8 Ways to Beautifully Incorporate Curved Walls, Buildings, Global Projects, Images

8 Ways to Beautifully Incorporate Curved Walls Tips

Leave the straight and narrow behind – Architectural Article by Houzz

7 Feb 2017

8 Ways to Beautifully Incorporate Curved Walls Advice

Leave the straight and narrow behind and bring some smooth character to your home and garden with curves, curls and bends

Article first published on Houzz

Joanna Simmons, Houzz Contributor

Imagine the walls of a room or the boundary of a small city garden and we tend to think of something solid and straight. But while straight walls deliver crisp, clean lines and are easy to work with, curved walls offer something rather different. They may not be as common, but walls that curve and bend automatically bring a sense of flow and energy to a room.

Sometimes, the curves are built into the architecture of the building and must be cleverly incorporated into the room scheme. Often, though, a curved wall can be added to act as a foil to strong, vertical and horizontal lines, or as a partition or zoning device, softly dividing a space without looking obtrusive. Smooth, curling lines can improve functionality and boost good feeling, both inside and out, so take inspiration from these inspiring spaces, which have curves in all the right places.

Accentuate existing lines
Sometimes, it’s the architecture of the building that curves. If you live in a home with soft rather than straight lines, work with them. Long, bold horizontal shapes draw attention to the curving wall in this apartment and lead the eye around the space.

Explore another kitchen with curves and character

Smooth vertical lines
Adding curves at the junction of what would be a 90 degree angle softens the transition from horizontal to vertical. This beautiful water feature set in a curved wall gives a sense of movement and flow to a simple garden.

Create privacy
This softly bending wall, covered with dark mosaics, provides privacy for the bath that nestles into it on the other side. This dividing wall has curves in all areas, looking more like a drop of water than a conventional divide. It’s handsome, playful and practical, too.

Soften an extension
Glass-box extensions are, typically, box-like, which means they have strong lines and sharp angles. This beautiful extension demonstrates a softer alternative – curves! The rounded lines give it a more organic feel and echo the shape of the bay windows on the house.

Browse more ideas for glass-box extensions

Reduce impact
When the ground floor of this house was opened up, the cloakroom that had lived in the corner needed to be moved. Now it lives in a more central location, but its curved walls make it a harmonious feature, rather than a blocky obstruction.

Mix with strong lines
The strong lines of this modernist extension and the kitchen within it are balanced nicely by a small, curving deck area. The rendered wall that bends around it acts both as seating and as a retaining wall for the planting behind, but it also works as a beautiful foil to the house’s bold architecture.

Discover more Patio Design Photos to help you create your outdoor space.

Zone creatively
A curved bank of units helps separate this kitchen from the living space, a few steps below. The back of the bank is faced with American walnut, so that from the living space, you see a smooth, flowing and warm divide.

On the kitchen side, the cabinets have crisp white doors. A straight run of units here might have looked forbidding and too much like a wall. This curved bank, on the other hand, seems to invite movement between the two spaces.

Explore more design ideas for open-plan living

Look up and down
A wall that undulates as it rises makes a striking addition to a space, drawing the eye up and down. Part artwork, part ingenious feature wall, it brings energy and originality to a room. Here, a wave-like wall is teamed with a curving sofa for maximum movement.

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