Arches in the apartment: old ideas in a modern design

Representatives of the older generation quite often use the expression: "Everything new is well forgotten old." This phrase very accurately describes the modern design direction, providing for the use of arches in the design of interiors of residential premises.

Arches (from the Latin term arcus - “arc”) are architectural elements that look like curved overlapping openings in the wall of a building or spans between two supports. Before they appeared in construction, special jumpers were used, based on two vertical posts. Arched structures, thanks to a curved arch, can withstand a significant load.

Even in ancient times, the houses of wealthy citizens, temple buildings and feudal castles were decorated with arches. It should be noted that in ancient Greece the erection of arches did not become popular, but the Romans very successfully used similar architectural structures to decorate buildings.

Each historical period left its mark on the architecture of buildings. At the same time, the appearance of the arches changed. At first, semicircular arches made of wedge-shaped stones were erected (such structures were very popular with the ancient Romans). Starting from the 7th century, lancet arches began to be used in eastern architecture. In the XII century, thanks to the crusaders' campaigns, fashion for such architectural structures came to Europe. In the construction of Christian churches in Old Russian architecture, as a rule, horseshoe-shaped and keeled arches were used.

Even a small digression into history allows us to judge that the construction of arched structures has long and firmly entered our lives. Let's try to find out what they are - modern arches, and what is their role in the architecture and design of the living quarters of our time.

There are many varieties of arched structures, classified according to various characteristics. In general, the following types of arches can be distinguished:

1. round (semicircular and segment);
2. three- and four-center;
3. triangular;
4. creeping (oblique);
5. three-lobed;
6. horseshoe-shaped;
7. lancet;
8. flat compressed;
9. concave;
10. elliptical;
11. keeled;
12. parabolic.

As you can see, there are many varieties of arches. However, those who plan to decorate their apartment with this element of decor should first of all decide what form of arch they need: active or passive. The simplest constructions are considered passive. These are just the options that you can implement yourself. Arches of complex intricate shape, opening a view of several rooms, the designers attribute to the active. The complexity of the arch depends, first of all, on the general idea of ​​arranging the apartment. Creating such an architectural structure on your own will be very difficult.

Firstly, arches allow avoiding standard solutions, which are famous for buildings built according to standard designs. Thanks to this architectural element, the room will change beyond recognition, will take an elegant and stylish look.

Secondly, arched structures enable homeowners to get rid of the doors in the room. There will be an opportunity to freely move from one room to another. Arches help visually expand the space and hide some of the flaws in the layout of the apartment.

Thirdly, arches are used not only for practical purposes, but also as decorations. Moreover: arched structures are the architectural element on which the overall design of the apartment depends.

Many apartment owners have already managed to appreciate this popular decoration material. Products from a natural tree or MDF perfectly "fit" into any interior.Such arches are quite strong and durable. They look very respectable, however, and cost a lot. Wooden arches have an impressive weight, and therefore can not be used in rooms with loose walls. It should be remembered that arched structures made of wood need constant care, since this material will dry up and crack over time, and is also exposed to wood insects.

To create such an arch, it is best to use trapezoidal bricks. The process of obtaining a brick arch construction is quite complicated: first the arch is laid out, then it is plastered, and only after that it is gypsum and painted. This type of decoration has one significant drawback: it is impossible to give an art form to a brick arch.

Making an arch from such a material is possible for any apartment owner. Due to the special qualities of drywall, you can get a design of any shape. The finished product is fixed using ceiling and arched profiles, and then is putty at the joints. Upon completion of all work, plasterboard arched structures are decorated with any suitable material or painted in the desired color. Among the advantages of using drywall is the relatively low cost of this material and the ability to use it in rooms with any quality of wall decoration. In addition, plasterboard arches can be decorated with additional shelves and spotlights.

To make such an arch is the easiest - for this it is enough to just put it on glue. Typically, structures of this type are glued using the same putty that is planned to be used for further finishing. To increase the strength of the arch, its surface is pasted over with a putty mesh. After waiting for complete drying, the arched structure must be sanded, and then painted or glued with a suitable decorative material.

Of course, every owner of the apartment, while decorating the arch, dreams about the finished design not only decorating the apartment, but also performing various additional functions.

Where is the best place to mount an arch? First of all, in the living room, hallway and hall. The combination of the living room and kitchen areas will create additional comfort in these rooms. A stunning effect can be obtained with the help of an arch erected between the loggia and one of the rooms. The arched design in the children's room will help to distinguish between zones of games and recreation. Modern designers find application in arches even in bedrooms - with their help, wonderful alcoves are created.

Sometimes arches are made in the form of a wide portal, occupying most of the wall. Most often, this option is used when combining the kitchen area and the living room. In this case, it is necessary to consider the following: the larger the arched structure, the stronger the adjacent rooms should correspond to each other in color.

Between the kitchen and the dining room it will be advisable to build a wide arch with a bar. In the rustic kitchen, the arched construction imitating a hearth looks good. Such an arch can be finished in stone or brick.

Fans of a modern style in the interior should come up with asymmetric and fantasy forms of arches, which are usually made of drywall. Such options will allow homeowners to fully express their individuality, giving dwellings expressiveness and originality.

As you know, for owners of small-sized apartments the issue of the functional use of free space is very acute. Arched structures in such rooms can be supplemented with wonderful shelves of various shapes.

Arches are an excellent solution for those living rooms where it is necessary to hide any flaws in the layout or to mask certain structures that cannot be dismantled.Most often, with the help of drywall arched structures, air vents, ventilation ducts and ceiling beams are “hidden”.

Years pass, new construction and decoration materials appear, the fashion for arched structures changes. But one thing remains unchanged - as before, there is no worthy alternative to arches. This means that elegant and stylish arched structures will please us with their original design for more than a century.