Ideas we Love: 17 Chic, Contemporary Interiors With Old Arches
Arched windows, doors and hallways can look dated, but these updated designs show otherwise
There are many, many homes on Houzz with arched details – thousands, in fact. Archways and arched windows and doors are hallmarks of many early architectural styles, from classic Roman to Tudor, from Spanish Mission to Art Deco. And many owners prefer to emphasise the architectural period of their home by decorating in the same throwback manner. It’s a pleasant surprise when a home is dressed up with a contemporary flair that either beautifully contrasts its period architecture, or brings it into the current century. These homes do just that.
2.
Location: Singapore
Why we love it: Subtly contrasting colours highlight the arched wall separating the kitchen from the dining area. This apartment building may be a new build, with two arches added as part of the renovation, but the design recalls a streamlined Art Deco theme. Custom-designed furniture with chamfered edges complete the updated, Art Deco-inspired, minimalist look, and pale pastels paired with light-hued wood bring a trendy flair.
Location: Singapore
Why we love it: Subtly contrasting colours highlight the arched wall separating the kitchen from the dining area. This apartment building may be a new build, with two arches added as part of the renovation, but the design recalls a streamlined Art Deco theme. Custom-designed furniture with chamfered edges complete the updated, Art Deco-inspired, minimalist look, and pale pastels paired with light-hued wood bring a trendy flair.
3.
Location: Brisbane, Australia
Why we love it: Exposed brick walls and beams painted black bring an industrial edginess to the traditional loft-with-arched-windows design of this project. The sleek, low-slung sectional sofa grounds the space, while the spindly legs of the bar stools emphasis the kitchen island’s floaty, cantilevered effect. The project is polished and contemporary, and at the same time feels like it has history.
Location: Brisbane, Australia
Why we love it: Exposed brick walls and beams painted black bring an industrial edginess to the traditional loft-with-arched-windows design of this project. The sleek, low-slung sectional sofa grounds the space, while the spindly legs of the bar stools emphasis the kitchen island’s floaty, cantilevered effect. The project is polished and contemporary, and at the same time feels like it has history.
4.
Location: Barcelona, Spain
Why we love it: Black-framed pocket doors are a trendy, surprise addition to this archway. They complement the black painted radiator and the sleek cantilevered chair, and complete the sophisticated, old-meets-new look of this apartment.
Location: Barcelona, Spain
Why we love it: Black-framed pocket doors are a trendy, surprise addition to this archway. They complement the black painted radiator and the sleek cantilevered chair, and complete the sophisticated, old-meets-new look of this apartment.
5.
Location: Montreal, Canada
Why we love it: An oversized arched window in this stunning loft renovation gets a contemporary grid-effect treatment with black frames. The black framed window draw the eye from the whitewashed exposed brick towards the cosier features of this room.
Location: Montreal, Canada
Why we love it: An oversized arched window in this stunning loft renovation gets a contemporary grid-effect treatment with black frames. The black framed window draw the eye from the whitewashed exposed brick towards the cosier features of this room.
6.
Location: Singapore
Why we love it: Arched details are characteristic of older apartment buildings in Singapore, and this renovation embraced that with a little bit of retro – using some mid-century modern furnishings – and a clever infusion of small-space solutions (note the horizontal feature cutting the cabinets in half – it’s a swivel-out bar table) and trendy touches, such as dark grey walls.
Houzz Tour: Modern Updates With a Dash of Retro Make This Flat Shine
Location: Singapore
Why we love it: Arched details are characteristic of older apartment buildings in Singapore, and this renovation embraced that with a little bit of retro – using some mid-century modern furnishings – and a clever infusion of small-space solutions (note the horizontal feature cutting the cabinets in half – it’s a swivel-out bar table) and trendy touches, such as dark grey walls.
Houzz Tour: Modern Updates With a Dash of Retro Make This Flat Shine
7.
Location: Perth, Australia
Why we love it: Bright white and honey-hued wood add a fresh look to the traditional details such as the arch and farmhouse-style cabinetry in this kitchen and dining space.
Location: Perth, Australia
Why we love it: Bright white and honey-hued wood add a fresh look to the traditional details such as the arch and farmhouse-style cabinetry in this kitchen and dining space.
8.
Location: Aarhus, Denmark
Why we love it: The arch in this space even has a keystone detail – but like the mouldings, it blends in with the walls with a fresh coat of paint. Quirky personal effects and bright pops of colour give a down-to-earth appeal here, but it’s the boldly striped feature wall that makes that chic, contemporary statement.
Location: Aarhus, Denmark
Why we love it: The arch in this space even has a keystone detail – but like the mouldings, it blends in with the walls with a fresh coat of paint. Quirky personal effects and bright pops of colour give a down-to-earth appeal here, but it’s the boldly striped feature wall that makes that chic, contemporary statement.
10.
Location: Munich, Germany
Why we love it: Painting the arch a muted beige-y shade lets it blend more easily with the pale neutral palette of the living room, while at the same time having it frame the space and echo the frames of the artworks on the wall.
Location: Munich, Germany
Why we love it: Painting the arch a muted beige-y shade lets it blend more easily with the pale neutral palette of the living room, while at the same time having it frame the space and echo the frames of the artworks on the wall.
11.
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Why we love it: Big bold colour doesn’t disguise this archway, but gives it a more contemporary, albeit bohemian, look. The wall beyond the arch is painted in a lighter analogous hue, adding to its trendy charm.
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Why we love it: Big bold colour doesn’t disguise this archway, but gives it a more contemporary, albeit bohemian, look. The wall beyond the arch is painted in a lighter analogous hue, adding to its trendy charm.
12.
Location: Rome, Italy
Why we love it: Dark blue walls contrast with the white and light-hued brick arched details. The use of mid-century modern and contemporary furnishings creates a cosy yet slim-lined lightness that balance the dark hues of this room.
Location: Rome, Italy
Why we love it: Dark blue walls contrast with the white and light-hued brick arched details. The use of mid-century modern and contemporary furnishings creates a cosy yet slim-lined lightness that balance the dark hues of this room.
13.
Location: Gothenburg, Sweden
Why we love it: Very pale grey walls contrast with the white arch and moulded details in this apartment, creating a cool, almost-cold, contemporary effect. The furniture and accessories are also very sleek and contemporary in style, contrasting the intricate traditional moulding around the ceiling.
Location: Gothenburg, Sweden
Why we love it: Very pale grey walls contrast with the white arch and moulded details in this apartment, creating a cool, almost-cold, contemporary effect. The furniture and accessories are also very sleek and contemporary in style, contrasting the intricate traditional moulding around the ceiling.
14.
Location: Catania-Palermo, Italy
Why we love it: The all-white treatment on the arches of this Mediterranean-style villa keep it traditional; the custom-built kitchen and furniture selection are sleek, contemporary Italian-chic. The contrast works to stunning effect.
Location: Catania-Palermo, Italy
Why we love it: The all-white treatment on the arches of this Mediterranean-style villa keep it traditional; the custom-built kitchen and furniture selection are sleek, contemporary Italian-chic. The contrast works to stunning effect.
15.
Location: London, England
Why we love it: Curvy details in the furniture and lighting selection add a free-spirited vibe and highlight the arched windows of this industrial-style Soho apartment.
Location: London, England
Why we love it: Curvy details in the furniture and lighting selection add a free-spirited vibe and highlight the arched windows of this industrial-style Soho apartment.
16.
Location: Stockholm, Sweden
Why we love it: Similar to the earlier Swedish apartment, this one has very pale grey walls that cool down a sunlight-flooded space (thanks to its high, arched windows). The furniture is slim-lined, with industrial touches and contemporary flair, avoiding the common mistake of using heavy, ‘stately’ designs that would have matched the architectural period of the building, and instead infusing it with fresh stylishness.
Location: Stockholm, Sweden
Why we love it: Similar to the earlier Swedish apartment, this one has very pale grey walls that cool down a sunlight-flooded space (thanks to its high, arched windows). The furniture is slim-lined, with industrial touches and contemporary flair, avoiding the common mistake of using heavy, ‘stately’ designs that would have matched the architectural period of the building, and instead infusing it with fresh stylishness.
17.
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Why we love it: No arch? No problem. You can still create the same effect, as this stunning Kiwi space does, with a black-framed arch feature. The arch itself is a brilliantly executed, contemporary contrast to the moulded wall details of the dining room.
TELL US
What do you think of arched interiors? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save your favourite images, bookmark the story, and join in the conversation.
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Why we love it: No arch? No problem. You can still create the same effect, as this stunning Kiwi space does, with a black-framed arch feature. The arch itself is a brilliantly executed, contemporary contrast to the moulded wall details of the dining room.
TELL US
What do you think of arched interiors? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save your favourite images, bookmark the story, and join in the conversation.
Location: Marseille, France
Why we love it: This incredibly stylish studio apartment may have old bones, but it has been renovated with a completely contemporary aesthetic featuring designer furniture such as the Eames rocker and the Wiggle chair by Frank Gehry and oversized, geometric accents like the round floor mirror. Said ‘old bones’ – exposed trusses, arched windows and Parisian-style grilles – were kept intact and refreshed only with fresh licks of paint so they serve more as a charming canvas for the decor.