Decorating Deco

Hollywood Glam is hot – not only for the home, but for decorating the dedicated home theatre.  Hollywood’s early days were the glamorous Deco days of the 1930’s, Clark Gable, Greta Garbo and Mae West were just a few of the movie stars that fascinated the American public. 

These were Hollywood’s most glamorous years, and it has a style all its own, including:

  • Straight, geometric lines;
  • Patterned velvets;
  • Shiny surfaces to highlight the straight lines such as chrome and mirrors; and
  • Repeating patterns and shapes that hold visual interest,
  • Color schemes include beiges creams and grays with bolder colors such as teals and reds with black and chrome accents.
Luckily the Art Deco Hollywood era was all about mass production and making affordable items, so there are plenty of Deco period furnishings and accessories available today at reasonable prices.  For your home theatre, consider:
  • Club chairs – comfortable leather seats with straight lines but large curved arms in leather were all the rage.  While the period Deco club chairs can cost big, specialty home theatre seating is widely available in the style and include upgrades such as recliners and foot rests.
  • Velvet and fabric wall coverings.- think of the Deco theatre with its dark, rich patterned fabrics to maximize sound capabilities.
  • While the shiny chrome and black features may not work in the home theatre since the sound bounces off of them, try Art Deco lighting fixtures to get the look.  Sconces and chandeliers are widely available at reasonable prices for home theatre lighting.  Just make sure to have the fixtures rewired for safety.
Deco accessories are perfect for the home theatre and include fantastic Erte nudes, bronzes and Egyptian themes.  Remember, the 1920’s and 1930’s were the decades that held the discovery of King Tut’s tomb, so Egyptian themes were worked into decorating styles.

Don’t forget the popcorn!  Reproduction old-fashioned looking functional popcorn ‘carts’ are widely available for home theatre decorating.  They’re an affordable accessory and a snack necessity, running from $200 - $1,100 for this theme setter.

Black lacquered frames are perfect for framing glamorous old movie star photos or movie posters for decorating the theatre, at affordable prices, vintage and reproduction photos and posters are readily available to grace your theatre walls.

The 1930’s were all about movies and Hollywood and glamour, so it’s the perfect theme for your home theater décor.