I've always been very drawn to the Art Deco period and fancied myself living in one of those white stucco houses with curved walls and clean lines. Or in a smart apartment building like the one at Florin Court, London, built in 1936 and used as the fictional residence of Hercule Poirot in the TV series.
A design movement that came out of Art Deco was Streamline Moderne (or just Streamline). Designers stripped Art Deco of its ornament and created sleek, modernist lines, drawing inspiration from the aerodynamic shapes of the aviation and motor industries.
Buildings of this period tended towards modernism and often had parallel lines, curvy chrome fittings and a light, airy feel. The De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill-on-Sea, built in 1935, is a wonderful example. It's on our list of places to visit this summer.
Parallel railings, straight lines and curves reminiscent of ocean-going liners, create a very pleasing effect and all that glass reflects the seaside light even on a grey day. Beautiful light fittings in the curved stairwell display the love of Machine-Age workmanship.
Given my love of this era, I was really thrilled to find this gorgeous bracelet recently. Dating to the 1930s, it beautifully evokes the design motifs of Streamline Moderne style. Simple, curved links with parallel lines are joined together by smaller curved links with channel-set green stones, to form a sinuous gate-link bracelet. The style is restrained beauty and elegance without effort.
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