The Knit Cozy Urban Harvest Brown and Oasis White All-Weather Patio Conversation Set ($129) - round and approachable, looking as if it's made of knitted yarn - can soften any outdoor space. It has a storage ottoman and two poufs.
Courtesy of Home Depot
What was straight now curves. What was hard is now soft.
There is a big shift happening in residential interiors right now - to a look that is comfortable, livable and most important, accessible.
Are we seeing the death of modern design, something many regarded as cold and suitable only for kid-free minimalists? Probably not, but this trend is one that warms up the modern look.
You'll see it in friendly curves on side-table edges, headboards, mirrors, chairs and especially lighting.
"People want almost a sanctuary space where they can decompress or chill out, and that goes to more pieces that have more rounded edges," says Lisa Puchalla of LilyMae Design in Washington, D.C. She notes that this is also a nod to classic design: "I think it's coming back around to having a space that's still sleek but also a little bit of that round feel, and maybe even more of a traditional feel."
However you spin it, this trend is good news for everyone - giving us all permission to mix a little bit of this and a little bit of that, put our feet up, and feel right at home.
Social media is opening up a new way for homeowners to learn about design. "We live in a Pinterest and Instagram world," says John Amell, the trend and design manager for Sauder, a furniture company that sells to retailers including Target. He says homeowners are starting with little vignette spaces that they can snap photos of for friends instead of, say, furniture sets. The laid-back rubber-wood Ivette Rounded Mirror Shelf ($139) is perfect for this, welcoming to any plants, knickknacks, beauty products or jewelry.
Courtesy of Urban Outfitters
While scouting for upcoming trends, John Amell, the trend and design manager for furniture company Sauder, first noticed the rounder forms coming out of Nordic and Scandinavian firms. One Danish designer, Thomas Bentzen, created a set of coffee tables consisting of circles that can be layered on top of one another in groups of two or more. The Around Side Table ($422) comes in subtle and not-so-subtle colors and finishes.
Courtesy The Modern Shop
"Spaces such as dining rooms and living rooms are usually square or rectangular and they have sharp corners," says Lisa Puchalla of Lily-Mae Design in Washington, D.C. "Incorporating round items in that space lends to making that room feel less like a box." The Boot Leg Dining Table ($750) has leather-wrapped, bent tube legs, ready for mixing and matching chairs.
Courtesy of Sauder Boutique
Justina Blakeney, blogger and author of "The New Bohemians: Cool and Collected Homes," designed a boho-friendly line carried by High Fashion Home, including the curvaceous Uttan Folding Chair ($259), a far cry from any straight-backed metal version. Leave it in the corner and pull it up to the dining table when you have extra guests.
Courtesy of High Fashion Home
There's no need to do a full-on redecoration every few years - and who can afford that anyway? Just add and take away a bit at a time until your interiors feel refreshed. If you're in need of a bookcase for a formal living room, for example, try the Arch Etagere ($405), whose shape will add a comfortable curve.
Courtesy of Lulu & Georgia
A removable tray makes the metal-finish Kapona Tray Table ($128) great for entertaining. The bottom even folds up. "Incorporating different textures into spaces is softening us, which I think is great, because it makes rooms feel more comfortable," says Lisa Puchalla of Lily-Mae Design in Washington, D.C.
Courtesy of Anthropologie
There is a place for investing in furniture that can withstand changing styles. The handcrafted Elke Glass Console Table ($799) is something beautiful that could be found in a midcentury home of yesterday and a minimalist home of today.
Courtesy of Crate & Barrel
The trend toward rounder forms in furniture and accessories started in lighting, says John Amell of the furniture company Sauder. You can see it in the turns of the Double Table Lamp ($379), designed by Cedar & Moss in Portland, Oregon, and available in brass or bronze. If you have a lot of chrome in your house, don't worry - mixing metals is cutting-edge.
Courtesy of Rejuvenation
If you have a room with a lot of squares and edges, add a round mirror. "Interest on the wall is important," says Lisa Puchalla of Lily-Mae Design in Washington, D.C., who likes Wisteria's Nouveau Sunburst Mirror ($399), hand-carved out of mango wood.
Courtesy of Wisteria