# What is the difference between Art Deco and Streamline Moderne? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 3, 2016, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-difference-between-art-deco-and-streamline-moderne/751015 "2016-04-03T01:49:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HarryTheHat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@HarryTheHat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HarryTheHat)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2016, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-difference-between-art-deco-and-streamline-moderne/751015/1 "2016-04-03T01:49:38Z")
I gather they are different. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2016, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-difference-between-art-deco-and-streamline-moderne/751015/2 "2016-04-03T02:50:22Z")
Streamline Moderne is simply a particular style of Art Deco. I don’t usually complain since it’s an open board and all that, but it’s literally the first piece of information pretty much anywhere it’s described. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2016, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-difference-between-art-deco-and-streamline-moderne/751015/3 "2016-04-03T02:50:36Z")
Art Deco had ornamentation for the sake of ornamentation. Streamline got rid of most of that and focused more on the basic lines. ---
**Author:** ![HarryTheHat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@HarryTheHat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HarryTheHat)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2016, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-difference-between-art-deco-and-streamline-moderne/751015/4 "2016-04-03T05:09:57Z")
> [@smiling\_bandit](#): > > Streamline Moderne is simply a particular style of Art Deco. > > I don’t usually complain since it’s an open board and all that, but it’s literally the first piece of information pretty much anywhere it’s described. You’re quite right. Sorry, [exits, embarrassed]. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2016, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-difference-between-art-deco-and-streamline-moderne/751015/5 "2016-04-03T13:53:01Z")
> [@HarryTheHat](#): > > You’re quite right. Sorry, [exits, embarrassed]. Ah, fiddlesticks, I can’t stay mad at anyone who brings up my favorite style of architecture! ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2016, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-difference-between-art-deco-and-streamline-moderne/751015/6 "2016-04-03T14:22:42Z")
Art Deco was heavily influenced by Mediterranean and Egyptian styles, incorporating a lot of Cubism and Industrial Age lines, icons and imagery. I’d say Streamline shed a lot of the Egyptian influences and ornamentation and stuck with the broad lines and curves of the machines of the time that “streamlined” the look and style. ---
**Author:** ![D18](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@D18](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D18)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2016, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-difference-between-art-deco-and-streamline-moderne/751015/7 "2016-04-03T14:39:35Z")
> [@HarryTheHat](#): > > You’re quite right. Sorry, [exits, embarrassed]. I for one am really glad you asked the question! I have passing interest in Art Deco architecture (meaning while I’m passing an example of Art Deco, I’m interested in it) and have never heard of Streamline Moderne before. So, I now know it exists, and discovered a building I really admire here in town is an example of it. So, some ignorance fought! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2016, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-difference-between-art-deco-and-streamline-moderne/751015/8 "2016-04-03T15:06:25Z")
I once lived in a flat in a 1930’s art deco block. It did look really stylish (from the outside) but was not great to live in. The Crittall windows were draughty, the rooms odd shapes, and the walls were concrete so no chance of nailing anything and there was little insulation cold or noise from the busy road. I did have some elderly neighbours who had moved in when the flats were new. Their furniture and decorations were all period and it looked a bit like a film set from Poirot. But I was quite glad to move somewhere warmer and quieter. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2016, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-difference-between-art-deco-and-streamline-moderne/751015/9 "2016-04-03T20:34:09Z")
So, Streamline Moderne is a subset of Art Deco. [Houston Deco](http://www.houstondeco.org/) calls the styles Art Deco & Art Moderne–and features Houston examples, including some now demolished. A few weekends ago, the MFAH sponsored a Deco Walk downtown–we got to tour the neo-Gothic splendors of the former [Gulf Building](http://www.houstondeco.org/1920s/gulf.html). The old [Municipal Airport Terminal](http://www.houstondeco.org/1940s/airport.html)–beyond the scope of that tour–is more streamlined. The Museum of Fine Arts set up the tour in conjunction with _[Sculptured in Steel:](http://www.mfah.org/exhibitions/sculpted-steel-art-deco-automobiles-and-motorcycle/) Art Deco Automobiles & Motorcycles 1929 to 1940_. Which ought to be seen by _anyone_ interested in this stuff who can reach Houston through the end of May. _[Deco Nights:](http://www.mfah.org/exhibitions/deco-nights-evenings-jazz-age/) Evenings in the Jazz Age_ also has some lovely items on display… ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2016, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-difference-between-art-deco-and-streamline-moderne/751015/10 "2016-04-03T20:38:05Z")
> [@smiling\_bandit](#): > > Streamline Moderne is simply a particular style of Art Deco. > > I don’t usually complain since it’s an open board and all that, but it’s literally the first piece of information pretty much anywhere it’s described. I’ll corner **HarryTheHat** while someone gets the rope. Then we figure out what to do with him. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2016, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-difference-between-art-deco-and-streamline-moderne/751015/11 "2016-04-04T00:49:58Z")
**Moderator Note** Just a friendly reminder: [QUOTE=General Questions Rules & FAQs] By the same token, we aren’t interested in hearing about how stupid the question was because a search could have answered the question. Nor are we interested in hearing how simple it was for another poster to find the answer in a search engine. If it’s that simple to find the answer, go ahead and post the answer. [/QUOTE] **smiling bandit** at least posted the answer, but let’s not bash someone just because they posted a simple question. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2016, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-difference-between-art-deco-and-streamline-moderne/751015/12 "2016-04-04T02:35:10Z")
I apologize. No insult was intended, and no one should feel unwelcome when asking honest questions.