful…Ruth Collins

Dining Room – While in the dining-room we have used No.16 Yellow Tint Flat Wall Paint on the walls, with Gray Interior Gloss for the woodwork. Glazed chintz draperies are used with a creamy background pattern in a floral design in red, green, orange and black. The buffet is fished with French Gray Duco, which is extremely interesting against the yellow walls, while the Delft Blue Duco table and chairs complete the quaint and dignified picture.

Bathroom – For the walls and ceiling in this room we have used Ivory Interior Gloss, with chair rail and baseboard of Duco Jade Green in contrast with the dado of Nile Green Duco. Then for the bathroom stool we have used Chinese Yellow Duco. The picture is completed by the addition of a rug in tones of lavender, which is repeated from the lavender shower curtain.

Home Decorating Styles of the 1920′s

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The 1920s was a decade of peace and prosperity for the U.S. At the turn of the 20th century, the Arts and Crafts movement in architecture and inside design prevailed, but this style began to give way to art deco and revivalist styles. In this same era, the roots of the style that is now called “modern” began to take hold.

Art Deco

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The art deco design exhibits a mix of European, African and Oriental artifacts, a broad spectrum of color and geometric shapes. Influenced by such events as the discovery of King Tut’s tomb and the 1925 Paris Exposition, art deco decor is characterized by the eclectic mix of traditional and modern. Typical of art deco design is gold walls, painted tiles, bold patterned rugs and wood floors played against fabrics printed in geometric patterns, modernist paintings and artifacts collected from world travels. Art deco design is defined by sleek lines, linear patterns and cool, smooth textures.

Revivalism

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The same global influences in art deco also brought about an interest in past inside design styles, ranging from American colonial to Spanish revivalist. Architects of the time drew from the global pool to create updated versions of earlier architectural styles. America saw a surge of Tudor, Spanish mission and French eclectic designs as well as Colonial style residences.

The architecture inspired the interiors. Tudor residences are decorated in classical English design, complete with dark wood furnishings, large family portraits and oversize trestle tables. The Spanish mission enjoys painted cabinetry and tiles, pottery-filled kitchens and wrought iron furnishings padded with brightly-colored fabrics.

The French eclectic architecture inspired French country styles complete with whitewashed walls and blue trim and furniture painted in creamy whites. The American colonial style is reminiscent of the heavy tables and hard benches of early colonial times but updated with upholstery and earth tones in smooth, subtle shades.

Modern

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In Germany, after World War I, the establishment of the Bauhaus School of Design started a movement toward the clean, almost harsh lines of early modern design, though it was art deco decor that was, at the time, considered modern.

The adherents to the Bauhaus School of Design, however, saw the marriage of industrialization and handcrafting as a cause for exhibition within design. The sleek lines prevalent in art deco had been celebrated due to the manufacturing process. Nuts and bolts, joiners and stitching had been as much a part of the design as the materials themselves.

The Bauhaus design concept was as much a political statement as it was a reflection of the industrial era. In America, the design concepts made their way into the home late from the decade but have been

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