Curves of the Past and Present

From the glamour of the early twentieth century to the fluidity of contemporary design, the return of Art Deco curves speaks to a timeless fascination with softness, strength and sculptural grace.

Curves are having a moment. But for those who understand design history, they never truly left. The rounded lines now appearing in staircases, façades and furnishings are not just contemporary flourishes they are architectural echoes of a movement born a century ago: Art Deco.

Originating in the 1920s and reaching its peak in the 1930s, Art Deco emerged as a bold celebration of progress, glamour and craftsmanship. It was an aesthetic that merged the machine age with opulence. Zigzags, chevrons and sunbursts were iconic, but so too were curves streamlined, confident arcs that softened buildings and objects alike. This era marked the birth of modern rounded corners, from cinemas and cruise ships to sweeping apartment facades.

Art Deco’s curves weren’t only stylistic. They suggested movement. Speed. Optimism. They wrapped around corners like ribbons, inviting the eye to travel rather than stop. They softened the urban grid. In interior design, these arcs framed mirrors, banquettes and built-ins, delivering an architecture of elegance and sensuality.

Today, these forms are returning with renewed sensitivity. Projects like Art House in Mount Ousley, by DeBu Studios, remind us that curves can hold history and innovation in the same breath. Originally a heritage-listed Art Deco home, the residence has been respectfully extended with curving walls, staircases and pavilions that reference the past while adding a contemporary edge. The new white forms wind through the plan like sculptural vessels, echoing the original stucco geometry in scale and gesture.

Where early Art Deco celebrated decorative expression, today’s interpretations shift toward spatial clarity. Curves are used not just as ornament, but as movement makers. They guide you around corners, soften transitions between rooms and lend a human touch to otherwise rectilinear plans. Curved walls also allow light to bend and fall in ever-changing patterns an effect that is as emotive as it is functional.