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Eileen Gray's 1928 screen is certainly less overtly exotic as it lacks referential points to Egypt. However, the screen is a direct reference or homage to Japanese interior design. Furthermore, Gray's screen encapsulates the modernism of Art Deco. The screen is abstract in its design, and it lacks any anthropomorphic, zoomorphic, or floral motifs. Rendered in wood, Gray uses a lacquer technique to apply black, red, and silver leaf. Although it lacks the nature motifs that are often present on original Japanese interior screens, Gray's screen has an earthy feel because of the materials she uses and the final form the item takes.

Pierre Legrain's stool from 1923 presents a return to Egyptian motif and design, as it resembles the hard "pillows" that were often placed in mummy sarcophagi. Rather than use the curved base for the neck, however, Legrain envisions it for the behind. The result is an item that is likely far more comfortable than the pillow version used by the Egyptians. In terms of materials, Legrain's stool is more sub-Saharan Africa than it is Egyptian. Dark woods and sharkskin combine for an exotic effect, but one that is far from being frivolous. The stool is elegant; its forms are strong and solid enough to be a practical design element while also being fine art.

Rene Buthaud's stoneware vase from 1926 challenges the notion of boundary between the applied and fine arts. The undulating form of the vase matches the curvaceous female forms depicted in black paint. A sculpture with a purpose, the vase calls attention to ancient vase-making, which also incorporated artistic design elements onto something that was an everyday use item. The way Buthaud renders the flora in the background of the piece is reminiscent of oriental art: such as Chinese and Japanese calligraphy and landscape art. These five Art Deco pieces combine elements that might have been considered exotic to the European designer and consumer as well. The blending of familiar and exotic is emblematic of the early twentieth century and the close of the age of imperialism.