Top Design Trends: Chubby Furniture and Neotenic Design

If you’ve been looking at furniture trends or popular Interior Design styles, you may have come across the terms “Neotenic Design,” “Chubby Furniture,” “curved furniture,” “fat furniture,” or “puffy furniture.” These terms have taken center stage in conversations from brands and designers worldwide. But what do they even mean?

Let’s back up for a second before we get into these trending design terms…

The word “Neotenic” comes from the zoological term, “Neoteny,” meaning, “the retention of juvenile features in adult animals.” A couple examples are short chubby legs on dogs or tiny pointy ears on cats – the kind of things that are just too cute to handle. To put it in another perspective, think of babies and their big eyes or squishy, gotta-touch-me baby rolls. These features easily catch interest and trigger emotions, inviting a sense of playfulness, curiosity, and pure joy. You’ve probably experienced a few of these moments… the kind of moments where you just can’t help but touch or squeal at the sight of such cuteness.

So how does all of this fit into interior design?

Experts Know Best

The Eclipse Armchair Major interior design publications like Architectural Digest and Italian Bark have deemed “the curved furniture trend” one of the top design trends for 2022 and beyond. After experiencing a few recent challenging and uncertain years, many of us desire more simplicity, comfort, and things that genuinely make us happy. Chubby, plump furniture has become the soft place to land for those who have given their living space a refresh in the last couple years, while also serving as a room’s piece of creative appeal.

Chubby furniture is like a form of self-care with individual expression. We’re living in a world where things don’t always have to match or fit the mold, where it’s okay to be loud and a little offbeat, and designers are embracing this idea more than ever with plump, puffy furniture.

Element of Emotion

White boucle modern chair with cloud-like texture.

Barney Chair Neotenic design and fat furniture use certain elements that reflect childlike traits and inspire feel-good emotions. Think bold shapes, plump, soft, balloon-like features, and rounded edges… the kind of qualities that emphasize creativity and youthful energy. Cute things make humans happy and the curved furniture trend highlights that idea with unexpected, satisfying, bold shapes. These exaggerated forms of design offer a sense of comfort in more than just a functional way – they’re inviting to look at and engage with. Chubby furniture is welcoming, gentle, and has an overall relaxed feel. And although these furniture pieces are inanimate objects, the emotional response to this type of design is whimsically inspiring and heartening.

Engaging Appeal

A living room set with curvy modern chairs in blue and sand colors plus glass coffee table.

Fred Chair Designers like Milloze are creating unique furniture with rounded edges, making it effortless for the eyes to naturally engage with its shape. It’s easier to follow a curved line than a straight line since sharp corners cause abrupt pauses. When a line changes direction, it alters the path your eyes are on, whereas rounded shapes allow for the eyes to stay on track in a fluid motion. Softly structured, plush furniture can add great forms of contrast and balance to any modern space. In many cases, these bold pieces become polished statement pieces and the favorite seats in the house. Chubby, curved furniture turns a home into a minimalistic, modern art space with the perfect accent of artistic flair.

Fat Furniture Favorites

There are all kinds of neotenic designs that are making their mark in the land of chubby furniture, including the collection from Milloze. Milloze is creating furniture design like that of Mario Bellini, maker of modern coffee tables and other figure furniture, which are becoming top interior designer picks. Milloze furniture is designed to inspire and add pops of personality with an ultra-unique, comforting appeal. With big, bold, expressive shapes and eye-catching, feel-good textures, Milloze offers its own style of curvy furniture that can playfully elevate your space.

Here are five top-selling Milloze pieces:

Close up image of modular seating l shape sectional sofa in grey linen.

Pebbles Sofa – Simple sophistication designed for any space. The Pebbles Sofa offers a clean, soft look that adapts to your lifestyle.

Valsheep – A one-of-a-kind seat for one-of-a-kind you. With soft, stand-out texture and a unique, bold shape, The Valsheep is a joyful addition to any room.

The Adara – With soft curves, cloud-like cushions, and an ultra tactile upholstery, this bouclé sofa is a definite 10. Embrace a monochrome moment with pillows that match, too.

Close up of bright yellow modern sofa and round glass coffee table. Bambam Sofa – Furniture is personal, so each piece should be as unique as you. The Bambam Sofa has an infectious vibrancy, sleek shape, and all-around positive vibes.

A moon-shaped beige boucle sofa and matching armchair with low coffee table.

The Eclipse – Embrace a celestial mood with The Eclipse. Its modern material, shape, and size make this sofa a focal point of inspiration.

Inspired to give your space a refresh with other types of modern furniture? Take a look at a Variety of Accent Chairs and Coffee Tables that can seamlessly upgrade the look of your home.