The architecture of Antoni Gaudi is instantly recognizable to anyone who’s ever visited Barcelona, the home of some of his most famous creations. His distinctive style and highly individual use of organic lines and shapes have firmly established him as a legend of the design world.
Despite still being unfinished – and after 131 years of construction– the Sagrada Familia cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage site, lovingly nicknamed the eighth wonder of the world by wonderstruck visitors.
Often, it’s the sheer scale of his strange structures and buildings that entrances fans and fellow architects alike, but besides from the magnitude of his projects, the hypnotic beauty of the curved lines remains one of the most popular features.
Research from the University of Toronto shows that a preference for curves over linear shapes is hardwired into our brains. It’s no wonder we can’t resist the entrancing charm of Gaudi’s work.
So, how do you go about incorporating elements of his captivating style into your designs and interiors? It all comes down to creating an organic and natural looking space, which you can easily accomplish with a few key features.
An earthy colour scheme
First things first concentrate on getting the colour scheme right. Gaudi never strayed far from earthy tones, with browns, oat beiges and burnt oranges forming the foundation of his palette.
Raw and untreated stone works well for this, also helping to increase warmth if used sparingly. Unfortunately, sticking too strictly to these basic shades can quickly wash out a space and dull the atmosphere, something Gaudi appears to have realised.
He used small details and tiles to add splashes of colour tobreak up the earthy tones, notably sea blues and turquoises, and you should follow his lead for an attractive overall look.
Forming natural lines
If you’re building from scratch, then it’s worthwhile considering designing curved walls or a more organically shaped roof, but don’t worry if budget concerns or local restrictions get in the way of your plans. Working within a traditional interior space can be just as effective.
Split up a large space with the addition of a curved interior wall. Wood is the ideal material to use for these elements – it’ll blend perfectly with your colour scheme, and construction methods can be made invisible with the use a high tack spray adhesive instead of disruptive metal fastenings.
You can then mimic the line and exaggerate the effect by buying circular furniture, from coffee tables to wraparound sofas.
Bring it to life with mosaics
Gaudi always brought character and fun into his buildings and sculptures, with bright, colourful and highly illustrative mosaics beingone of the liveliest elements of his work.
Whilst you might not want to go overboard on the mosaics in a home, small touches in unusual places can create some interest in otherwise bland spaces.
For example, staircases, alcoves and hallways offer a fun opportunity to make your own personal works of mosaic art.
Keep these three areas in mind when aiming for a Gaudi-inspired style and you can’t fail to get it right. For the sake of your budget, though, let’s hope that your designs don’t take as long to complete as the Sagrada Familia.