Inspiring Arched Doorway Ideas for Timeless Home Design

arched door opening inspiration via BHG

ALast year we moved into a compact 1950s house in Seattle, and over the past twelve months we planned a remodel for our galley kitchen. After considering several ideas, both large and small, we settled on a plan I’m excited about. Work finally began last week and the transformation is underway. (UPDATE: the kitchen is complete; see our galley kitchen reveal and the new arched doorways.)

We chose not to remove walls or relocate the kitchen. What felt right for this home, our family, and our budget was to enhance and work within the existing footprint.

The room has been cleared out to make way for new cabinets, flooring, counters, and appliances. The basic layout remains the same — window placement, appliance locations, doorways, and walls are largely unchanged — while the finishes and details are being refreshed.

UPDATE 2019: We later added two new archways in the kitchen, which changed the feeling of the space dramatically.

Arch Details / Kitchen Details

inspiration via Old Seagrove Homes

Living with the kitchen for a year before renovating gave us time to learn how the space functioned and where improvements would matter most. That extra time helped us prioritize changes that deliver the greatest benefit for the budget we set.

I’ve always appreciated small houses and the challenge of making existing spaces charming and livable. Designing this kitchen has been fun, and though the job is messy right now, it won’t be long before the nicer finishes go in and the room starts to show its new character.

This week the contractor removed the two interior doorways and began framing the new arched openings. The widths of the openings are constrained by the layout, so they won’t be radically wider, but the rounded tops will add a soft, architectural detail that changes the feel of the space.

Interestingly, our interior wood doors already feature an arched molding detail, so the new arched openings will echo an existing element in the home and create a cohesive look.

TRI Traci Rhoads Interiors

Doors can feel like a barrier between rooms, while open arched openings invite movement and visual connection. They create a graceful transition that encourages flow and softens the lines between living spaces.

Below are a selection of inspirational photos showing how arched openings influence kitchen design. While some examples are large and dramatic, they still illustrate the charm even modest arches can bring to a smaller home like ours.