We’ve gathered 5 home interiors that use the arched opening to punctuate spaces and elevate the transition between rooms in this article.
A curved structure that spans over an opening, typically to distribute weight above it, is known as an arch. Arches were used in the construction of bridges and aqueducts as early as Roman times due to their structural effectiveness.
Throughout history, archways have been reinterpreted and are frequently used to evoke classical or traditional architecture.
They can add charm and architectural detail to residential doorways, entrances, and passageways, and are frequently framed with ornate mouldings to create a sense of grandeur.
Arched openings can also be used to mark-room transitions and to add interest to otherwise plain walls in modern interiors.
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1. Conde Duque Apartment, Spain, by Sierra + De La Higuera
Sierra + De La Higuera, a Spanish architecture studio, renovated this Madrid apartment by arranging open-plan living and dining areas on either side of a wood-panelled entrance hall.
The wood-panelled entrance hall with arched doorways was designed to act as a buffer between two distinct zones. On one side, there’s a Mexican-inspired kitchen and dining area with emerald green tiles.
The studio created an intimate buffer zone in the open apartment by adding two arched openings in wooden frames central to the hall.
2. Broadview Loft, Canada, by StudioAC
StudioAC, a Canadian firm, inserted a millwork box with a large arched cutout into this open rectangular Toronto apartment, separating the bedroom from the living space.
The box’s bold entrance and lower wall height help to distinguish the transition from the open living space to the cosy sleeping nook. The sleeping nook is entered through a rounded archway, with the bed resting on a slightly elevated platform. The prominent entry and offset height aid in signalling a transition.
3. Diplomat’s Apartment, Italy, by 02A
The architecture and interior design studio 02A created this one-bed flat in Rome to showcase the owner’s extensive collection of antique furniture and objects.
From the lounge, an arched passageway with an integrated bookcase leads to an intimate dining area. The change in pattern on the solid-oak parquet flooring also indicates a change in space. The apartment is 130 square metres in size and is located on the ground floor of an early twentieth-century building in Rome’s Flaminio district, near the National Gallery of Modern Art and the MAXXI Museum.
4. Upper Wimpole Street Apartment, UK, by Jonathan Tuckey Design
Jonathan Tuckey Design added MDF storage walls with built-in cupboards and arched niches to this London townhouse apartment. Jonathan Tuckey Design created a pale-pink storage wall in the apartment’s living room to match Giovanni’s colour palette.
It has flush cupboards, glass-fronted cabinets, and a couple of arched niches for displaying small trinkets. There’s also a decorative golden strip running along the upper edge of the wall, as well as a few brass spotlights.
Tall arched openings in the joinery were also added by the studio, which was inspired by 15th-century oil paintings depicting biblical figures under soaring archways.
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