Relatively new term
It would be interesting to find out who actually coined the term "Hollywood Regency". I've seen it used in the antiques business only in about the last 4 or 5 years to describe certain pieces of furniture and decorative arts that came from the same period in time as Art Deco, (Arte Moderne, overseas) but that didn't exhibit typical Art Deco decoration. It was originally meant to describe items from the 1920's to the 1940's but I think lately it's really become nothing but a catchall phrase that people use to describe just about anything 20th century that's not easily classified into MCM, Art Deco, Late Victorian, Post-Modern, etc.
Hollywood Regency has typically been used to describe the look of Dorothy Draper, Tommi Parzinger, Karl Springer, et al, and is characterized by a lot of faux bamboo, burl wood, lucite, really big single pulls and hardware on chests, blanc-de-chine everything. It looks good in the right sort of California-style house but should be used sparingly if you are trying to mix it into any other kind of architecture/decor. It's just my opinion, but a little bit goes a long way. It's sort of over-the-top and a tad too glamorous for me.
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