Trinket Boxes

• Art Nouveau trinket boxes make thoughtful gifts for jewelry collectors.Zedcor Wholly Owned/PhotoObjects.net/Getty Images
  
  Art Nouveau trinket boxes were popular around the turn of the century for holding jewelry, keepsakes and other small items. These trinket boxes often featured Art Nouveau-inspired floral and plant designs. To make Art Nouveau trinket boxes, you can start from scratch and weld your own box to decorate in Art Nouveau style, or you can buy a plain metal box and weld metalwork to the outside of the box. To finish, make a velvet or satin lining for the inside of the box. Red was a popular lining color for original Art Nouveau trinket boxes.
  
  

Ashtrays

• Weld vine shapes to your ashtray to give it an Art Nouveau look.Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
  
  Metal ashtrays are simple to make and were common during the Art Nouveau era. In the late 19th century, Art Nouveau ashtrays were often made of bronze or brass, and sometimes made of silver. You can make your own Art Nouveau metal ashtray by hammering a piece of metal into the shape of a very shallow bowl. Welding scroll work or long, graceful vines to the perimeter of the ashtray gives it a decidedly Art Nouveau feel. Some Art Nouveau ashtrays also featured elongated sides for holding cigarettes. You can add these by welding on extra pieces or by cutting your original shape to accommodate room for holding cigarettes.
  
  

Serving Trays

• Often highly ornate, metal serving trays of the Art Nouveau era were often constructed from sterling silver, silver plate or aluminum. Art Nouveau serving trays are great metalwork projects for several reasons. They are mainly flat, so they're much more simple to make than vases or bowls, and they give you a chance to practice engraving and embossing. Many Art Nouveau serving trays have asymmetric raised edges. The edges can be pounded from below with a silversmith's hammer, and they can take the shape of vines and flowers or of a simple raised edge. Add a few romanticized human figures to your serving tray for an authentic Art Nouveau look.
  
  

Metal Knobs and Pulls

• You can change the look of a room or a piece of furniture by adding metal Art Nouveau knobs and pulls to cabinets, doors and drawers. Using silversmith techniques, you can make knobs and pulls from scratch, or you can alter existing knobs and pulls by adding free-flowing natural curves and lines. Art Nouveau hardware often featured open work and floral designs. They could be made from pewter, nickel, bronze, brass or silver. Metal Art Nouveau knobs and pulls add a beautiful and historic aspect to your cabinets and drawers.