1920 - 1939

The Roaring Twenties were a time of great excess and indulgence, and nowhere was this more evident than in the world of design. Enter the Art Deco movement: a flashy, glamorous, and bold visual style that took the world by storm in the 1920s and 1930s. Deco buildings were the ultimate status symbol, with their intricate patterns, bright colors, and shiny surfaces. They were often shaped like giant wedding cakes or shiny rockets, and they were the perfect backdrop for the wealthy elite to show off their wealth and good taste.

But it wasn't just buildings that were influenced by Art Deco. Clothing, jewelry, and home decor were also adorned with the movement's signature geometric patterns and bright colors. It was a time when people really loved to show off their bling, and they would often wear clothes covered in sequins, feathers, and beads. You couldn't walk down the street without seeing someone bedazzled from head to toe.

The Art Deco movement was also heavily influenced by ancient civilizations, particularly those of Egypt, Mesoamerica, and the Far East. This can be seen in the use of motifs such as pyramids, sunbursts, and zigzags in Art Deco design. It was like the ancient civilizations were saying, "Hey, we may not have had electricity or indoor plumbing, but at least our buildings looked really cool."

In the 1930s, Art Deco reached the height of its popularity and was used to design everything from skyscrapers to coffee pots. It was a truly all-encompassing cultural movement. But despite its widespread popularity, Art Deco was considered by many to be gaudy and over-the-top, and it fell out of favor in the post-World War II period.

However, in recent years, Art Deco has experienced a resurgence in popularity and is now celebrated as a quirky and nostalgically fun aspect of design history. So the next time you see a shiny, flashy building with lots of curves and swoops, you'll know that you're looking at a true Art Deco masterpiece.