The Art Deco and Mid-century Modern movements offer much beauty from which to draw inspiration. Whether reworking a heritage home or building from the ground up, combining the classic with the contemporary can afford a space a unique character; it just requires a sensitive balance of respect and reinvention.
A brief history
The bold, geometric, diamond-dusted aesthetic of Art Deco is perhaps the best known of all modern art movements. During the heady years of the Roaring Twenties, modernisation was in the air, as was a blinkered sense of optimism before the upheaval that lead to World War II. During that ephemeral moment of buoyancy between wars, the Art Deco movement was born. Exuberantly ornamented and highly geometric, the movement perfectly captures the boundary-breaking spirit of the era.
The global economic crisis of the ‘30s and the political upheaval of the following decade drastically subdued the tone of the movement. The abundant aesthetic charms of Art Deco gave way to a more pared-back Moderne, which, along with Bauhaus, paved the way for Mid-century Modern.
Unlike Art Deco’s frivolity and opulence, Mid-century Modern is characterised by sleek lines and minimal ornamentation, where form follows function. After the Second World War, the expansion of cities saw a sky-rocketing demand for new, quickly-built modern homes and furnishings. Mid-century Modern directly responds to this growing need with an appreciation for functional and attainable design.
While markedly different, both styles share an appreciation of strong lines, beauty, shape and colour.
Reworking the old WITH THE NEW
We’re often tasked with transforming a heritage home into a space befitting a modern family. These projects are almost always defined by the ever-so-gentle balance between respecting the original style and uplifting the space to create a modern, functional home that reflects the way in which our clients wish to live. The success of these projects relies on our ability to ensure modern family life can be lived within old walls, revealing the beauty of the old while creating joyous moments with the new.
At Edgecliff Road, we were engaged to transform an Art Deco apartment into a space fit for a couple moving into the next stage of their lives; their grown children had flown the nest and they were dreaming of a home just for them, but with room for family to visit.
Often, the history and character of the original build is the starting point for our aesthetic direction; looking at what is worth retaining and celebrating will inform how we resolve the project’s issues.
This Art Deco gem had retained its beautiful curved walls setting the foundation for our holistic design. To honour the heritage roots of the home, we introduced curved features throughout, repeatedly returning to soft, sculptural shapes to channel the Art Deco sensibility.
Custom curved joinery answered both the form and function considerations, guaranteeing a place for everything while offering a thoughtful ode to the stories that unfolded long before it’s new owners moved in. In preserving the historic features and gently emphasizing them throughout, the design pays homage to the era while reimagining the apartment as a contemporary living space.
The beauty of reworking an old build is the freedom to take or leave certain design characteristics. While we always look to preserve the era-defining hallmarks, our designs are not constrained by a period. Look to the pared-back palette of Edgecliff Road, for example. Art Deco is characterised by bold colours, but in this instance we selected a muted palette, which was better suited to the small space and our clients’ dream for a timeless home that could adapt with the changing seasons.
Injecting the new with the old
Building a home from the ground up offers a rare opportunity to get things ‘just right’ the first time around. Instead of reconfiguring an original build with what one has to work with, it’s about mapping out exactly how our clients want to live thier lives in their dream home.
That’s not to say such clients don’t crave the character and history of bygone eras. Even embarking on a new build, some will be drawn to a specific period of design and want to incorporate that spirit into their new surroundings.
This process is similar to updating a heritage home in that it requires a careful marriage of old and new, where inspiration is drawn from the past to create something new for the future. While a new design can pay tribute to a historic era, it’s important we steer clear of imitation so as to remain respectful of the movement and retain the dignity of the new build. Instead of replicating an old style, it entails designing a language for the home that is inspired by, rather than defined by, a particular style.
At Mid-century House, we dubbed this approach ‘a nod and a twist.’ Everything was to nod to the Mid-century sensibility but have a contemporary twist. In keeping with our clients’ Italian heritage, we selected materials and furnishings from Italian brands that value quality above all else. In this way, the home is bound not by a specific era, but by a timeless reverence for materiality.
Selecting durable, high-quality materials was integral to the project, not just as an ode to the Mid-century style, but to make the home fitting for a young family. A combination of terrazzo, glass and spotted gum veneer set the tone for a Mid-century-inspired home, but subtle detailing such as the brass inlay that frames the kitchen island, the stair treads and the Calacatta marble splashback, reflect our clients’ personal tastes and desire for a layer of luxury in their 21st Century home.
The finished space has a strong personality that draws on the character of Mid-century Modern, but ultimately manifests as a timeless and luxurious abode fit for a modern family.