Member Article

Great Gatsby film sees art deco revival at furniture retailer

A movie remake of The Great Gatsby has ushered in an art deco revival in Midlands homes, according to a leading furniture retailer.

Lee Longlands, an established family-run company, has seen a surge in sales of Gatsby-esque furniture and accessories, following the success of the film starring Leonardo Di Caprio, which also sees the leading man possibly up for an Oscar.

The iconic story, written by F.Scott Fitzgerald in 1925, celebrates beauty, class, style and elegance, themes which Lee Longlands has embraced with its selection of occasional pieces for today’s modern or classic living room.

Lee Longlands director and fourth generation in the family business, Robert Lee, said: “Following the success of the Great Gatsby at the cinemas and now with the buzz of Oscar nominations for Leonardo Di Caprio, it’s little wonder that we’ve noticed such a trend in art deco themed consumer purchases.

“The sleek and stylish feel of the 1920s and 30s can be seen in many of our ranges, particularly the Stepped Gilt Collection. The coffee table in this range has the stepped gilt feature resting on a curved black base, reminiscent of those older vintage styles. The Art Deco Fantail mirror is also proving to be popular in store.”

Fans of the genre get an extra treat when they visit the Lee Longlands flagship store, which itself is in a wonderful art deco structure on one of Birmingham’s most famous streets.

In 1932 founders Robert Lee and George Longlands had the vision to build an imposing brick and Portland stone art deco building, being the only store outside London to have curved stained class windows.

The distinctive style first developed in the early 1920s in France and was thought to have flourished in later years before waning post World War II. Deco was also influenced by Cubism, Constructivism, Functionalism, Modernism and Futurism and still is instantly recognisable with it’s bold geometric shapes, colours and angles. Often symmetrical in style, Art Deco was considered the supreme choice in design with it’s rich colours and glamorous form.

For more information about Lee Longlands visit www.leelonglands.co.uk or follow the store on facebook at www.facebook.com/leelonglands or on Twitter @leelonglands

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Lee Longlands .