There’s a decades-old, once-trendy furniture design that’s coming back in style, but Joanna Gaines has been tuned into it for years. Back in 2021, in Episode 3 of “Fixer Upper: Welcome Home,” a homeowner requested a kitchen island and Gaines knew exactly what to do, unveiling an unusual curved shape you’ll want in your own home. The celebrity designer transformed the tight, colorless kitchen with a bold, teal, curved island that was not only stylish, but incredibly functional. The idea for the round island came from the kitchen’s old cabinets, which bent inward and outward to hug the corners of the room. 

Curved lines first had their moment in interior design in the ’20s and ’30s with the Art Deco movement, or more specifically, its Streamline Moderne sub-movement. They were inspired by the aerodynamics and speed of transportation, tied, for one, to the Golden Age of airplanes. A different kind of flight inspired this style’s resurgence in the ’60s and ’70s. Known as the Space Age aesthetic, this retro-futuristic look was all about channeling high-tech spaceships and the moon itself. Today, curvy furniture is less about speeding up than it is about slowing down. Smoothing sharp corners makes any place feel softer and more inviting. And that’s exactly what Gaines was going for with this island. On her Magnolia Realty blog, she reflected on how its “rounded corners [enhanced] the soft bungalow feeling of the house.”

You might think your kitchen is too small for an island, but, if you love this design, you don’t have to compromise. Smaller islands like this unconventional Joanna Gaines design don’t take from the space — they add to it. In a purely functional sense, they are a genius and simple way to gain extra counter storage space in your kitchen, and, in this particular model, seating, too. The “Fixer Upper” host made the most out of this piece with a short, partial overhang that allows enough legroom for a quick meal and gathering guests around the kitchen. The curved shape is the cherry on top, bringing freedom of movement and less bruises from bumping into pointy edges — an ideal choice for the specificities of the room. 

Of course, islands aren’t just handy — they’re design centerpieces, whose placement in the middle of the kitchen immediately attracts attention. As focal points, they’re “a place to bring in character,” suggested Gaines (per Magnolia Realty). Lean into that by going for bold colors and unexpected forms that will add personality to a tiny space. “Because it’s a focal point that’s balanced by the rest of the kitchen, it can be bolder than the rest of the room,” she added. The deep, contrasting color and trendy curved lines of this memorable example work wonderfully with the remaining cabinets’ classic, simple, all-white look. Style meets function in the most satisfactory way!