Art Deco furniture is furniture made in the Art Deco style of the 1920s and 1930s, characterised by clean geometric forms, streamlined curves, stepped profiles and luxurious surfaces. It takes its name from the 1925 Paris Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes.
The finest pieces came from French ensembliers such as Jacques-Émile Ruhlmann, Jules Leleu and Paul Follot, who used rare woods like macassar ebony, amboyna and burr walnut, inlaid with ivory, shagreen or lacquer. In Britain the style appeared in more affordable forms, with burr walnut and figured veneers on bedroom suites, cocktail cabinets, dressing tables, cloud-shaped sofas and club chairs. Heal's, Betty Joel and Gordon Russell represented different strands of British modern design during these years. Collectors look for strong design, good veneers, original handles and mirrors, and sound construction, as some mass-produced pieces used lower-quality carcasses. Well-restored Art Deco furniture works particularly well in modern interiors, where its clean lines and warm timbers sit comfortably with contemporary art and lighting.
