Art Deco originated in Europe, particularly Paris, at the beginning of the twentieth century. Its popularity was at its peak during the inter-war period and remained so until the outbreak of the Second World War. Unlike many other design movements which were driven by political or philosophical intentions, the purpose of Art Deco was purely decorative. Art Deco was seen as elegant yet modern and functional – perfect for the advancing modern age. In fact, Art Deco celebrated the machine age through the explicit use of man-made materials, such as glass and stainless steel.
Art Deco fireplaces were rectangular and bold, with tiled surrounds in pink, green and beige – glazed finishes were often dramatic, with mottles, pastel colours 
and iridescent glazes. The fireplaces were often made of concrete (reinforcing the commitment to man-made materials) and not many have survived until today. The Art Deco fireplace was all about surfaces and planes, with the revivalist and decorative Edwardian influence quickly swept away. Corners became bevelled or rounded off and flat surfaces moulded into simple, repetitive patterns. In short, Art Deco was inspired by the ultimate in art forms – the art of sculpture.
Very few Art Deco fires and surrounds were hand made – with massive increases in technology, most were made by machine. As well as concrete, Art Deco Fireplaces were often made from ceramic, fitting in with the need to have materials that could be machine made and mass-produced. Ceramic fireplaces were extremely heat resistant and easy to dismantle and clean and as a result, ceramic art deco fires became best sellers in the 1930s.
Art Deco fireplaces were literally works of art, featuring geometrical designs, zigzags, sunbursts, fashionable curves and Egyptian or oriental motifs. However, like Art Nouveau before it, Art Deco had a fairly short shelf life. Due to mass production, the style was seen as gaudy and presenting a false image of luxury and fell out of favour by the Second World War. From this time onwards, fireplace design was rather bland and the introduction of central heating meant that fewer fireplaces were made.
However, the Art Deco fireplace, with its elaborate stylised motifs, made a lasting impression and has experienced several revivals in the last seventy years.
