Your creativity feeling a little lackluster luvies? Don’t fret – we’re here to fix you right up! I certainly felt reinvigorated when I saw Tamara De Lempicka’s work – a new-to-me artist {as, full disclosure, most artists are!}. Madame Kate, of The Forgetful Wife, is definitely packing an inspirational punch with this week’s column. Enjoy!

Hi everyone! Kate from The Forgetful Wife here. I’m so happy to be back at Apartment 34 for another installment of Life {& Style} Imitating Art. 

I was inspired by the recent resurgence of the Art Deco era. With the much talked about remake of “The Great Gatsby” and art deco design elements finding their way onto the runways (as well as our closets), it seemed appropriate talk about it here. The term “Art Deco” is essentially short for Arts Décoratifs (decorative arts) and covers most forms of design: fashion, jewelry, interior and architecture.

This style – made popular in the 1920′s and 30′s – is highly stylized with lots of geometric shapes. This brings us to one of my favorite female artists, Tamara De Lempicka. She’s considered to be the first “glamour star” artist – famous both for her artistic talent and bohemian lifestyle.  Her painting style is very distinct, clear and elegant. The Blue Scarf, painted in 1930, is a great example of art deco art at its best.

The palette – a combination of soft neutrals, vibrant pops of color, and the clean lines and shapes, provide the perfect inspiration for a chic, day-time look and a minimalistic home office space. Here are my Tamara inspired picks!