Art Deco and retro often cross paths in our posters, but they are 2 different things. Art Deco is a specific style (geometric shapes, clean lines, carefully crafted lettering), born in the 1920s and popularized by the International Exposition of Decorative Arts in Paris in 1925. Retro is broader: it is the spirit of past decades (1930 to 1970), across all aesthetics. A poster can be Art Deco without being retro, and vice versa.
1How to recognize Art Deco
3 signs come up often: geometric shapes (circles, chevrons, parallel lines), bold colors laid down in flat areas, and hand-drawn lettering rather than simple fonts. It is the style of the advertising and travel posters of the 1920s and 1930s.
See all 388 Art Deco posters.
2Retro, a broader spirit
Retro spans all past decades without being limited to one specific graphic style: advertising posters, travel scenes, everyday objects redrawn with an old-world patina.
See all 492 illustrated posters.
3The families of retro style
Several families of subjects appear in the Brunelia catalog, each with its own collection:
- Advertising posters: the look of old-time ads, with products and shop signs redrawn.
- Illustrated posters: engravings and illustrations with a more dated inspiration.
- Black and white posters: pure contrast, no color.
- Colorful posters: bold, vivid hues.
- Pin-up posters and women posters: period portraits and scenes of women.
- Fashion posters: clothing and silhouettes from past decades.
4Bringing this style into your home
Art Deco and retro pair well with dark wood furniture, brass or warm colors (mustard, terracotta, bottle green). To choose the right room, see which poster for which room; for sizes, see our sizes and paper.
5Our guides by style and technique
To dig into a specific point of style, each of these guides covers a single topic:
- Art Deco or Art Nouveau: how to recognize the 2 styles.
- Scandinavian decor: the 10 codes to know.
- Black and white posters: pairing them with your decor.
- Colorful posters: how to choose and pair them.
- Advertising posters: the guide to choosing and hanging them.
