10 Art Nouveau Details For Your Home

I’ve expressed my admiration for the period before, but today I thought I’d highlight some details you can incorporate in your home. Some are inexpensive and easy to find, others tricky and will cost your pocket more. But they’re all lovely. 

1. Fingerplates

These are actually  really inexpensive way to get a touch of Art Nouveau in your home. Easy to fit on wood doors they add a touch of elegance to a period interior, or even one that’s modern with period touches.  Buy them on eBay; new tend to be cheaper that the genuinely, vintage article.

2. Lead light windows

I would love a lead light windowed door, I think they’re stunning. However if, like me, you’re not lucky enough to have one in your home already you can find the real McCall on, again, eBay or from salavage merchants.

Altenatively you can’t try a DIY project for a low cost alternative. I hope to have a couple of different methods coming soon to the blog, so sign up to follow and here about it straight away.

3.Tiffany lampshades

I have a very inexpensive version and it’s stayed with me since my first house purchase, a turn of the last century terrace house. I used to have a beautiful pendant light with dragonflies on it, but made the mistake sacrifice of giving it to my mother in law.

I would give the advice though that if it’s going to be a central light be sure to be careful about your colour selection. One of the reasons for giving my dragonfly light shade to my mother in law was that it had been a central light fitting and it’s blue tones gave people a deathly pallor as they stood in my hallway where it was located. So, if you don’t want to be continually reminded of the scene at dawn between Juliet and her Romeo, chose a warm colour for a central feature.

4. Artwork

I have a framed Klimpt print in our bedroom, as I said in this post here about our Art Nouveau wood stove. It’s beautiful and the colours are wonderfully evocative of the era. Mucha is of course a favourite. If these aren’t your style there’s some more inspiration below.

5. Fireplace

Again, unless your lucky enough to have one already in your period home, this can be something bought on eBay or salvage dealers. Some of the finer pieces in these examples will be more specialist and, understandably, more expensive. Dreams cost nothing though, don’t they?

6. Tiles

Art nouveau tiles are surprisingly expensive. I would love some, but I know I will have to use them incredibly sparingly as on our small budget the cost is prohibitive. Tant pis pour moi!

7. Frames

No matter how modern your decor, the wonderful thing abot Art Nouveau is that stand alone pieces can be at home in even the most modern of decors. There are good reproductions, though one of my favourite stores Past Times has closed down.

8. Draw pulls

I was going to have these in our kitchen, but my mind has turned to other things. I don’t doubt though that a creative furniture project may have just such a touch in the nearby future.

9. Anaglypta wallpaper

Incredibly hard wearing in hallways, Anaglypta wallpaper is wonderful for wainscoting. However similar, paintable wall papers are also used on walls and these are less expensive and easier to apply. I’ve added some more modern treatments in the illustrations to give you a newer take if that’s the way you want to go.

10. Illustrations

These are examples of the Art Deco period, often confused with Art Nouveau, but they’re so lovely. These and illustrations of the earlier period can be bought imexpensively, framed and displayed. If you’re going for authentic period decor maybe it’s a no no, as I don’t think it was the norm to have any outside of commercial enterprises.