Berlin Deko

Berlin Deko surveys early 20th-century German furniture design, highlighting diverse styles, key figures, and Berlin’s role as a creative hub between 1910 and 1930.

Berlin Deko is the first comprehensive English survey of early twentieth-century German and Central European furniture design to move beyond the notion of a linear development of styles between Jugendstil and Bauhaus. It explores the period between 1910 and 1930, revealing a diverse continuum of styles, including the overlooked “Expressionist Rococo” that flourished in Berlin. The book highlights Berlin’s role as a center for furniture and interior design that attracted international artists. Key figures such as Leo Nachtlicht, Oskar Kaufmann, Bruno Paul, Fritz August Breuhaus de Groot, Paul Thiersch, Emil Fahrenkamp, Eduard Pfeiffer, and Lajos Kozma played important roles. Berlin Deko re-examines and celebrates Berlin’s legacy as a creative center, revealing a richer, more nuanced narrative of German design history. One that celebrates diversity, individual expression, and the enduring influence of Berlin as a creative hub.