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Art Nouveau Is Back—and More Dramatic Than Ever
Theatrical botanicals make a sweeping comeback, immersing interiors in fluid pastels, airy foliage and titan scale.
The painterly curves of Art Nouveau were revolutionary. The sinuous botanical motifs that arose in rural England at the turn of the 20th century lifted the unruliness of nature to “new art,” a powerful antithesis of the rising industrial order and mass production of goods. Art Nouveau sprung from its more pragmatic cousin Arts and Crafts, the handcraft revival led by William Morris, but its luminaries, such as architects Charles Rennie Mackintosh and A.H. Mackmurdo, sought to heighten the drama by reenvisioning flora and fauna through whiplash curls and expressive lines.
Both would be eclipsed by modernism, but their intertwined influence lingered through the decades that followed.Art Nouveau’s latest resurgence in fabrics, rugs, and wallcoverings comes as no surprise to Genevieve Bennett of Liberty, the heritage British print and textile house. “Just as the original movement was a reaction to industrialism, this renewed interest in recent years is perhaps a response to the power of the digital age,” she says. “Contemporary interior trends champion a reimagining of the style, capturing a sense of nostalgia for the previous century.”
Today’s designers have refreshed the core aesthetics of Art Nouveau by tinkering with the scale and introducing airier, tone-on-tone color pairings. Both prove the movement’s enduring reach, grounding interiors more than 100 years later in nature’s theater.
Antique French Art Nouveau Turtle Top Console Center Table
Antique French Art Nouveau Turtle Top Console Center Table
This ornate wrought iron and marble table from the early 1900s makes a beautiful statement with its bright green color, flora and fauna detailing, and turtle top.
This design from Morris & Co. was first designed in 1883, but has been reimagined for the first time as a wallpaper. The spirited pattern features borage (a plant beloved by bees and pollinators) with multiple symmetrical axes. It's available in four colorways: Red House (pictured here), Sunflower, Leafy Arbour and Inky Fingers
This antique bronze chandelier with iridescent etched glass shades would add just the right amount of gilded glamour to your home.
Morris & Co. Wallflower Wallpaper
Morris & Co. Wallflower Wallpaper
Wallflower is an 1890 design created by William Morris. This wallpaper features acanthus leaves, sculptural white foliage and textured dark spots that provide a sense of energetic movement. It's available in three colorways: Woad Blue (pictured here), Chrysanthemum Pink, and Mumington's Stem.
This vintage silver plated candelabra from D. W. Haber And Son was created in the Art Nouveau style. At 16" high, it would make a commanding centerpiece at your next dinner party.
Airier, tone-on-tone color pairings—like the enormous swirls of ice-blue poppies in this rug—breathe new life into traditional Art Nouveau styles.
Designer J.H. Dearle was a tapestry apprentice for William Morris and originally created this design in 1900. The design, which has been reimagined as a wallpaper, features oversized seedheads and miniature flowers that bring a sense of playfulness. It comes in three colorways: Dearle Blue, Herball (pictured here), and Sunflower.
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