Oct 11, 2023 3 min read in praise of

In praise of waviness

The weekly micro-decorating newsletter * Issue 4 of 13, F23 *
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One of the fastest ways to add some enjoyment factor to your home is to bring in something wavy. Meandering lines instantly evoke pleasure.

Need proof? Toronto's Yonge-and-Bloor cityscape provides a supersized example. Here's my balcony view of the condo that stands at the southeast corner:

Yonge and Bloor cityscape as seen from my balcony.

The chiselled curves running up the facade exert such a strong attraction that the building in front of it seems to be bulging in that direction.

From below, the effect is even more pronounced:

Condo building at Yonge and Bloor, as seen from below.

As you gape upwards, it feels like the building is lifting you to the heavens, your feet almost leaving the ground.

It's no surprise that marketers have long worked this sense of energetic uplift into the packaging of consumer goods, the ribbon-like forms of the Coca-Cola logo being the most ubiquitous example:

Two cans of Coca-Cola resting in a lot of ice cubes.

Even if you're fully aware of this graphic device, it still has a sneaky power. At Mrs. Huizinga, one of my favourite vintage shops, I was recently drawn to a pair of wavy candlesticks. In minutes they were in my hands, captured by instinct and on their way to the checkout. They've become fixtures in my living room, creating new shapes with every repositioning:

Thanks to Ransack the Universe, the same attraction brought a pair of stackable melamine ashtrays into my life:

Like rollercoasters for the eyes, these playful forms reward extended looking. Designed in 1967, they're deservedly recognized with inclusion in the Museum of Modern Art's permanent collection.

Vintage shops are just one route to waviness. Cruise through a contemporary furniture showroom and you'll find current designs whose curves are ready to entice. At Stylegarage on Ossington, for example, you'll find the Pond Mirror by Denmark's Ferm Living:

Mirror with curvy edges on display at Stylegarage.

Available in several sizes, it can be hung in different orientations, allowing you to discover just the right geometry for your space.

There's a more famous wavy mirror that has dominated social media for years now, Ultrafragola, designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1970. In Toronto, it's available through Studio Pazo for a sum that may make it best suited for well-heeled influencers.

Thankfully, the pleasure of waviness is available to anyone, for one thousandth of the price. Go to your local plant shop and pick up a fishbone cactus, whose gently serrated stems will launch a quiet rebellion against your home's perpendiculars.