Hollywood Regency Style: Your Guide to This Glam Design
Perfect the art of old-school glam.
With Art Deco influence and eclectic flair, Hollywood Regency approaches interiors with a "more is more" mentality towards glamour. This design style finds its inspiration in the Golden Age of Cinema (1920–1950) and brings a sense of retro appeal to contemporary spaces. Our guide covers everything you need to know about Hollywood Regency style, including tips on choosing the right pieces to perfect the look.
What Is Hollywood Regency Style?
Design Characteristics of Hollywood Regency Style
Tips for Recreating Hollywood Regency Style
What Is Hollywood Regency Style?
As mentioned above, Hollywood Regency style became popular in California in the early 1930s during Hollywood's Golden Age of Cinema. This design style is rich and opulent, pairing luxe textiles, sophisticated hues, and metallic finishes in home furnishings and decor for a dazzling combination of playfulness and glamour.
Though they both share an affinity for opulence, Hollywood Regency is more playful and theatrical than Art Deco. It's bold and often over-the-top with its commitment to luxury, leaning into maximalism and kitsch. Interior designers of the time evoked the style through sculptural silhouettes, contrasting color palettes, and cheeky eccentricity.
With layers of texture, color, and drama, Hollywood Regency is unapologetically glam. It leans into the maximalism inspired by the over-the-top sets from favorite films and aims to make your home feel like it belongs to a movie star.
- Here are the key tenets of Hollywood Regency style:
- Vibrant color palette that plays with contrast
- Luxurious materials, such as marble, gold, and crystal
- Soft, cozy textiles like faux fur, velvet, and silk
- Playful decor pieces that amp up the eclecticism
- High-shine, metallic, or mirrored finishes
- Rococo-inspired silhouettes for seating
- Layers of bold geometric patterns
- Eye-catching light fixtures in sculptural shapes
- Black and white accents
- Chinoiserie, palm print, and bamboo-inspired elements
Decorate your own Hollywood Regency-style living room, bedroom, or dining room with these simple tips.
1. Go Gilded
Apply the "more is more" mantra to metallics by incorporating gold accents throughout the space. From overhead lighting to bar carts to end tables, shiny gold finishes can warm up the room and provide the eye-catching shine that Hollywood Regency is known for.
2. Pick a Pattern
While velvet is a mainstay for Hollywood Regency style, try amping up the drama with a bit of pattern. This goes for beds, sofas, accent chairs, or light-blocked drapes. Look for angular Art Deco designs to complement the clean-lined architecture, choose animal prints for a nature-inspired touch, or stick with romantic florals to add a more dreamy feel.
3. Make It Clear
Use acrylic pieces to experiment with visual interest and sight lines. The see-through design tricks the eye and adds a playful edge to the space. Pick an acrylic desk, coffee table, or bar cart to make a sleek statement.
4. Be Bold
Elevate jewel tones and neutrals with vibrant pops of color. Kitschy colors like flamingo pink, aqua blue, and bright yellow work as excellent accents. One easy way to accomplish this is by topping your sofa with a colorful throw pillow or two.
5. Add Some Shine
From velvet upholstery to mirrored glass to crystal details, shine is a key characteristic of Hollywood Regency style. Choose mirrored nightstands to give your bedroom a glam refresh, or pick a chandelier with crystals to create a twinkling ambience.
Tip!
For more glam inspiration, read our guides The Ultimate Guide to Glam Decor and A Comprehensive Guide to Dazzling Glam Room Ideas.
