‘Harlem Deco’ Is About To Be The Latest Interior Design Craze

Harlem deco is an interior design style is the Harlem renaissance take on art deco. This design style, according to Shane V. Charles on TikTok, is marked by “jazz-age glamour meets African motifs with ebony woods, geometric patterns, and rich textiles like velvet.” It’s a stunningly bold, organic design style and we’re seriously obsessed.

If you’re interested in designing your space with this style, you’re in luck, because Shane has compiled a list of tips for how to achieve the look in your living room. Shane created a mood board and slowly incorporated each tip with examples of furniture, colors and decor in the Harlem deco style.

First, Shane recommends painting your walls in a neutral shade as the backdrop for the glamour of Harlem deco.

“For the theatrics, this should feel a little bit like showtime at the Apollo,” explained Shane. “So, we’ll go with a Margeux velvet lichen on the curtains and a vintage area rug on the floor.”

Once that’s done, Shane moved on to explaining the colors, palettes and structures. “We’ve got a low-profile ox blood sofa, checkered foot stools, marble tables and structural accent chairs,” said Shane. The juxtaposition of these bold colors and shapes really adds so much visual interest to the space.

Of course, you need to tie everything together, right? And this comes in the form of accents and final touches. Shane then added statement lighting to the mood board. These lights included a pendant light on the ceiling and a floor lamp. These also had a combination of lacquered and metal finishes. Just perfect.

For decor, Shane began adding pieces like smoked glass vases, quilted art and a gramophone. Together, every single element created a stunningly warm, inviting atmosphere that celebrates the creativity of the Harlem renaissance. TikTok really appreciated Shane’s explanation of the trend. “Your explanations are a gift,” commented Whatthewhat. “As a Native Harlemite…I love this and didn’t know it was a design style.🥰” said saxifrage.NYC.

“This design movement fuses bold geometric patterns, rich materials, and afrocentric motifs with the glamour of art deco,” Shane wrote on the caption of the TikTok, mentioning the style is “unexpected and timeless” with a “balance of structure, softness and cultural storytelling.

We so appreciate the interior architect’s expertise and explanation of this design style and can’t wait to see it take the rest of the world by storm. It really is just perfect.