Often the interior passage in the apartment is not closed with a door, but left open. This allows you to elegantly combine the space and make the interior design of the rooms more elegant. To do this, you can purchase a finished design from typesetting elements or cut out individual parts with your own hands and then assemble everything into doorway. But how to make an arch yourself so that it looks even and beautiful? After all, there are a lot of materials and technologies for installation, you need to choose wisely.
designer arch
What arches can be installed in the apartment
Installation of the arched structure on site interior door can be done without the involvement of professional builders. You just need to choose the type of arch and materials for its manufacture. Following the step-by-step instructions below will help you avoid mistakes and make an arch with your own hands.
Arch curves can be the most bizarre
Design features and significant differences
In construction, arched structures are supports for the upstream elements of walls and structures. But in apartments, doorways to the corridor and between rooms are not load-bearing. In the first case, structural materials are selected based on serious external loads, and in the second they must withstand only their weight, coupled with the finish.
Arch with bar
The apartment door arch, installed instead of the door, is an element of interior design. Its frame can be made from a light profile for plasterboard or bars with a cross section of 20-30 mm. Such a design can easily withstand the weight of finishing materials. It is only necessary to firmly fix it on the walls so that the decor does not warp or fall off after a couple of weeks.
Reference! In private houses and city apartments, an open door arch between rooms performs an exclusively decorative function. Bearing loads in this case are assigned to the concrete walls on the side or a lintel above the opening.
Finished plastic arch
Forms of arched openings and their possibilities
There are many options for arranging interior arches in shape:
- "Classic".
- "Romance".
- "Modern".
- "Ellipse".
- "Trapeze".
- "Portal".
The most popular types of interior arches
The first option at the top has the shape of a regular semicircle, and the last one is performed with strict rectangular outlines over the entire height. The rest are intermediate versions between them. But other variations are possible with one side "support" or two curved racks.
The shape of the door arch and its design are chosen according to the design style of the room. This takes into account the height of the ceiling, the dimensions of the opening and the features of the premises on both sides. In some houses, classic shapes with the correct bend in the form of a semicircle will look perfect, while in others - a rectangular portal. This is more a matter of the taste of the owners of the house and the general style of the interior decor. Some even prefer cone-shaped contours.
- Classic variant it is recommended to choose only with high ceilings in the region of 3 meters and above.
- In typical panel high-rise buildings, it is better to decorate the entrance to the kitchen with the MODERN arch.
- For a wide doorway from the hall to the corridor, "ROMANCE" with large wide racks is more suitable.
- Rectangular "PORTAL" looks best in the interior, where the decoration is dominated by clear horizontal and vertical lines. A similar design option for a doorway is ideal for houses made of timber or logs. In such a dwelling, its rectangular corners will look elegant and as much as possible in the theme.
Classics in the interior
What to build a design opening with your own hands
To quickly make an arch in the doorway of an apartment, it is enough to purchase a set of typesetting elements made of plastic or laminated chipboard lumber. They must be cut to the desired height, and then fixed in place according to the instructions. But such options are standard and quite expensive. Plus - not every opening will be able to pick up a finished model with the right dimensions.
Components of the interior arch system
For the manufacture of panels of arched racks and arcs, you will need one of the following materials:
- drywall;
- plywood;
Advice! For sheathing the frame, it is better to choose drywall sheets. GKL in the future can be finished with a large number various materials. However thin plywood much easier to bend.
Finished veneered arch
The frame for the interior arch can be made:
- from a metal profile;
- from wooden bars 20x20 and 30x30 mm.
Brick decoration is ideal for joining a balcony
You can also make an arch instead of a door from concrete, brick or aerated concrete blocks, and only then ennoble them with one or another finishing material. But these options are more likely for lovers of capitality and solidity. Plus they weigh a lot, in old apartments apartment buildings nothing can be built from them.
The use of metal is limited not only by its weight, but also by its high cost. The manufacture of metal structures of complex shape at home is a project that is very difficult to implement in practice. It is easiest to work with drywall and a profile for it on your own with your own hands.
Step-by-step instructions for self-assembly
The following photos and recommendations will allow even a novice master to cope with the improvement of the doorway. To do this, you first need to create a frame, and then sheathe it and decorate it. Everything can be done with your own hands, you just need to do everything consistently and without errors.
Plasterboard arch scheme
Preparing the doorway
- First, the canvas and the frame of the existing door are dismantled (if it exists and stands still).
- Then the opening is expanded to the planned dimensions.
- Plastering cut walls under the frame is not worth it, they will still be covered with sheathing. It is enough to trim them and remove everything that can fall off (plaster, pieces of concrete, falling out bricks). The main thing is that the carrier profile can be fixed securely and in a strictly vertical position without tilting.
- If a backlit design is planned, then it is necessary to pre-wire.
- Measurements are always taken at several points of the opening, so as not to miscalculate with the dimensions.
- If the walls are uneven, then the thickness of the racks (arch depth) is selected according to the thickest place.
- To simplify marking and cutting sheet material for sheathing an arched frame, it is necessary to make a full-size template from cardboard. This will allow you to avoid mistakes and see in advance how the contours of the structure being formed will look like.
Important point! The upper part of the arch takes about 10–15 cm from the height of the doorway. At least 20 cm should remain from it to the ceiling. When calculating and marking, these figures must be taken into account.
Mounting rails
Creating a Structural Frame
- To make a frame for the arch, you first need to create a main contour around the perimeter of the opening from the profile, fixing it to the walls.
- Then the upper curved part will be fixed on it. frame system. Sometimes only a curved element is made from above, but this is possible only with perfectly even slopes.
- Vertical guides in the doorway are mounted with an indent from the plane of the interior wall by the thickness of the drywall sheet plus 2 mm to the subsequent plaster on top of it.
- After plastering, you should get a single Smooth surface.
- On each side and at the top of the created arch, you will need to fix two such profiles parallel to each other.
Advice! If the walls are made of wood, then self-tapping screws are enough to fix the guides, but in the case of concrete or brick, dowel screws are required. The step between fasteners should not exceed 30 cm.
If the arch columns are made of small thickness, then two arcs can be safely replaced with a wide profile. All manipulations for cutting and bending in this case are carried out in a similar way. However, transverse installation will no longer be needed. When used instead of a profile of wooden bars, the frame for the arch is made using a similar technology. Only the original carrier material changes frame structure.
Two ways to fold drywall sheet
Rough frame trim
After completing the assembly of the arch frame, all that remains is to mount a plasterboard or wood board on it. To give plywood or fiberboard the desired shape, they will have to be pre-moistened, fixed on the template and steamed with a hot iron.
Ideally, you need to use a special arched drywall, reinforced on both sides with non-woven fiberglass. It is enough to knead it in the longitudinal direction and give desired shape.
There are two ways to bend a regular drywall sheet: wet and dry.
- wet technology provides for soaking the back side of the GKL with water and gradually bending it on a template of the required shape with fixation on it. This process is lengthy, haste can lead to rupture of the cardboard layer of the sheet. And it is possible to install and fasten the resulting part with self-tapping screws on the arch frame only after the gypsum has completely dried.
Advice! It is possible to speed up the process of moisturizing GKL to give it elasticity with the help of a spiked roller.
- The dry method involves the application of parallel cuts on one side of the sheet, which affect the plaster and the upper outer layer of cardboard. But the front cardboard layer remains intact. The bend turns out to be even and regular in shape.
Installation of the main element of the arch
Cutting sheet material is best done with a jigsaw. When using a hacksaw, the cutting edges will certainly turn out to be less even. The sheathing is fastened with self-tapping screws in increments of 5-6 cm. After fixing it, the edges of the plasterboard and plywood sheets. And then a special plastic corner with perforation.
Fastening GKL
Putty for perfect surface leveling
The next stage of finishing the drywall arch is a primer and putty. After applying the first, you must wait until it dries. And for the reinforcement of the second layer, a fiberglass mesh is used. The corners are also reinforced and leveled with a grid.
Edges must be even
Surface putty
Putty joint with the wall
mesh reinforcement
Edge reinforcement with mesh
Next, a third finishing layer is applied. Hardened after 10-2 hours, the putty is subjected to grinding sandpaper to remove excess, to make the surface as smooth as possible. There should not be any protruding caps of self-tapping screws or dents on it.
This should be the arch
Decorating the structure and design techniques
You can finally decorate the arch in the apartment with your own hands and make it beautiful:
- painting in color with walls;
- wood paneling or plastic panels;
- wallpapering or veneer;
- finishing with a decorative stone on a plaster basis;
- decoration with mosaics and mirrors;
- decorating with stucco or finished columns.
Simple backlit finish
Materials in the finishing of the interior arch are used both natural and artificial. The choice here depends on the overall design idea for the design of the apartment interior. To refine the doorway, you can use polyurethane moldings and even textiles. All options are acceptable, as long as they are in harmony with the surrounding decor.
Shelves in the design of the arched passage to the corridor
The framing of clinker columns looks original and stylish. decorative stone. Handmade installation will take time and diligence, but the result will surely please the master. The uniqueness of the apartment in a similar way decoration guaranteed.
Decor with artificial stone
arch decoration natural wood will bring solidity and grace to the house, and the mosaic pattern invented by the owners will make the decor unique. The main thing is not to overdo it with the design, making the design a tasteless jumble of elements. different styles. All interior details should harmonize and complement each other.
Stucco columns in archway with wide walls
Often the usual painting in white or Brown color enough to complete the design, making the arch beautiful and elegant with your own hands. However, some require built-in lighting and additional decorative elements in accordance with the style chosen for the apartment. It will take more time to finish the arched opening, but it's worth it.
Decor corner and wallpaper
It is not difficult to install and arrange an interior arch instead of a door on your own. For work, it is enough to have metal scissors, a screwdriver and a hacksaw in the house. But if there is no experience with these tools, it is better to trust professional installers.
Modern repairs require large investments both to pay for materials and to directly perform tasks. It is no wonder that many are trying to save money by performing various processes on their own, it only benefits from this. For example, an arch in an apartment with your own hands will cost much less, and the realization that all this has been done by you will warm your soul.
Creating various architectural and design solutions, you not only create unique elements design, but also work with the ergonomics of the room itself. It is known that rounded corners are better perceived and add a visual component of coziness to any room. That is why this method was used in various ancient buildings. Rectangular plots today are simply an attempt to implement more economical solutions, since mass construction does not favor individual solutions.
What are the arches?
Before the arch in the apartment, it is worthwhile to figure out what, in general, such a solution is. As a rule, an arch is called any opening that does not have a door. This, of course, goes against the opinion of many users, for whom such a solution contains only a semicircular ending. In fact, there are not so few types of arches:
If you decide to create a really cozy and high-quality design in the apartment, then you will most likely have to make an arch. The price for such work ranges from 2000 to 4000 rubles. It cannot be called too high, since various modern materials allow you to make such processes very quickly and. However, you can save money by doing everything yourself, of course, if you have the knowledge and abilities for such work.
How to make an arch in your apartment?
How to make an arch? First you need to decide on the type of construction so that it exactly matches the chosen design of the entire apartment. After that, it is worth starting the choice of materials.
One of the best ingredients to create such a design there will be a drywall sheet. It is very easy to process and you do not need any tools to create a curved section. special devices. It will be possible to limit yourself to a hacksaw, and better - a jigsaw. Of course, there are other materials, but working with them requires a special approach and takes longer and is more difficult.
In order for all the work to be done correctly, you first need to mark all areas. Determine the radius of the rounding, the beginning of the curved section and the points where it will pass.
Then, along the predicted contour, a profile for mounting a drywall sheet is attached. Please note that when measuring, it is necessary to take into account not only the shape, but also the thickness of the material to be mounted, so as not to get sections protruding from the wall later.
When the installation of the profile is completed, and, therefore, the frame is ready on both sides of the opening, it is necessary to cut out the necessary sections from the plasterboard sheet, which will create the arched transition. Finished pieces of material are fixed on the frame, and general form structures will already be approximately visible.
The final phase of the rough assembly will be the fastening of the arcuate section between the arched transitions. The same drywall will act as the material. By the way, if the bend is very steep and there is a possibility that the sheet will crack, soak it in water, then its flexibility will increase.
Having fixed this site, we can consider all the work almost completed. It remains only to fix the forming corners and seal all the seams, and then carry out finishing those materials that are best suited for the design of your room.
All such work is possible, or you can invite specialists for these purposes - this decision must be made by you personally, because there is no particular difficulty in such work, but it cannot be called very simple either.
Video on how to make an arch in an apartment with your own hands
In addition, even small deviations from the desired dimensions can cause various distortions, so if you are making an arch in an apartment for the first time, be prepared for the fact that the process may have to be repeated until a high-quality result is achieved.
If this method is difficult for you, you can make an arch of bricks, aerated concrete blocks, and even apply PVC film as in stretch ceilings. Use any technology that is more convenient or available to you in order to make the most attractive design in your apartment.
And why not leave an open doorway instead?
The fact is that rectangular structures hanging over your head create strong psychological discomfort. It is much more pleasant for us to see towering vaults above us, which resemble the bent crowns of trees in a park or sea waves. There are no rectangles in nature, all lines are natural, lively and streamlined. Therefore, since ancient times, architects have sought to repeat natural lines so that a person in any building feels calm and protected.
Types of arches
There are arches of various types. Separately distinguish the classic arch. It has not changed its shape for centuries. The classic arch has a radius equal to half the width of the opening and characteristic decorative elements. The perimeter of the opening has a trim made of stucco or similar materials. In the center of the vault, the arch forms a kind of decorative element - a capstone. The side parts of such an arch are often made in the form of columns, on which the base and capitals are clearly visible. The classic arch is always appropriate in the appropriate interiors.
In styles that are not related to the classics, the following types of arches are most popular:
- Gothic - formed by two arcs that intersect under acute angle and look like an arrow.
- Moroccan - strongly elongated in the center. This type of arch is common in Spanish and Moorish architecture.
- Oriental or Arabic style arches are characterized by an opening in the form of an onion or keel of an inverted boat. This type finds its application in the architecture of India and the Muslim countries of the Near and Middle East. Echoes of the style can be seen in ancient Russian religious buildings.
- Modern is different unusual shapes, among which asymmetry is popular.
Modern democratic style allows the most unexpected forms and design finds. Widely used asymmetry, mixing styles and materials for decoration.
Bring to life any design idea allow new construction and Decoration Materials- drywall, which is mounted on a frame made of wood or a metal profile. These materials do not require the involvement of specialists with professional tools.
All work on the installation of drywall arches is easy to do on your own.
Arch as a way of zoning
Creating an interior arch is a convenient and practical way of zoning space. With its help, you can both highlight separate zones in one room or studio apartment, and combine small rooms into one.
Most often, arches are arranged in hallways, removing the door that darkens the room. A small hallway in this case visually merges with the next room, especially if the same finishing materials were used for them. For example, the same tiles are laid on the floor in the hallway and in the kitchen, and the room is separated with laminate or parquet. If a separate room is allocated for the dining room in an apartment or house, interior arch between her and the kitchen would be much more appropriate, since the hostess will often have to walk between them with dishes in her hands.
When combining a balcony or loggia with a room, decorate the doorway in the form of an arch.
By building regulations demolish the carrier outer wall is prohibited, and the device of the arch will allow you not to break the rules and give zest to the interior. Below we will describe how to make an arch in a doorway.
If the arch will stand in a room with high humidity, you should purchase the appropriate drywall - its green sheets. regular material in conditions of high humidity in a few years will lose its shape.
We build an arch with our own hands
Such an arch is easy to create in any room - in the kitchen, hallway or living room. If you have very little experience in finishing works, we suggest you make an arch with your own hands using step-by-step instructions and photos.
Prepare your tools ahead of time:
- scissors for metal work;
- knife;
- roulette;
- putty knife;
- grater or grout;
- joiner's square;
- pencil.
Materials:
- drywall or wood blocks
- metallic profile;
- plywood sheet;
- self-tapping screws for drywall;
- putty and plaster;
- paper tape.
Also, do not forget about personal protective equipment - goggles and a respirator.
When everything for work is prepared and a place for the future arch is chosen, the doorway should be measured. Given the size of the opening, draw the desired shape of the arch on the drywall sheet. This stage is the most responsible, so you should approach it seriously. A curve of the desired radius can be drawn by screwing a self-tapping screw into the drywall with a rope tied to it. The length of the rope should be equal to the length of the radius. When the contours of the arch are drawn on a sheet of drywall, do not forget the old rule:
Seven times measure cut once.
Cut the future arch along the contours with a jigsaw or a special drywall hacksaw. Carefully secure the sheet before cutting so that it does not move. Once the drywall has been cut, it can be set aside. It's time to make the frame. As we remember, it is made from a metal profile or wooden beam. The frame from the profile is more suitable for brick walls, and bars for wooden.
Installation of a metal frame
In order to make a drywall arch, first mount its frame. Guides are cut out of the profile desired length and fix on the wall as shown in the photo.
If the profile is attached to a concrete wall, holes must be drilled in it and dowels hammered in with a hammer, into which self-tapping screws are then screwed. For fastening the profile to wooden wall use self-tapping screws with a length of at least 4–5 cm. The optimal distance between them is 10–12 cm.
After fixing the guides, measure the profile segment for the lower edge of the arch. Since the arch has a curved shape, the profile segment will also have to be bent. To do this, its sides are cut with scissors for metal and carefully bent, each time trying on the cut out part of the drywall arch. This process looks like this: 
Next, the bent part is attached to the rails either directly or using direct hangers, as in the drawing below. 
Suspensions are needed for rigid fastening of the lower part of the arch. Next, the side parts of the arch, cut out of drywall, are screwed to the frame. The easiest way to do this is with a screwdriver. 
Then, at several points, jumpers should be installed connecting both side walls arches.
Installation of a wooden frame
If it is decided to make an interior arch made of wood, then first you need to determine the thickness of the wooden bars. Measure the width of the opening and subtract the thickness of the plywood and drywall from it, the resulting figure will be the thickness of the bar. Using a jigsaw, cut out the sides of the arch from plywood.
Fasten the entire structure with self-tapping screws. It should turn out something like this.
Installation of the lower part of the arch
After installing the side parts of the arch, it was the turn to sew up the opening from below. Using a tape measure, measure the length and width of the bottom and draw it on drywall. Since the lower part has a curved shape, the material will have to be bent. To do this, draw parallel lines across the strip with a pencil. The distance between them should be about 10 cm.
Cut the paper along the lines with a knife. Attach the drywall to the bottom of the arch with the notches facing up and gradually shape it into the desired shape with smooth, slow movements.
When bending drywall, do not apply too much force so that the material does not break.
Next, align the edges and fix the bottom with self-tapping screws. 
After fixing the lower part, use a knife to clean up any bumps on the drywall.
Arch finishing
In order for the joints and attachment points of the self-tapping screws not to shine through, they are glued paper tape or masking tape. Level with putty in several layers and grind each layer with an abrasive of the desired grain size. For puttying use acrylic putty for internal works or special for drywall. Putty is applied with a spatula and leveled with grout.
If in the process of breaking the doorway from concrete wall large pieces broke off, plaster is used. Unlike putty, it can be applied in a thick layer. After the plaster has dried, the surface is leveled with a thin layer of putty.
To prevent cracking, a mounting grid is strengthened over the putty.
Lastly, a finishing layer of putty is applied to cover the mesh. After drying, the surface should be thoroughly cleaned. If the mesh is still visible after drying, another layer of material is applied. The result should be a perfectly flat white surface. 
Now the interior arch, made of drywall with your own hands, is ready for decorative finishing.
Examples of using arches in design
See the best and beautiful examples plasterboard arches in interior design. 
An arch of complex shape with shelves connects the room with a balcony.
Lamps are mounted in this arch between the room and the hallway. It turned out to be a spacious and bright room.
In the next photo, the arch leads to the kitchen instead of the door. 
In the hallway, all doors are replaced by arches. 
The photo clearly shows how the creation of an interior arch ennobles the room and emphasizes the beauty of the interior
Installing a prefabricated arch in a simple way - video
You can make an arch in the doorway in various ways. Each of them is selected based on a specific situation. It is necessary to take into account the construction skills that House master and financial possibilities.
It is worth noting that it is possible to qualitatively install an arch in a doorway with your own hands only when all the features of this design are taken into account. The fact is that this type of finish has its pros and cons.
The advantages include the following aspects:
- Visual increase in space. In this case, two factors are combined at once. The first is that an opening without a door unites two rooms, this erases some existing border. The second is based on the shape of the structure.
- Great option for zoning. Indeed, the arch can be an excellent solution to the problem, which is to divide a single area.
- Nice decorative look. This design can be a decoration of any interior. It should be taken into account that overall design should be harmoniously thought out.
We must not forget about the existing shortcomings. They lie in the fact that a feature of this product is openness, since there is no door leaf. Therefore, there is a complete lack of sound insulation, the penetration of foreign odors, if we are talking about the border with the kitchen area.
When making an arch, you should think about the fact that the feeling of security will disappear.
Existing Options
What is the peculiarity of installing an arch in a doorway? The point is that there are different kinds construction data:
- Ellipse. It is believed that this configuration is classical. It is made round. All transitions are very smooth.
- Round. This option allows you to expand the opening. This method is suitable for cases where zoning is required.
- Trapeze. Assumes no rounded areas.
Arch - various types of structures On a note! You can often hear that the arch and the portal are two different architectural elements. In fact, the portal is the most simple solution arched structure. It is made in the form of a rectangle, sometimes complemented by rounded corners.
Features of the construction of arches
You can make an arch in several ways, but you need to consider the height of the openings.
For low openings
This method of creating an arch is that the surface is pre-marked. The marked area is cut out (hollowed out).
The general technology is:
- The opening is being dismantled. Deleted old box. Part of the crumbling plaster is removed.
- The height of the future structure is determined. Lines are drawn along the two vertical sides. They must be equal and executed exactly at a given height.
- To obtain the radius of the arch, the available width is measured. This value is divided in half.
- Between uprights a horizontal line is drawn. It should be located at a level that will correspond to the beginning of the rounding.
On a note! It is important to consider that the distance to the ceiling should not be less than 30 cm.
- The center is marked on the drawn line. A self-tapping screw is screwed in. A cord is tied to the screw, which must be equal to the specified radius. A pencil is attached to the end of the rope. This tool marks the bend.
- According to the existing markup, cropping is performed. If the wall is strong enough, then slotting is performed. To facilitate the work, pre-drilling is done.
It is necessary to comply with the requirements for the construction of the arch Thus, the necessary form is obtained. Next, it should be carefully processed. This is done by grinding. The resulting structure is processed with putty or plaster. They can serve as a finishing material.
For high openings
The door arch can also be done in a different way. It lies in the fact that drywall and a metal profile are used as the main material. The technology assumes that everything will be done according to an existing opening. The following actions are performed:
On a note! The created crate should be drowned to the thickness of the GKL boards used. Small errors are possible. They are easily fixed with plaster.
On a note! If you need to install the arch very quickly, the best solution would be to use the finished structure. These products are made from various materials and have standard configurations.
After all the procedures, an almost finished design is obtained. It is only required to install a fragment of the GKL plate, which will close the open arcuate space. The procedure is as follows:
- The curvature is measured.
- The resulting size is transferred to drywall.
- The required fragment is cut out.
- This part needs to be bent. To do this, it is cut with wrong side on stripes.
- Carefully put in place and fix.
Finished plasterboard arch The completed design needs additional decorative trim. It should be noted that drywall makes it quite easy to do the arch with your own hands. If wood is used as a material, then it is necessary to have sufficient experience in order to properly process and install such a product.
Fiberboards and plywood are used as substitutes for GKL boards.
Often, plywood is used to create arched openings, instead of drywall There are some tips to help you get a beautiful arched opening:
- The general appearance of the arch should match the interior design.
- To get more original design- it is made out from different sides individually.
- Existing communications should be laid in advance.
Summarizing the above, it can be noted that there are various ways to do door arch. You just need to be patient, as well as adhere to certain rules and recommendations. Then everything will definitely work out.
Everyone can decorate this element of the interior with their own hands. The shape of the arched opening is practically not limited by anything other than fantasy, but quite often the owners of apartments during repairs are limited only to painting the plasterboard elements of the arch. Such designs look rather boring, a feeling of incompleteness is created. If the main style of the room is not minimalism, then the arch can be turned into a unique decorative element that emphasizes the integrity of the interior.
Possibilities of decorative arches
With the help of arches you can make small room more spacious, and in a large one to make effective zoning. This architectural element in the apartment performs several functions at once:
- Space saving and its visual increase.
- Simultaneous functional separation of adjacent rooms and their visual unification.
- Creating a certain atmosphere in the house, emphasizing its style.
Types of decorative arches
Most often, arches are made of drywall. Flexible and plastic drywall allows you to quickly create a structure of almost any shape with your own hands. finished item has a high aesthetic value. A drywall arch can be subsequently lined with almost any material, including wood, stone (most successful examples can be seen in the photo).
Arched openings can be conditionally divided into two types:
- Active - have a complex shape that provides maximum visibility to neighboring rooms, they themselves can decorate the interior.
- Passive - simple in form, often serve as a border.
Advice! It is desirable to determine the shape of the arch even before the repair, as well as its subsequent design.
Simple passive arches include:
- Classic - with the correct radius of the arc. Optimal for any interior.
- Ellipsoidal - the arc can be in the form of a regular or irregular oval.
- Modern - an arc with a pronounced rise.
- Romance - the arc is cut off at the top, but rounded on the sides.
- A portal is a rectangular opening.
Complex actives include:
- Oriental.
- Lancet.
- Horseshoe.
- Trapezoidal, etc.
Such arches can have uneven or curly edges, be located on several levels, twist from one room to another.
Arch decor
The arch is primarily a part of the wall, respectively, when designing it, one should build on the decoration of the latter. The architectural element must harmoniously fit into the interior, be part of it. If there are several arches in the apartment, then they must correspond to the design of the room, be of the same shape or from the same materials.
Advice! The wider the arched opening, the more attention should be paid to its design, color and stylistic matching of adjacent rooms.
Finishing materials
Depending on the style of the room and the arch itself, you should select the material for its design.
Paint, wallpaper, decorative plaster – the simplest option do-it-yourself design of an arched opening. An element decorated with such materials practically does not stand out in the interior. The color of the coating on the walls and the inside of the arch may differ, if this does not contradict the style of the room.
Tree - noble, durable material. Most appropriate for interior decoration in classical style. Ideal for simple designs.
Polyurethane molding - with its help, you can decorate an arch of any shape and style with your own hands: from minimalism to baroque. The opening can be decorated with polyurethane columns, figured or flat moldings, all kinds of rosettes, bas-reliefs - the material has practically no restrictions in shape. Initially, white elements can be painted in any color with acrylic paint.
Stone - natural or artificial. Due to the variety of textures and colors, it can be used to decorate arches of different styles and shapes.
Ceramics - tiles or mosaics can cover both the entire arch and its individual parts.
Glass - these can be blocks installed in the entire height of the opening, at different widths, with a ladder. This design of arches in high-tech style looks impressive. Often there is a design of arched openings using stained glass windows and colored glass, such elements are ideal for modern style.
Decoration of the arch with artificial stone
When decorating arches is widely used fake diamond. This material is durable and aesthetic, it can imitate any natural analogue, which can be seen in numerous photos in magazines and the Internet. Natural stone, of course, can also be used for cladding, but the arch must be located in the opening bearing wall or monolithic partition. Drywall simply cannot withstand such a load, so it is better to use light ones for it. artificial materials. Besides a natural stone is quite expensive.
Advice! For lining arches made of drywall with your own hands, it is better to use light and flexible acrylic tiles. Its surface can imitate the texture of any stone and other materials.
