Circular shapes will soften your design style.

The possibilities are almost limitless.

Don’t be a square – or even a rectangle! Rooms that have only sharp edges and straight lines can create a feeling of too much order and lead to a sense of discomfort or inflexibility. Add just a few round design elements as an accent to soften and relax a room.

You can be creative in your definition of “round” to include more than perfect circles. Include ovals, egg-shapes, ellipses, arches, curls, cylinders, rings and more.

Even in the feng-shui concept of interior design, round shapes are important. Feng shui is about balancing five elements, one of which is metal. The metal element is expressed as a round shape in decor; and round design elements are believed to bring clarity, precision, freshness and equality into a room.

The possibilities for adding round shapes to your home environment are almost unlimited:

• Circular or oval rugs
• Round pillows
• Curved patterns in wallpaper or upholstery fabric
• Cylindrical, round or oval accessories – such as vases, bowls and urns
• Disk-shaped tables – including dining tables, end tables and coffee tables
• Round light fixtures or lamps
• A circular sofa sectional
• Elliptical or round mirrors or artwork
• Spiral staircases
• And if you’re remodeling, round windows and arch top doorways or windows – or you can change the shape of a room to have a rounded window bay.

Think outside the box and smooth out the hard edges in your home.

© Hunter Douglas