Design Styles Arts and Crafts, Art Nouveau, and Art Deco. How to tell them apart, as they are often mislabeled? I did a little Googling around and read a great deal on each style, which was interesting if you have "time to kill". My simplified explanation is this: Arts and Crafts "simple." Art Nouveau "curvilear, complex." Art Deco "angular". Also, when you see Deco as a label on an embroidery design, it means almost nothing. Think decorative. Usually does not begin to be Art Deco.