It’s not just since Leonardo DiCaprio played the Great Gatsby in 2013, the Art Déco style has enjoyed a renaissance in the realms of design and architecture. No other interior design style represents glamour and luxury better. Polished metal, fine wood, dark leather and geometric wallpaper patterns are all tried and tested elements that revive the "Roaring Twenties" in today's interieurs.
This eclectic and lavish style of decoration has its roots in France, and hugely influenced design, art, fashion, film, photography and architecture from the 1920s to the 1930s. Art Déco was a global success, but it wasn't named as such during its heyday. The term "Art Déco" was only established in 1966, when a retrospective exhibition called "Les Années 25 - Art Déco, Bauhaus, Stijl, Esprit Nouveau" about the Paris "Exposition des Arts Decoratifs" in 1925 was shown.
1925 was clearly a good year for the arts: not only did the exhibition of decorative arts take place in Paris, but the Surrealists held their first major show, and American author F. Scott Fitzgerald published his work "The Great Gatsby". This novel deals with the American Dream and has at its centre the party life of mysterious Jay Gatsby who holds legendary saturnalias in his opulent Long Island mansion. The book was made into a number of movies, and the international success of the 2013 version (and, subsequently, the Art Déco style) was not least based on Catherine Martin's excellent set design.
As a result, the Plaza Hotel in New York collaborated with Catherine Martin to create a 1920 suite in honour of writer F. Scott Fitzgerald. Its ornamental patterned carpet, stunning monochrome contrasts and patterned grey wallpaper lend a luxurious Art Déco air to this luxurious, romantic oasis. This type of interior design creates a special atmosphere - at once dangerous and sexy as well as glamorous and nostalgic. Wallpapers play an important part in the creation of this look. Floral or geometrical patterns in the wall décor, golden accessories and antique furniture all contribute to achieve stunning Art Déco chic.
Interior design in the luxurious Art Déco style cannot only be found at the New York Plaza, but also at the Bar Américain in London, upmarket restaurant Song Qi in Monaco, and what is probably the best known club in the whole of Germany, the P1 in Munich. "Party like the Great Gatsby!" - This could easily be the motto of legendary Munich club P1. For over 30 years, it's been a playground for countless celebrities and stars, from Mick Jagger, Jon Bon Jovi and Leonardo DiCaprio to the footballers of the FC Bayern Munich. This is a place where the rich and famous sip champagne whilst flirting with other punters - a place where barmaids can become footballers' wives. A place that obviously requires an extravagant interior with plenty of glamour and gloss.
Recently, a new, more intimate refuge has been added to the main club area: the "Salon". Since early 2016, it has acquired a lovely green sheen - courtesy of our Art Déco-inspired wallpaper model GIMOG; it is reminiscent of the vivid colour of absinthe and the golden sparkle of champagne. Add to this intricate chandeliers, zebra skins, velvet armchairs, and candlelight, and you will feel transported back to the hedonistic Twenties.
Jay Gatsby and F. Scott Fitzgerald would doubtlessly love it. They'd lean back between silk cushions on black leather sofas, drink champagne and listen to the intoxicating sounds of Jazz and Swing with the most beautiful women in town. Jazz and Swing? Today, the somewhat risqué Salon is filled with stirring beats and deep bass lines instead. And despite the obvious homage to Art Déco, this isn't an attempt to create the nostalgia of the olden days. Here, House, Hip-Hop, Electro and Pop Music meet the spirit and celebratory atmosphere of the "Golden Twenties".
But there is another thing that has barely changed during the last century. The "High Society" is still enjoying a glass of champagne or two, for “too much of anything is bad, but too much champagne is just right”, as F. Scott Fitzgerald himself stated.
The only question is, which celebrities will enjoy the splendid ambience of the mysterious green Salon in the future? Who will sit astride the zebra? And who will take the best selfie in front of the green wallpaper? Rich or famous, beautiful or not, everyone wants to celebrate life like Jay Gatsby, and a luxurious environment is just the ticket to achieve this dream. Why not see for yourself just how much glitz and glamour the elegant sheen of an Art Déco wallpaper can lend to your home.
