If you’ve watched 1930s films like Shall We Dance, you’ll likely recognize Art Deco style — the swirls, curves, steps and mirrors that make up Old Hollywood glam.

Designers in the 1920s sought to create a style that focused on simplicity and form. "Up to that point, people were more comfortable living in traditional rooms. It was a new, fresh style," says Ammie Kim, an interior designer based in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Though Art Deco style was considered ultra-modern when it evolved in the 1920s, it draws some inspiration from antiquity, like the repeating designs and vivid colors used in the recently-discovered King Tut’s tomb. Artists and designers combined those motifs with the industrial, geometric shapes of the machine age and the glamour of the silver screen. The result? A sleek, striking design style that still captivates people today.

Read on to learn the basics of Art Deco, and get tips to do up your home in Deco style.