For some people, furniture refers to purely practical items that offer somewhere to sit, eat dinner, and lay down after a long day. (Bonus points if you can score these notoriously pricey pieces for less.) However, if you have a penchant for interior design, you very well know that furniture transcends functionality and has the power to create both a welcoming atmosphere and trendy vibe.
Over the past few years, curved furniture was the easiest and most effective way to keep your space comfortable and current. “They bring a softness and approachability that more angular furniture often lacks,” Shannon Niehenke, founder of Narrative Design Studio in San Francisco.“They echo an era when living rooms were designed for conversation and gathering, not just display.”
That said, as design enthusiasts know all too well, trends come and go at rapid speed—so is curved furniture the next fad on the chopping block? Well, it depends on who you ask.
Let’s face it: Armchairs, dining tables, and stools are all available in rounded edges, but most people associate this trend with curved sofas. These shape-shifting seats might be an excellent spot to schmooze, but Jennifer Pacca says its capabilities are limited. “It works for a more formal space,” the New Jersey designer explains. “People are getting away from unusable spaces and want to go back to being cozy and inviting. Many curved sofas are not as comfortable for laying down and sprawling out.”
For New York designer Kelsey Matyas, rounded furniture will never go away—but the approach is becoming more refined. “We’re moving away from the super sculptural, overly ‘trendy’ curves and into something more subtle,” she says. “People still want softness, just in a more timeless way.”
Translation: Sure, round furniture will still be a part of the conversation; however, it won’t be the conversation. Instead, New York designer Emma Corner puts her clients’ spaces and needs first. “They want to curl up in the corner of a sectional, rest their head on the arm of a sofa, or have a layout that works for family life,” she explains. “In those spaces, an L-shaped sectional or more traditional sofa often makes more sense.”
Ultimately, a home should be a reflection of the people who live there—and their personal style. If you love the idea of a curved couch? By all means, tread on. However, designers have a teeny, tiny favor to ask: Switch up your selection. Though Niehenke isn’t convinced all curved furniture is on the outs, she agrees we’re a little tired of seeing Vladimir Kagan’s Serpentine Sofa everywhere. “That kind of overexposure can make any design feel momentarily stale,” she says. Since the market is packed with lots of alternatives, it’s possible to embrace your curves and try something different.
If you want to make your couch feel current, offset it with straighter silhouettes. Co Corinne Ekle of C2 Design Co. likes to pair curved upholstery with “the cleaner, harder lines” of casegoods—think a wood cabinet or bookshelf. “That juxtaposition creates a really beautiful sense of balance and keeps a room from feeling either too stark or too soft,” the Denver designer says.
Meanwhile, Corner likes to accessorize softer sofas with a structured coffee and tailored throw pillows. “A beautiful room should have contrast: soft and structured, old and new, elegant and comfortable,” she says. “That is what makes a space feel timeless.” And, at the end of the day, isn’t that the goal?
Kelsey Mulvey is a freelance journalist who has over a decade of experience in print and digital media. She covers interior design and lifestyle content for a breadth of publications, including Good Housekeeping, Country Living, House Beautiful, Veranda, and more. Her hobbies include themed spinning classes, Netflix, and nachos.
