INTERIOR HIGHLIGHT: HOW TO DECORATE THE ARCH IN A MODERN DWELLING WITH STYLE
The arch is originally an architectural element. Therefore, its appearance in the dwelling must be justified. You should not make an archway just out of boredom, without thinking through its role in the overall design and not comparing it with the proportions of the room. It is because of non-compliance with these rules popular in the 1990s arches now look absurd. In terms of functionality, style, shape and size they were rarely appropriate for rooms in which they were supposed to be an example of original design and luxury. At the same time, arches in classic antique interiors still look harmonious and attractive.
Topical arches should be:
1. Narrow and elongated upward;
2. As concise as possible without massive platbands and decorations;
3. Bright. Designers boldly highlight them with color, painting the ends and part of the wall around the arch in contrasting shades;
4. The arch is not only for openings, but also for decorating walls, furniture fronts, shower enclosures, etc.
Types and sizes of arches
The arch will be appropriate in almost any room in the house, it will help to make the room more proportional if the room is too high or too low ceilings, in addition, the arch brings a sense of celebration to the interior.
It is not necessary to limit your choice to the classic curvilinear overlapping of the opening or fashionable novelties. Nowadays you can find other variations: semicircular, Persian arch, "horseshoe", lancet, Tudor arch, Renaissance. The main thing to remember is that the chosen design must match the rest of the room in scale and style.
Interesting options for arches and openings in the interior:
The rectangular portal will suit any style of room, is versatile and easy to design;
British or modern arch. The upper arch is not as clearly rounded as in the classic version, so it is suitable for modern apartments with a ceiling height of 2.7 m;
Slavic or Romanesque arch. The top of the arch is parallel to the floor, and the corners are smoothly rounded;
Trapezium with sharp corners without roundings. Can fit seamlessly into the design of the nursery or attic;
Ellipse or Turkish arch. The corners are not rounded, so the arch can be used with or without columns. Good for the visual separation of functional areas, for example, between the kitchen and the living room;
Half-arch. Non-symmetrical, the radius of the arc is left to your discretion and gives room for imagination;
Gothic arch with a pointed end. Suitable for interiors with suggestive historical details;
Thai arch. One side is usually a right angle and the other half a circle. An option for rooms with a large area.
The illusion of an arch can be created without remodeling. A semicircular overlay or pattern over the doorway will make it visually higher and from a distance will seem like a full-fledged arch. This simple and topical technique can also be used to decorate windows.
Important: To decorate the interior it is not necessary to create a real arch, you can create its imitation, for example, from plasterboard. With the help of such false arches you can highlight any element of the interior, such as a picture, a statue or an entire shelf.
The subtle point: choosing an arch to match the style of the interior
The archway will not fit into every interior. There are styles in which it looks organic, but for some it is contraindicated. Traditionally, arches are companions of classical aesthetics. Mediterranean, Oriental, colonial styles and all varieties of country music favor them. However, all of these arches will differ significantly in form and finish. A rounded arch with columns and capitals will be organic in a house with a neoclassical setting, but too pretentious for country and alien to the Moroccan style. In interiors with oriental and ethnic elements, the shape and decor of the arch should be appropriate.
Important: The classic design and proportions of the arch is suitable for rooms with a ceiling height of not less than 3 meters.
In the style of high-tech arches are not too appropriate, but in a Scandinavian interior fit easily. It is enough to calculate the harmonious proportions for your room and not to go overboard with the finishing.
Materials and finishing of the arch
The archway can be constructed from any material: plasterboard, brick, natural stone, etc. In any case, at the stage of choosing the finish, the choice of decor options is very wide. It is fundamental to decide whether it is necessary to naturally and inconspicuously blend the opening into the interior, or whether it will become a focal point and a leading design element. Also, the choice of finish is influenced by the characteristics of the room: in areas of high humidity, such as the kitchen, the materials should provide additional protection and be resistant to all temperature and humidity fluctuations.
Important: from gypsum board with your own hands you can make an arch of almost any shape, and in the space between the trim to place built-in lighting. Remember that the installation of radial structures is always more difficult than work with rectangular or square shapes.
The arch, like any part of the wall, can be wallpapered, painted or decorated with decorative plaster. These are the fastest and most budget-friendly options for finishing the surface, which perfectly match the modern style of the interior. However, you should be prepared that scuffs will appear quickly in the joints, especially near the kitchen, where this finish option is not durable in principle. Plastic covers on the corners can protect the most vulnerable places, but they rarely look aesthetically pleasing.
Stucco is a traditional companion of the classic style. These days we are not talking about handmade, but about quite affordable imitations, a variety of moldings from polyurethane and analogues. It is a simple and available option for decorating the arch, but it is important to choose only high-quality samples so as not to "cheapen" the interior visually, and take into account that the stucco decoration must be moderate and not suitable for every interior style.
Decorative stone finishing will require a lot of work and investment, but it will not rub off in the corners. This kind of decor assumes a spacious opening and country style. Open brickwork is ideal for loft interiors, and the arch in the oriental style can be faced with tiles or mosaics.
Arches in the interior solve different problems. In terms of functionality, they most often appear where there is a need to visually separate part of the room, there is no space or the need for a full-fledged door. An archway will perfectly separate the kitchen from the dining room or living room area, help to design a boudoir or a working corner in the bedroom, separate living space from the hallway.
An arch is the perfect frame if you need to draw attention to something. An archway accentuates a fireplace, a favorite painting or a luxurious chandelier. It easily combines several disparate pieces of furniture into a single composition, so when designing an archway, it is important to take into account that through it you can see a beautiful view, not a clutter of furniture.
Do you need to introduce color accents into the room? It is enough to paint the linings of the archway in a contrasting color and the familiar surroundings have already been transformed. In this case, you can paint not only the inner ends, but also the entire contour, including the floor.
Drapery in the arched opening will create intrigue and a sense of mystery. It is better to choose a minimalistic design of the opening and a monochrome fabric of deep and rich shade. In this case, you will avoid excessive theatricality and affectation. The interior will seem more feminine, but remain stylish and modern.
Important: perspective is a strong visual device. A visible enfilade of arches can be replaced by a photo wallpaper. Such décor will add a sense of extra space to the room, it is worth making sure that guests do not accidentally enter the non-existent opening with their foreheads
Like any type of construction or decorative technique, the arch will be a decoration of the interior of a functional kitchen-living room and an inappropriate addition. Think about its presence at the earliest stages of renovation, coordinating with the stylistics, functions and proportions of the room. It is in this case you get a harmonious solution, the cherry on the cake design project, from which the interior in any style will only win.