Do indoor arches add value to a home? Real estate experts give their views

Indoor arches are having a revival – and with good reason. An architectural feature that instantly gives a home a bespoke and characterful look, an interior arch looks special without you needing to even do anything to it. 

Interior arches add a touch of vintage charm to modern living room ideas, kitchens, and hallways, and look even more gorgeous when accented with paint or wallpaper. But do indoor arches add value to a home when it comes to sell? Does their romantic appeal translate into attractive offers from home buyers? We've asked real estate experts to give their views. 

Do indoor arches add value to a home?

The short answer is: it very much depends on where you live. Indoor arches make a home more attractive to buyers regardless of the location, but it is UK home buyers who are generally prepared to pay more for them. Andrew Barker, Founder & CEO of HomeownerCosts, explains that an indoor arcj 'adds value to the home because it sometimes sets the theme of the whole house. Different arch designs convey different themes. Semi-circular arch gives off Spanish or Tuscan vibe to the home while the Gothic archway sets a more medieval theme within the home. Adding this touch can increase the value of the home in case you are planning to sell it. '

You will want to emphasise the arch to make the most of its value-adding potential and make it prominent if you are retro-fitting one: 'You can enhance or highlight this feature by strategically placing them across your house. Sometimes one to two arches are enough if that’s the best for the interior. Adding some torch light can also enhance this feature. However, most of the time, this feature will speak for itself.' 

Hallways are natural spaces for arches – see more hallway ideas in our gallery.

If you live in the US, indoor arches pay do less for your home value and more to the overall appeal of a home. US realtors often call this a 'perceived value' enhancing feature, and interior arches definitely fit the bill. As Kristina Morales, a realtor with over 20 years of professional experience, explains, 'an archway doesn’t add value to a home in and of itself the way that additional square footage or another bathroom does. However, anything that makes the house more marketable helps it to sell more quickly. Homes that sell more quickly sell for a higher price.' 

Arches announce a home as well built and durable as well as beautiful, which is highly valued by buyers: 'Along with updated kitchens and bathrooms, an arched opening makes the statement that the home will be functional for a long time to come.'

Kristina also emphasises the importance of carefully considering the existing design of a home if you are adding an arch: 'make sure that the style of the arch matches the style of the home. A contemporary look probably calls for a semi-circular arch. If the existing style is more formal, you should think about a soft arch. A cased opening with a soft arch at the top can separate areas in a large open space without chopping up the floorplan.'

Bill Samuel, a full time residential real estate investor that specializes in purchasing properties, rehabbing them and renting/selling them in the Chicago area, also doubts that an arch in an of itself will add value to a US home, but he does think that 'if your current home has arches already then I think that it would definitely be an additional feature appreciated for a buyer looking for a vintage style house.'

Whether your house is blessed with original interior arches or you're thinking of adding this attractive feature as part of a renovation, kitchen extension, or house remodel, consider the overall style of your home first, and consider any additional value as the cumulative effect of a successful interior design.