It been an interesting few years for interior design. We are finally starting to see Mid-Century-Modern design start to fall out of favor with younger generations. (Every Gen-X'er reading this just gasped and every Millennial just breathed a sigh of relief). When speaking to Millennials and folks from Gen-Z I am hearing the same stories over and over again. “We are so bored with mid-century modern, enough already.” I get it, it is the next generation’s job to rail against the design oppressions of the generation that came before them. See examples: high wasted jeans, hair scrunchies, Uggs.
So if mid-century modern is falling out of style where are we going next? I would like to introduce you to a new term… “Memphis-Deco”. I am seeing it pop up all over the place. Memphis-Deco is the combination of two distinctly different styles from two different periods of the design oeuvre. First off let’s talk about the history off the two syles that Memphis-Deco is derived.
Memphis Design can best be described as everything you saw in Pee-Wee’s Play House. Memphis designed furniture, fabrics, ceramics, metal and glass objects were wildly popular from 1981 to 1987. The style was inspired by the forms of Art Deco and the colors and patterns of Pop Art, which were popular at the time. Memphis was well-known for its use of bright colors, geometric shapes, bold patterns, curved forms and zaniness.
Deco, on other hand, short for Arts Décoratifs, is characterized by rich colors, bold geometry, and decadent detail work. Having reached the height of its popularity in the 1920s, '30s, and '40s, the style still brings in glamour, luxury, and order with symmetrical designs in exuberant shapes.
Example of Art Deco at the Tulsa Club Hotel (1927) Copyright: ©2019 PHOTITECT LLC COURTESY OF THE TULSA CLUB HOTEL
By combining these two styles we see a toning down of Memphis and a livening up of Deco. It is almost as if the two were meeting in the middle. Memphis Deco has all of the aspiration of Deco while still maintaining the obtainability of Memphis. I have a feeling this style will be around and popular for the next 10 years and can help you design your next room with some staying power.
Example of Memphis-Deco at the Proper Hotel San Francisco features a striking look masterminded by famed interior designer Kelly Wearstler. Photo curtesy of THE PROPER HOTEL SAN FRANCISCO