Interior design is often dominated by lines and straight edges. Tempering them with curves helps to soften the look, creating a gentler and more welcoming space. Curves can also draw attention to a particular area of your space that you want to highlight and they are ideal for adding visual interest.
If you are looking for ideas on how to incorporate curves into your home, these are some beautiful ways to do so. From arched doorways to kitchen islands with rounded ends, here’s how to get curves in all the right places.
Curves on wardrobe doors
Use a contrasting material or colour to underscore the curvilinear shapes on your closet doors. In the wardrobe examples below, rattan strips were used to form the rounded edges in one, while the other utilised a dark navy blue laminate to juxtapose against a grey background.
Design: 19EightyThree
Design: Mr Shopper Studio
Arched doorways
Doorways are some of the best places to incorporate curves since they can make a huge visual impact, changing up the look of an area entirely. Amidst the straight lines and edges, these arched entrances turn into the focal points for the various spaces.
Design: The Scientist
Design: Dots ‘n’ Tots Interior Design
Design: Free Space Intent
Arched doors
For privacy (and a slightly pricier option), get a custom arched door to fit into your curved entrance. This local supplier does customised laminate doors with arched tops.
Design: 19EightyThree
Design: The Monocot Studio
Design: Adroit Interior Design
Curved window cut-outs
If curved doors and doorways are much too bold, consider the curved window cut-out alternative. This will go great in a wall between the kitchen and dining area, especially so if you want to highlight your kitchen area as the heart of the home. Nothing like curves to create a sense of comfort and warmth.
Design: Ehka Studio
Design: The Scientist
Cosy corners with curves
Do up a little cosy corner in your home by creating a recessed niche with a curved top. They are an excellent way to break up the lines in the space without being over the top. Throw in a couple of cushions and that cosy niche will feel like you’re enveloped in one giant hug.
Design: Free Space Intent
Design: Authors • Interior & Styling
Design: The Interior Lab
Counters, islands and tables with rounded ends
Another popular way to add curves is to incorporate them on kitchen islands and counters, custom dining tables and even vanities. You’ll notice the tops are usually rather thin—all the better to shape those shapely ends—so it’s probably a no-go if you want a chunky countertop. Also note that they can look a tad bit retro, which is OK if you’re going with that look. But if not, pair them with clean lines (like adding grids and fluted designs nearby) and use modern palettes.
Design: Mr Shopper Studio
Design: Salt Studio
Design: DistinctIdentity
Design: The Local Inn.terior
Design: The Monocot Studio
Curved ceilings
Because ceilings are usually flat, adding curves to them could make quite a bit of difference to your space. You could go with a subtler touch by only incorporating them at the edges or construct an entire curved false ceiling and bring attention to it through cove lights.
Design: Notion of W
Design: KNQ Associates
Design: UNO Interior
Design: Three-D Conceptwerke
Curved platforms
Platforms help to delineate zones, which is useful if you want to set aside zones for different purposes. BUT they can feel a little jolting especially if you are going with an open plan. Curved ones thus are best for conveying a sense of fluidity around the home and between spaces, so your home seems more welcoming even with the demarcation.
Design: Weiken
Design: Edge Interior
Curves on handles
Add a softer edge to your wardrobes and kitchen cabinets by customising curved handles for them. You could do minimalist style cut-outs or something heftier like these round wood knobs below.
Design: Authors • Interior & Styling
Design: Kuro + Kagi
Design: Provolk
Scallop/fish scale tiles
Hop on the trend wagon by cladding your surfaces with scallop (aka fish scale) tiles. They feature curved edges and there are a number of ways to decorate with them. There is no “right” way to lay them, by the way. Put them up, down or sideways and they will still look fabulous.
Design: DB Studio
Design: The Scientist
Curved walls
Another one that makes a big statement—curved walls. They can be used to delineate a space, lead the eye towards an area of the home or to hide unwelcome pillars. In design one below, a curved feature wall lends a subtle interest in this minimalist setting. In design two, a curved wall conceals an awkwardly positioned column. And in design three, a curved wall hugs the kitchen, visually setting the cooking space apart from the straight lines of the rest of the home.
Design: Kuro + Kagi
Design: Reimage Décor
Design: Ehka Studio
Photo credit: Studio Periphery, courtesy of EB Craftsmen
Curves can add so much to a space, but be sure to use them sparingly since they are visually loud. You don’t want to incorporate too many of them in a single area. The key here is visual balance. Balance them out with conventional lines and edges so you can make a bigger impact with them.
This article was originally posted on Renonation.sg, Singapore’s leading renovation and interior design site.
