It dates from the same time as the Decorative Arts , with which it marks a philosophical rupture. This style is characterized by the search for rationalism and draws on industrially and functional shapes of Bauhaus . Architects like Le Corbusier , extend their architectural designs to interior and furniture.
Art Deco , short for Decorative Arts, first appeared in France just before World War 1 and began flourishing internationally in the 1920s. The style is characterized by rich colours, bold geometric shapes and lavish ornamentation. Art Deco emerged when rapid industrialisation was transforming culture. Art Deco distinguishes from the organic motifs favoured by its predecessor Art Nouveau.
This style is influenced by the Italian Baroque style. The East India Company imports new objects, and creates a taste for Natural History. Imagination is the basis of this decorative style. Contrast and asymmetry are its essential features.
Regency style is a reaction against constraint. The lines of the Louis XIV style persist but lose their rigidity. There is more fancy. It inspires convenience and courtesy.
