Art Deco posters: the chic style that never goes out of fashion
Which posters for a retro Art Deco look? Belle Époque, golden geometry, cabarets, Roaring Twenties scenes. Brunelia.
Key points
- 62 posters in the Art Deco posters collection, the 20 from this article in the table below.
- From CHF 16.00 in A4, up to CHF 55.00 in A0, 5 sizes for each poster.
- Printed in Europe on demand, free delivery from €59.
The table
The 20 posters at a glance
Born in the early 1920s and celebrated at the 1925 International Exposition of Decorative Arts in Paris, the Art Deco style left its mark on the advertising and architectural imagery of the 20th century. Cassandre, Loupot, Carlu, Roger Broders: the great illustrators of the era defined a visual language that still speaks to us today.
Art Deco is recognized by its pure geometric shapes, its strong black and gold or red and midnight blue contrasts, and its graphic monumentality. A well-composed Art Deco poster stands out from across the room and keeps its impact indoors. Luxury trains, transatlantic ocean liners, theaters and cabarets: all of these subjects found their visual grammar.
For the stage and the music hall, see our Belle Époque circus posters and our jazz posters. We recommend a patinated gold molding frame, 3 to 4 cm wide, with an aged gold finish.
Why Art Deco remains the chicest style for dressing a room
Art Deco has never stopped being chic. 100 years after its heyday in the Paris of 1925, the style still defines grown-up, elegant interiors that don’t give in to trends. A well-chosen Art Deco poster doesn’t just decorate, it dresses. It places the room in an era, in a silhouette, in the promise of a jazz night and a fringed dress.
At Brunelia, our Belle Époque and Art Deco posters head off to Haussmann-style apartments, romantic bedrooms and retro-chic living rooms. The rule that separates a successful Art Deco look from a caricature: choose elegance over ostentation. Here is how to create a retro-chic Art Deco decor that stands the test of time.
Choosing the subject of an elegant Art Deco poster
Subjects that work: Belle Époque women in draped dresses, Parisian cabaret scenes, mirror palaces, Art Deco interiors, golden geometric motifs, grand hotels of the 1920s. The subject should evoke night, glamour, the feminine silhouette, celebration. Avoid modern illustrations that imitate Art Deco without having its patina.
Our women collection and our pin-up collection bring together the reference subjects. The poster of the woman in a black dress in front of a golden Art Deco tower, in landscape format, in A1 in an aged gold frame with an ivory mat, is the centerpiece of a successful Art Deco living room, above a sofa or a console table.
Which Art Deco poster size to choose
Art Deco loves large vertical formats. A1 (€39.95) or A0 on request, above a fireplace or a Belle Époque console table. A2 (€29.95) in a bedroom, as a companion to another frame. Avoid A4, which shrinks the effect. An Art Deco poster should command attention, that is its purpose.
Which frame to choose for an Art Deco poster
The Art Deco frame is instantly recognizable. Aged gold, patinated gilded metal, or matte black with a gold inlay. Molding of 2 to 4 cm, sometimes carved. Ivory mat of 5 mm minimum, never pure white (too cold for the style). For a high-end frame, your neighborhood framer offers authentic Art Deco moldings for €80 to €150 for an A2.
Creating an Art Deco gallery wall without falling into caricature
The Art Deco wall is symmetrical by nature. A duo or trio of posters, aligned on a horizontal or vertical axis, with 5 to 8 cm of spacing. Identical frames (aged gold or matte black with a gold inlay). Consistent subjects: 3 female portraits, or 3 cabaret scenes. Asymmetry has no place here, unlike in boho style.
The colors and materials that complete Art Deco
Palette: gold, deep black, ivory, emerald green, burgundy, midnight blue. Materials: velvet, marble, brass, black lacquered wood, long-grain leather. Art Deco embraces the precious, unlike Scandinavian style, which shuns it. Plants: palms in brass planters, ferns in black ceramic urns. Tuberose or sandalwood scented candles for the style’s olfactory signature.
Pitfalls to avoid for a successful Art Deco decor
Pinterest-style over-decoration with gilding everywhere and oversized feathers. Counterfeit Art Deco typography. Mixing Art Deco and Scandinavian, which cancels out both. Art Deco demands commitment, it is a total style or nothing. To go further, see our guide to patinated gold frames and our guide to Belle Époque posters for the bedroom.
Our Art Deco selection: Poster of a woman in a polka dot dress choosing a song at the jukebox, Poster of an aviatrix and a red propeller plane on a grass runway, Poster of a glamorous woman in a black dress and gold jewelry. Also discover our women collection.
See also our antique Paris posters.
To explore other styles, see our guides to Scandinavian, minimalist and boho.
Also read in the journal: Belle Époque in the bedroom, patinated gold frames, Belle Époque circus.
The poster for this part
Woman in polka dot dress choosing a song at the jukebox poster
from CHF 16.00
Build this wall
3 posters from this article, at true scale
All 3 posters: CHF 80.00
Frequently asked questions
You often ask us
Which poster subjects suit the Art Deco style?
Belle Époque women in draped dresses, Parisian cabaret scenes, mirror palaces, Art Deco interiors, golden geometric motifs, grand hotels of the 1920s. The subject should evoke night, glamour, the feminine silhouette.
Which frame should I choose for an Art Deco poster?
Aged gold, patinated gilded metal, or matte black with a gold inlay. Molding of 2 to 4 cm, sometimes carved. Ivory mat of 5 mm minimum, never pure white.
Which Art Deco poster size should I favor?
A1 or A0 on request above a fireplace. A2 in a bedroom as a companion to another frame. Avoid A4, which shrinks the effect. An Art Deco poster should command attention.
How do I create an Art Deco wall?
A symmetrical wall, with a duo or trio of posters aligned on a horizontal or vertical axis, 5 to 8 cm apart. Identical frames (aged gold or matte black with a gold inlay). Consistent subjects.
Which colors go with Art Deco?
Gold, deep black, ivory, emerald green, burgundy, midnight blue. Art Deco embraces the precious, unlike Scandinavian style, which shuns it.
Which materials go with Art Deco?
Velvet, marble, brass, black lacquered wood, long-grain leather. Plants: palms in brass cachepots, ferns in black ceramic urns.
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