The influence of art deco on interior design in the context of social representation

This thesis examines the influence of the Art Deco style, which emerged in the early 20th century, on interior and furniture design within historical, cultural, and aesthetic contexts. The core framework of the study focuses on the emergence of Art Deco in France, its international recognition through the 1925 Paris Exhibition, its subsequent global spread, and its relationship with the modernization process in early Republican Turkey. The thesis evaluates the stylistic features, material usage, production techniques, and aesthetic principles of spatial organization associated with Art Deco, analyzing its impact across a wide range—from public buildings to residential interiors, and from fixed furnishings to movable furniture. The research employs historical descriptive methods along with qualitative analysis, conducting comparative examinations of period architectural documents, interior visuals, furniture samples, and designer projects. In the Turkish context, the study identifies how Art Deco was transformed, simplified, and reproduced through local cultural elements; particularly highlighting reinterpretations shaped by craftsmanship, local materials, and class representations. The thesis also draws attention to Art Deco's representational power in spatial design, focusing on spatial strategies such as symmetrical layouts, axial orientation, and dramatic lighting organization. Through the analysis of selected designers and example projects from Turkey, the thesis reveals how the style was reconfigured across temporal and cultural contexts. Moreover, the contemporary reinterpretation of Art Deco in modern interiors is extensively addressed. Within this framework, simplified formal arrangements through minimalist design principles, integration of modern production technologies,and the use of digitally controlled lighting systems are examined. Contemporary project samples demonstrate that Art Deco has evolved from a nostalgic style into an interior design approach that responds to current user habits, functional needs, and principles of sustainability. This study ultimately reveals that Art Deco is not merely an aesthetic of the past, but a multifaceted design language that still retains its functional and representational value today—reshaped through modern production techniques and user-centered design perspectives.