From architectural arches to furniture pieces with rounded edges, the trend of embracing curves continues in contemporary homes.
By Tanya A. Yacina
Incorporating curves into a room’s design adds a touch of softness and intrigue, enhancing the space’s visual appeal. In a renewed focus on creating comfortable, nurturing home environments, curved design elements contribute to a sense of coziness and relaxation, making these spaces feel like a safe haven.
When including curved design components in a home, Juaneice Munoz, CEO and principal designer of La Casa Azul Design, says to start with the bones of the home; begin with the base and build from there.
“If you start with the decor, you always have regrets because at some point down the line, you end up working on the structure and function of the home and find you missed some things,” she says. “If your structure is fine, then the easiest thing to do is add wall decor and accents with [a] curve. Start big and work down from there.”
Munoz says an example would be adding a large curved mirror in your entryway to set the tone. She loves to use furniture to add curved lines and suggests placing custom round pieces throughout the home, including adding a circular coffee table to a room or ceramic “fireballs” stacked in the fireplace instead of logs to break up the angles. She also says to consider rounded rather than hard-edged vases—even the greenery or flowers they hold could also have rounded leaves or petals—to soften hard lines in a space.
“Curved vases, pillows [and] unique accents are fun because they break up the monotony,” she says. “Mixing it up is always a great idea. In design, all elements of the architecture and the furniture need to speak to each other and, if flexibility is necessary, that is a very simple go to.”
Munoz says the trend can be taken a step further by adding curves in the architectural details.
“Arches have been a staple to design dating back as early as 200 B.C.,” she says, “but have started to become more popular as of late. We add arches to bars, cabinets, doors, doorways and fireplaces, and borrow from Greek, Mediterranean and Spanish styles to create a timeless design.”
In custom home design, Munoz says adding arches to doors and doorways is likely the easiest way to add curves to the home’s architecture. However, if an in-depth, comprehensive design is at play, there are many beautiful and thoughtful curved details that can be added to ceilings, hallways and kitchens that will be timeless and well-appointed.
“Create a plan for a consistent story, vary the size of accents—big, medium and small, [and] find a statement piece,” she advises when trying to achieve this look.
Ahead of the Curve
Soften a space with these pieces featuring rounded edges from local shops.
