We’ll soon be digging into loads of summery things. But today, we’d like to throw a bit of a curve into the conversation. There’s been a trend in recent years. And it’s become quite pervasive quite quickly.
Walking into any furniture showroom or browsing online, you’ll see a strange phenomenon has taken hold. Everything is curvy and round. We’ve mentioned the trend in passing several times as just that — a trend. But it seems to have taken root in a way that hints at something longer-lasting.
Sitting down to write to you today, the thought came up, “Wait, though. What’s all that really about?” Curved interior design has become the norm in large swaths of the furniture and design world. But why? What’s so great about curves? And how the heck does it fit in with your existing design vibe without having to start from scratch? And, of course, where do fabrics fit into the curvacious picture?
The answers to all the above and more are what’s for us today. Let’s begin.
Quick Glance at the Basics of Curved Interior Design for Your Home
First off, what is the curved design trend? It’s literally what you’d imagine. It minimizes sharp, hard lines and maximizes curves and roundness in a space. In many ways, it’s the logical extension of other trends like biophilic design, hygge design, and the sustainability movement overall.
It’s a combination of offering whispers of the natural world and bringing a new depth of intentionality to how your home’s interior impacts your life — and vice versa.
For smaller pieces, that might mean round coffee, side tables, round mirrors, or even round or curved-cornered throw pillows. But furniture is where it’s truly visually striking.
Instead of the sharp geometric lines on a sofa or even sofa cushions, they’re — you guessed it — rounded. The effect is a soft, almost cloudlike look. And, as we’ll discuss next, the impact of those curves on a home and the people in it is rich and expansive.
Surprising Ways Curved Design Helps Your Home Feel Better Than Ever
Okay, but why? What’s the point of all those curves? Fair questions. Fundamentally, the value of these pieces and the trend overall play out in three primary ways: visually, emotionally, and behaviorally.
- Visually, adding curvy, rounded pieces softens the lines of a space. It breaks through the otherwise angular nature of manmade materials. It plays well into the drive towards a greater sense of connection with the natural world, echoing the less acutely defined structure of things just as you’d find it in a peaceful, natural setting.
- Emotionally, the softness of the lines and the textures translate to a kind of comforting and expansive feel energetically. It’s as if a space — or simply part of a space — is relieved of restriction. The energy flows more freely and, not surprisingly, the space is more freeing as a result.
- Behaviorally, whether you fully embrace the vibe or just add an accent or two, curved furniture pieces are built-in conversation starters. They’re so darn interesting, engaging, and playful that they also bring that out in you and your guests. Like armchairs, they are so warmly welcoming that they beckon you to relaxation. Or sofas curved in such a way that nudges you into greater connection with anyone sharing it.
And here’s a key piece from our perspective: as the largest furniture upholstery fabric store online, textures enhance the impact of it all—furniture upholstery fabrics like boucle, chenille, jacquard, velvet, and even tweed. Think of softness and textures as pleasing and calming to the touch as the shapes are to the eye.
Let’s shorten the learning curve like this, what curved interior design offers visually, emotionally, behaviorally, and texturally, all come together to help your home look better but also help you feel better, too.
You Make It Look Easy: Adding the Curved Design Vibe To Your Home
Now for the million-dollar question, how do you do it? First, the great news. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel (it’s round already — lol) or radically shift your home’s interior design vibe. Feel free to, of course. But there’s another path.
Like so many things in interior design, a little goes a long way. In fact, given how visually striking many pieces can be, incorporating this design trend packs way more punch than your typical basic seasonal decorative accessory swap out.
Start here. Think about all the benefits we’ve talked about so far. Where would you like a bit more of that in your home? Perhaps…
- Soften your primary bedroom with a curved upholstered headboard in classic (yet trendy) golden velvet with a textured geometric pattern. Or sleep beneath a dreamy forest with a misty aqua and teal foliage pattern against earthy neutral tones.
- Or replace the cushioned top of the upholstered bench at the foot of your bed with a rounded cushion in champagne Cryton tweed or earthy Sienna orange.
- Or if you’re feeling sassy, add a vibey curvy chaise lounge in a peaceful petal pink chenille or — make it even more of a relaxation magnet — in magenta faux silk.
- Of course, you can go a bit bigger without going BIG big. Add a curvaceous, overstuffed armchair outfitted in contemporary patterned jacquard in rich navy to a reading nook. Or make it a decadently snuggly nook with a tantalizing taupe (yes, tantalizing taupe) Crypton shearling fabric.
- Or simply actually go big with a curvy sectional sofa in a soothing and welcoming lagoon blue velvet or a deeply grounding and richly textured truffle brown chenille.
Now You’re Ahead of the Curve That’s Poised To be a Design Classic
When does a classic become a classic? In interior design, it’s at the intersection of curiosity, popularity, and utility. If the style is interesting and engaging enough to become a trend, and if the trend is helpful enough to make your home look, feel, and live better — then it’s got a shot.
One such trend is, um, trending in that direction. Curved interior design softens spaces visually, emotionally, and even behaviorally. Using the power of the soft angles the natural world so often offers and soft and alluring textures opens up new possibilities in more than simply how your home looks. It opens up new possibilities for how you feel and live in your home.
Exploring those possibilities can start as small or large as you feel called without sacrificing the opportunity to experience the impact.
More than many designs, texture is integral to the curved design vibe, and the upholstery fabrics you choose are one the largest and simplest opportunities to embrace texture. That’s what we know best. And we love to help. So when you’re ready to catch the curve — so to speak, give us a call for all your curvacious furniture upholstery fabric needs.