Art Deco Flooring Style Ideas

Art Deco is a luxurious, expressive aesthetic that has remained fresh and captivating throughout the decades. This visual art and design style first appeared in France, drawing from neoclassicism and embracing the machine age with the use of iron, glass and steel. In the states, it emerged as a hugely popular style during the 1920s and 1930s. 

Art Deco has a timeless appeal that drips with rich history. It exudes glamour, opulence and personal expression. If you would like to incorporate this look in your home, your floors are a great way to do so. Floors and walls take up the most surface area in any room — making them the perfect canvas for the bold patterns that exemplify Art Deco.

Understanding Art Deco Style in Homes

You can recognize Art Deco design by several key features: 

• Interesting geometric patterns: Zigzags, chevrons, diamonds and squares are common in Art Deco, as are patterns using organic shapes like fruits, waves, flowers and tendrils. Both symmetry and cubism are prominent features, so you look for patterns that showcase these styles.
• Bold, contrasting colors: You can express an Art Deco style through the use of contrasting monochromatic colors like checkered black and white floors. Art Deco also uses bold colors, often in combination, to create dramatic facades. 
• Bold accents: Stylized elements like big exotic flowers and larger-than-life fixtures are common in this interior style.
• Global and ancient inspiration: Art Deco celebrates progressive design elements. However, it still heavily showcases ancient global cultures and styles, drawing inspiration from all over the world, including Greece and Egypt. 

Popular Art Deco Flooring Options

Tile, rugs, hardwood flooring and LVT are all top choices for Art Deco flooring. Each of these options is aesthetically versatile and durable enough to have around the home. 

Tile

Tile is one of the best flooring options for achieving an Art Deco look, thanks to the endless geometric patterns you can create with it. Each tile is a beautiful canvas, and when you lay them all together, you make intricate repeating patterns that help define this style.

The best part about using tile is the vast assortment of materials, patterns, textures and colors that let you create an Art Deco aesthetic that suits your existing furniture and decor. 

Some excellent choices for Art Deco-style floor tiles are:

• Mosaic floor tiles: Mosaic tile was popular during the Art Deco era, making these tiles an authentic material for recreating the style! The classic mosaic option is to use smaller details to make larger geometric patterns. Mosaic tiles can also feature materials found in Art Deco architecture, like glass and metal. 
• Ceramic tiles: Ceramic was also a common material during the Art Deco era — it was used for various beautiful ornaments and other artistic pursuits. Ceramic tiles come in various tones and patterns that you can experiment with for your Art Deco look.  
• Porcelain: Porcelain is a timeless and elegant tile option. It is also highly durable and moisture-resistant, making it a worthwhile investment. Porcelain comes in many colors, patterns, and finishes to create symmetry and geometry in the style. It has a luxurious look and feel — perfect for adding to the distinct opulence of Art Deco.

Area Rugs 

Rugs are an excellent way to explore the Art Deco aesthetic without a heavy commitment. They add dimension, texture and visual interest to a room and evoke elements of warmth and luxury in your space — all qualities that Art Deco celebrates.

Rugs are also renowned for their fine and large-scale geometric details. Form and structure are important elements in Art Deco, and you can use rugs to structure a room and define different areas. 

There are many popular rugs to choose from, making it easy to find the perfect one for your Art Deco aesthetic.

Hardwood Flooring 

Hardwood flooring may seem like an unlikely choice for creating the exuberance of Art Deco — but that couldn't be further from the truth. It comes in a wide range of tones, colors and grains that can add visual interest to a room. You can mix panels of the same wood in various shades to create a beautiful pattern or arrange them in a herringbone layout to achieve the quintessential Art Deco zigzag. 

Luxury Vinyl Flooring (LVT/LVP)

LVT/LVP is a versatile and affordable flooring option. It comes in endless styles and patterns and can mimic other materials like tile and wood exceptionally well. To achieve an Art Deco appearance with vinyl flooring, choose bold-colored, contrasting tiles or select ones with geometric patterns or marbling that suit your preference.

Tips for Choosing the Best Art Deco Flooring for Your Space

Choosing the right floors for your remodeling project requires a little preparation — consider the following:

Color

You don't need patterned floors to achieve an Art Deco style. Monochromatic color contrasts are a staple of this design. If you have white floors, you can contrast that with dark flooring and vice versa. You can also choose plain tiles without patterns in contrasting colors to create Art Deco flooring or incorporate plain flooring in bold, dramatic palettes that suit the surrounding decor well. 

Budget

Choose the flooring that fits your initial budget for installation as well as how much you're comfortable spending on any special upkeep products or services. If you're outfitting an entire home, consider using higher-end pieces — like luxurious stone tile — in key areas to draw attention instead of throughout the whole room.

Lifestyle

Some types of flooring require more maintenance and upkeep than others. For example, you'll need to reseal the grout between tiles regularly to maintain their appearance and structural integrity, while Art Deco-style vinyl flooring only requires standard sweeping and mopping to look its best. 

You should also consider how your home or vision might change — rugs are the ultimate versatile option, as you can swap them in and out as needed. Hardwood flooring is a timeless choice that you can easily mold into a new interior style if your tastes evolve over time.

How to Incorporate Art Deco Floors All Around the Home

Art Deco flooring is suitable for every room in the house — and how you do so is entirely up to your personal taste. Here are a few ideas to inspire you:

• Living room: You can have beautiful patterned porcelain tile in black, gold and white for an opulent and stylish living area. 
• Kitchen: Checkerboard, water-resistant flooring — like tile or LVT — works well in kitchens and adds an eye-catching backdrop.
• Bedroom: Transform your bedroom into a cozy Art Deco haven with a patterned rug that also keeps the room warm and comfortable.
• Bathroom: Like kitchens, it is best to stick to tile and LVT in the bathroom because of their water-resistant properties. Choose a bold geometric pattern, and continue carrying the design through from the floor to partially up the wall or walk-in shower to evoke a sense of grandeur.

Shop at Carpet & Tile Mart for Quality Art Deco-Style Flooring Options

Art Deco floors are an ideal way to add character and personal expression to your home. At Carpet & Tile Mart, we have a range of quality flooring options to suit your Art Deco flooring style ideas.

We carry a wide collection of tiles, including mosaics, porcelain, ceramic and ledger stone. We also offer an extensive selection of luxurious rugs, hardwood floors and LVT flooring at affordable prices. 

Shop our flooring products today or head to a Carpet & Tile Mart location near you for an in-person preview of our best Art Deco flooring options and rugs!