Interior Arches with Photos

This element serves as decoration, separation and addition in the style of the room. The arch vault attracts designers with its uniqueness and refinement. A big plus of such an opening is that an interior arch can be fitted into any interior style and any area. There are enough types and variety of constructions for everyone.

Design Ideas

The word "arch" means a curve, an arc in translation from Latin. In the oldest cultural civilizations, arches were used to decorate openings, both inside and outside. An arched opening, which in shape resembles a rainbow, is also popular today. Designers introduced the use of various materials to create constructions. You can realize your own ideas using wood, stone, gypsum board and lighting. The following advantages of using arches can be highlighted:

1. Visual expansion of the room;
   
2. Space zoning;
   
3. Aesthetic appeal of the interior.
   
   

Minor drawbacks can be all sounds and odors that pass through the opening. Photos of interior arches of various shapes in the interior are shown below.

Materials for Making

Today there is a great variety of different materials and compositions for creating unique arched openings. In addition to standard ones - wood, gypsum board, stone, arches are made from plywood, brick, metal, particle board, oriented strand board, reinforced concrete. Gypsum board is most popular. This material is quite easy to process, install and finish. When additional sound insulation and thermal insulation are needed, foam filler, mineral wool, isolon, glass wool are used. In these procedures, the resistance to temperature fluctuations is increased, chemical substances are neutralized, and laying becomes easier.

Shape of Arches

• Square
  

A square arch is a variant for those who prefer to avoid experiments. It will decorate the opening, keeping the style unchanged and strict. Materials from natural wood species are more often used for applying this type of interior arches. Photos with variants of square-shaped interior arches:

• Semicylindrical
  

The simplicity of the arched vault made this construction popular even in modern apartment interiors. The semicircular top is sometimes deliberately elongated, in which case the ceiling seems higher. There are several types of semicircular arches:

1. Florentine;
   
2. Circular;
   
3. Semicircular raised.
   
   

Semicylindrical forms have an elongated profile, drawn not in the opening itself but in the outer finishing, using cladding. Semicircular arches are more often used in Mediterranean and Provence styles. In classical style, the vault rests on a capital. Designers recommend placing semicircular arches in an array if a narrow long passage/ corridor is part of the project. Such a passage looks like it was drawn from an eastern palace.

• Rectangular
  

A rectangular arch is the easiest to install in an opening. It can even be done by yourself. Unlike other types, which require special skills and more information. In addition, arches of other forms are mounted on a special frame. This also complicates the installation. A rectangular construction fits tightly to the wall and sits firmly in the door opening. The portal, as this type of arch is also called, is not very expensive and can serve as additional wall reinforcement in an old residential building. And also, such a construction will fit into any interior style.

Design: Marina Sarkisyan

• Elliptical
  

The ellipse shape in the arched vault visually expands and increases the space in an apartment. An elliptical form that rests on two straight support structures will harmoniously fit into any room and style. The parameters of such a form can vary, there are no specific rules for installing an elliptical arch. Designers base their work on familiar parameters: wall height and width. The upper vault usually lies on columns, thereby enhancing the interior.

• Trapezoidal
  

An arch in the shape of a trapezoid is rather an unconventional construction that will not fit into every home interior. These constructions are suitable for strict rooms - in an office, library. Such arches are decorated with solid wood, stone. Precise geometric lines exclude smooth transitions, so a lot of free space is required for their installation. This variant is good for a large country house.

• Figurative
  

A figurative arch allows you to give free rein to your imagination. There is an opportunity to build an arch of almost any configuration. Much depends on the material composition, interior design and owners' wishes. The main material is gypsum board. A decoration can be lighting, stained glass windows.

Design: Ilya and Svetlana Khomyakov

Types of Arch Finishing

Finishing the arch is the final but important stage. It will emphasize all the refinement and style. When choosing finishing, attention should be paid carefully, adapting to the overall style and concept of the interior. Let's consider all possible types of finishing.

Painting

Painting is a fairly popular method of finishing. You can do it yourself, think up and draw any pattern, design, painting. In case you have the strength and skill to do this. Otherwise, it's better to seek help from professionals. You can also coat the construction with a solid layer of paint, choosing the color and highlighting the vault. Stencils, spray cans and brushes are the main tools in this choice of finishing. The drawbacks of painting include paint cost and possibility of coating deformation. Children can easily redraw and dirty with corrosive materials. Later this will cause inconvenience and additional costs.

Painting

The perfection and beauty of the arch decoration is represented by painting the arched vaults, which were passed down to us from ancient times. Painting was relevant for decorating and framing palace vaults, wealthy mansions, temples and tombs. Arches often received special attention since they accentuated attention and attracted the gaze. Today, painting arches at home is a laborious and expensive task. In rare cases, homeowners take on the job themselves. Invited specialists will help decide which print suits a particular interior, what background to create and how long the paint will last. The choice of the latter directly affects the quality of the work. Designers recommend not to skimp, so as not to have to redo the job twice.

Wallpaper

The simplest and most democratic option for finishing is the use of wallpaper. Here you can highlight additional advantages:

1. Wide variety and selection of patterns and textures;
   
2. Ease in application;
   
3. Affordable cost.
   
   

It is better to use durable and more flexible wallpapers, such as fleece, vinyl, cork. Designers recommend using so-called companion wallpapers. They have different patterns but a common background. This is a simple and effective color solution. For example, the external wall is recommended to be decorated with a pattern, and the arch opening - with striped or solid wallpapers. A stylish contrast is created that harmonizes with each other. There are also disadvantages to this type of finishing, among which: relative short lifespan, ease of damage.

Decorative Moldings and PVC Decor

Decorative moldings have adorned houses and apartments since ancient times. In the decoration of arches, they can create a refined, classical interior. A wide variety of patterns offers many choices for decoration. White color on the sides of vaults, columns with patterns enhance the construction. A backup option is to use polystyrene products. These are artificial finishing elements. They are lightweight and cost much less than moldings. They are easily attached using special glue.

Wood Veneer

Decorating with veneer is one of the most beautiful types of finishing in the world, especially for arched structures. It is important to plan from the beginning what type of wood will be used. Veneer is attached using a hot mixture, based on glue. On the second stage, the veneer is sanded. Then it is coated with special varnish. It is only on this final stage that all the characteristics of wood appear, and the characteristic color emerges. An arched structure decorated with wood looks solidly, for such finishing, sufficient area is required; otherwise, the construction will look disproportionate and "cut down" the space in the hallway. The disadvantage of wooden coating: moisture permeability, instability to sudden temperature changes.

Stained Glass, Mirror, Glass Coatings

By using glass materials for decoration, the arch gains lightness and effect in the hallway interior. There is a wide selection of color ranges, sizes of stained glass panels. It is easy to find the right shape by price and quality. Stained glass framing softens the strictness and everyday life. Semi-transparent, colored glasses with identical patterns on both sides will harmoniously fit into a classical interior. Technologies that provide uniqueness in creating glass, playing light in the interior due to coatings - all this can surprise and delight even the most experienced guest. Stained glass can be used in two ways: as a base for the entire structure or as an insert. The main advantages of arch decoration with stained glass can be highlighted:

1. Stained glass coatings are durable and strong;
   
2. Easy to clean;
   
3. Resistance to all influences, sunlight.
   

There are almost no drawbacks. The cost can vary depending on the manufacturing technology.

Decorating the arch vault with mirror tiles is also possible. Acrylic tiles are attached using special glue. Designers recommend choosing medium-sized tiles. This type of finishing adds light to the hallway room, visually expands and beautifies it.

Decoration and Styling

Arched openings can serve not only as an aesthetic decorative element in the hallway, but also fulfill certain functions. On glass shelves, which can decorate an arch, various small items and necessary things can find a place. This variant will allow you to save a lot of free space. Especially important for small apartments, where every centimeter counts. If the room is spacious enough, you can make more substantial shelves on both sides of the arch base. Then they can hold books, magazines, photo frames, vases with flowers, clocks, statues, a live flower, decorative plates.

A construction with built-in lighting will suit all stylistic directions and especially harmoniously look in the interior of a hallway. There is always not enough light there, no windows. The role of lighting is at the top. Professional decorators recommend embedding lighting into all materials from which an interior arch is built. It looks quite interesting to have built-in lights in a wooden structure. You can design unconventional built-in lights that will add elegance and refinement. The hallway becomes visually more spacious, bright, cozy.

Design: Anna Pavlovskaia

Tips for Care

Experts recommend using simple and practical tips for proper care:

• To wipe off dust and dirt, a slightly damp cloth and plain/mild soap water are needed;

• For wooden structures, furniture polish should be used;

• Wooden arches should not be covered with an additional layer of paint/varnish;

• Caring for the arch is not complicated and does not differ much from the rest of the furniture.

Installing an arched structure is not only a successful way to replace doors and expand living space. A beautiful interior arch can become a successful addition and decoration of an apartment.

A video shows the most popular and successful design variants of arches in interior spaces