Modernism is often confused with modern style, contrasting it with classics. And there is some truth in this: the word itself is translated from many languages as “modern”. But this was the style at the time of its appearance, but now it is a special direction with its own canons and rules that have little in common with the principles of contemporary art. In this article we tell you what the Art Nouveau style is in the interior and what its features are, and also share inspiring photos from real projects.
Features of Art Nouveau
Before considering the differences in Art Nouveau design, we note: at the peak of its popularity (the beginning of the 20th century), this trend spread throughout the world and formed new forms in different countries.
For example, Tiffany in the USA, Art Nouveau in France, Art Nouveau in Germany. Today they are separated from the Art Nouveau style, but in general can be considered an integral part of it. Apartments designed in Art Nouveau style are distinguished by:
- Smooth lines. There are no corners or clear stripes, the Art Nouveau finish follows the curves of the plants.
- Natural materials. Particular attention is paid to wood - usually valuable, expensive oak or beech furniture and decor are used.
- Asymmetry. After the absolute symmetry of Gothic and Baroque, the violation of the canons of mirroring was a breath of fresh air.
- Flora and fauna. The theme of nature in creating interior design for Art Nouveau is not uncommon; animal prints or symbolic images of plants are usually used.
- Arches. The vaults of windows and doors are often made arched, while the window openings themselves are large and high, the doors are wide, usually double-hinged.
- Stairs. If the house has them, you should pay special attention to the design: wide comfortable steps, wrought iron railings.
The main thing you need to know before starting renovations is that recreating modernity is not only expensive, but also difficult, especially without the appropriate skills. Therefore, if you doubt the success of the operation, but want an interior in this style, seek help from a professional designer, preferably with a portfolio of works in the modernist direction.
Style color scheme
Interior design in Art Nouveau gravitates towards natural themes; the color of Art Nouveau style should be natural, as natural as possible.
Main color range:
- White. Use shades of pearl, ivory, cream.
- Beige. From standard light cream to all shades of brown.
- Grey. Both light silver shine and dark wet asphalt or graphite will do.
The accent colors are also selected from the natural palette: green, yellow, orange, peach, fuchsia.
From the description it is clear that the Art Nouveau style in the interior should look like a single whole. Therefore, shades are selected with special care: they should look like a continuation of each other, creating the perfect combination.
The photo shows a combination of light walls with dark wood
The background (walls, ceiling) is usually made light - both in small and large rooms. On such a “canvas” dark doors, mahogany furniture, bright stained glass windows or facades look harmonious.
The monochromatic color of the Art Nouveau style is necessarily complemented by floral designs. They are usually used on:
- wallpaper;
- upholstery and textiles, carpets;
- ceiling and floor;
- decorative details of furniture and interior (wooden, metal).
Exterior nuances
The focus on external expressiveness, characteristic of modern design, gave rise to the beauty and picturesqueness of the facades of buildings built in this style. Depending on the geographical location and mentality of the country’s inhabitants, this may be expressed in the following details:
- metal frames, many glass inserts, ceramics - in France;
- wave-shaped facades, “dragon” tiles, spiers and turrets - in Spain;
- massive stained glass windows - in America;
- asymmetry, different textures of cladding, a lot of wood - in Russia.
Accessory for furnishings in modern style
Finish options and materials
Art Nouveau style in the interior offers a very limited list of finishing materials:
- Tree. We have already mentioned that it is desirable to use valuable and dark wood species. In this case, wooden parts are not painted, but only emphasize their texture and protect them with oil, wax or clear varnish.
- Glass. Not the usual transparent one, but colored or painted. Stained glass decorates not only windows, but also furniture facades, interior doors, and replaces lamps on the ceiling.
- Metal. The Art Nouveau style does not end with forged railings; metal is skillfully combined with other materials and used as useful decorations (umbrella stand, newspaper rack).
Based on this rating of the most popular building materials, it is easy to guess about the design of various surfaces in the Art Nouveau style.
The first thing you need to come to terms with: the price. There are no cheap solutions to Art Nouveau design (this is the reason why it declined in the 1920s).
The photo shows a wrought iron staircase of an unusual shape
The floor in the Art Nouveau style excludes linoleum, laminate, and PVC tiles. For dry rooms (corridor, hall, bedroom) use parquet or floorboards. For wet areas (bathroom, kitchen) - flooring in the form of stone or expensive tiles. The latter, by the way, can be handmade with floral ornaments.
Although wall decoration involves minimalism and a complete absence of decorative elements, the budget will have to be spent on high-quality paint or wallpaper. The paint is light, matte, wear-resistant. Choose wallpaper with silk-screen printing, fabric, or, in extreme cases, first-class non-woven or vinyl. The colors of the canvases are monophonic, light relief or texture is allowed.
The ceiling is both neutral and eye-catching. That is, a light (preferably warm white) color is diluted with rich decor with floral patterns, stained glass windows, bulky lamps, and stucco molding. Modern modernism in the interior gravitates towards multi-level tension or suspended structures of smooth shape; you can also use a fabric stretch ceiling with ornaments.
Floor coverings
The floor can be finished in a variety of ways. More often than others, parquet is used here. In addition to parquet, natural stone and laminate are gaining popularity. Regular linoleum is used much less frequently.
Thanks to the large selection of materials, a large living room can be divided into zones, the main thing is to avoid clear lines. It's better to make a smooth transition.
Self-leveling floors have also become increasingly popular lately. Materials used in floor finishing are walnut, pine, oak, maple.
Furniture and accessories
An apartment in Art Nouveau style is distinguished not only by its decoration, but also by its furniture. With its love for smooth lines, the direction gave rise to the production of interior items of bizarre irregular shapes. A lot of shelving, dressing table, and cabinets made of natural wood with signs of asymmetry appeared. Built-in furniture is also an invention of the Art Nouveau style.
Natural patterns are clearly visible in individual elements: shelves in the form of branches, carved flower legs, floral carved decorations on the facades, painted stained glass windows.
In the photo, the arch, wall and ceiling are decorated with wood
Upholstered furniture, such as armchairs, sofas, couches, are distinguished by light, inconspicuous upholstery, but at the same time they look very catchy due to curved outlines, crooked legs, carved decor with plant or animal motifs.
No matter how the interior items and decorative elements look in the Art Nouveau style, they are united by one important quality: convenience. Designers sought to create ergonomic chairs and sofas, and provided desks with compartments for storing all the necessary small items.
The photo shows wooden furniture and walls in the dining room
Kitchen
Practical and functional style will easily fit even into a small kitchen. Plain wall decoration serves only as a background, so painting is used. Glass wallpaper looks slightly better than ceramic tiles, since the sharp rectangular shapes of the latter disrupt the harmony of the style. The ceiling covering merges with the walls using smooth transitions. Sometimes a suspended ceiling without an expressive texture is used. The floor also plays a passive role, harmonizing with the furniture set. The best option is self-leveling floors. Plain granite that matches the color of the furniture is rarely used. Practical laminate is gaining popularity: its range allows you to choose the desired shade that contrasts with the background of the planes.
The arrangement of furniture is determined by simple geometry and asceticism of color. Its attributes are disguised as walls, and have soft contour lines. No other frills are allowed in the kitchen. In the center of the room there is a massive tabletop on thin legs. It is up to the owners to decide whether to place an emphasis on the table or not. The designer will complement their selection with classic chairs with beautiful patterns.
Unlike other rooms, lighting in the kitchen has functional purposes. Its placement in a furniture set fully meets the style requirements. Sometimes just a background ceiling light is enough. If the owner chooses frameless glazing, then the rounded shape of the window is created using rough curtains. Small accessories on the dining table should be related to the functional purpose of the room: dishes, decorative vase.
Textiles and curtains
The Art Nouveau style in the interior cannot be called minimalistic; the terms “bright” and “chic” would be more appropriate. Therefore, there is a lot of textiles in it and all of it meets the stylistic requirements:
- smooth lines, soft drapery;
- natural colors;
- expensive exclusive fabrics;
- images of plants, flowers.
If you are afraid of going overboard in decorative elements, hang regular straight curtains on the floor, gathering them on hangers on opposite sides of the window. The resulting curves will ideally emphasize your sense of proportion and suit the Art Nouveau style.
A bright accent will be a curtain on one side: this is appropriate not only in the kitchen, but also in the living room and even in the bedroom. An asymmetrical composition does not exclude the decoration of the second side - a short curtain, a lambrequin or a hanging tie, a mold, a frill will cope with this task.
The rest of the textiles (cushions, rugs, bedspreads) are made from flowing fabrics - satin, silk, or dense fabrics with an embossed pattern - for example, tapestry.
In the photo there are dark velvet curtains to the floor
Photo gallery
To realize the brightest and most interesting ideas, you cannot do without photos of finished projects that will allow you to rethink all the combinations. Below are images of the best projects.
Lighting
Each style, including modern in the interior, has its own requirements for light. Art Nouveau style lamps are divided by location:
- Ceiling chandelier. Definitely luxurious and spacious. The most suitable model is made from forged elements with crystal pendants. Stained glass variations in the American style are also popular. For a modern look, light panels built into the ceiling, decorated with stained glass, would be suitable.
The photo shows the use of stained glass in the interior
- Tabletop. Used on desktops, bedside tables, and side tables. The base is mainly made of natural wood, glass, metal. The lampshade is also either stained glass or beautiful light fabric.
- Floor-standing. Replace tabletop ones - for example, near a sofa or bed.
- Wall-mounted. The style requirements are the same - aesthetics, complex curved shapes, floral decoration possible.
Photos in the interior of the rooms
A living room in the Art Nouveau style necessarily includes a soft area with a comfortable sofa (preferably on a wooden frame), a couple of armchairs or poufs and a low coffee table; if possible, the room is equipped with a fireplace. The table base is forged or made of carved wood, the tabletop is usually glass. Upholstered furniture is selected in one color, preferably from one collection. Used as decorations:
- candles in expensive candlesticks;
- vases made of crystal, porcelain;
- figurines and statues of different shapes and sizes;
- wall, table, floor clock mechanisms;
- paintings in wide elegant baguettes;
- sofa cushions made of satin, silk, velvet.
Separately, it should be said about technology: modern TV models, for example, are visually poorly combined with the Art Nouveau style in the interior. Therefore, when placing them, you should take care of the decor: for example, make a niche and decorate it with floral decor, or choose a bright accent TV stand. These techniques will distract from the TV itself and help maintain a unified style.
The photo shows unusual curved arches
A kitchen in the Art Nouveau style also gravitates towards natural materials, so the set, or at least its facades, is made of wood. The ideal shape of the set is radius, semicircular doors, softened corners create a feeling of comfort, best suited to the style direction. The rest of the furniture should also be smooth: an island in the shape of a semicircle, a round or oval table.
Advice! The table can be square or rectangular - the main thing is that the corners are rounded.
A bright contrast will be created by a massive sideboard or china cabinet, separate from the set: preferably a restored antique model.
The Art Nouveau style in the bedroom interior looks most appropriate: muted tones, smooth shapes, neutral decorations contribute to relaxation of body and soul. The headboard of the bed is usually chosen as an expressive detail: forged with decorative elements, carved wood, soft, intricately shaped in jacquard or velor upholstery. Nightstands, chests of drawers and other additional items should match the style of the bed; ideally, buy furniture as a set to achieve complete harmony in the design.
Pictured is a four-poster bed
A modern bathroom combines luxury and functionality. The bath bowl itself is preferably made free-standing, choosing an oval-shaped option with beautiful curved legs (in the modern variation, you can do without legs at all). If you prefer a shower, keep in mind that the shower cabin should also be of a smooth shape - in specialized stores you can find partially or completely round and even oval samples.
In the combined bathroom there is zoning. Try a visual way to divide the space: using an irregularly shaped podium, a curved joint in the flooring, or a radial design on the ceiling.
The photo shows a stained glass window in the dining room
