You may not have known the name for it until now, but you have almost certainly seen it. Furniture that looks gently inflated, lamps with softened, almost swollen silhouettes, chairs that feel more sculpted than structured. Known formally as “neotenic” design, or colloquially as “chubby,” this aesthetic is currently colonising interiors, fashion and even technology. And, as with most aesthetic shifts, it does not exist in isolation. There is a broader cultural softening underway, one that favours comfort, tactility and emotional resonance over rigidity and restraint.
At its core, neoteny is less a design invention and more a biological reflex. The concept actually stems from Kindchenschema, a term coined by ethologist Konrad Lorenz in the 1940s to describe the features we associate with infants, such as large eyes, rounded limbs and soft contours, which instinctively trigger a nurturing response in humans. The architectural logic is simple: we are biologically programmed to seek out the curve. The appeal of a rounded edge is visceral; we are hardwired to respond to forms that feel approachable rather than severe.
“Rounded forms are instinctively attractive to us because they echo the language of the body,” explains Lara Bohinc, founder of Bohinc Studio, whose work often explores curving, sculptural forms. “A swollen curve, a soft volume, especially in exaggerated proportion, feels familiar in a very physical way. There is an almost biological recognition happening before we even think about it intellectually.” Bohinc’s most recent collection, Anima, explores cocooning, landscape-like forms, building on a wider body of work that includes the patisserie-inspired spheres of Afternoon Tea, the bodily, silhouettes of Peaches, and the cell-like, organic structures seen in Utopia.
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“In interiors right now, where people are seeking environments that feel personal and lived-in, these forms offer a kind of visual warmth that’s hard to achieve through stricter design languages,” say Angus and Charlotte Buchanan, co-founders of Buchanan Studio. “There’s something inherently intuitive about rounded, exaggerated forms, they feel approachable and immediate in a way that sharper, more rigid silhouettes often don’t.” Exaggerated proportions and rounded forms have the ability to elicit a subtle uplift in mood, not unlike the response we have to something overtly cute. They act as a kind of psychological shorthand, comfort translated into form. “They soften a space almost instantly, creating a sense of ease and balance,” the Buchanans add.
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This understanding of form underpins the Buchanan’s Neotenic Collection, created in collaboration with Original BTC, where these ideas are translated into hand-blown glass pieces that feel less like fixtures and more like objects with presence, gently swollen, softly luminous, almost tactile in their appearance. Comprising a five-piece series from table to ceiling, the collection pairs marbled shades in soft, confectionary hues with sculptural steel bases that lend a quiet sense of structure. Central to the collection is the glassblowing process itself, which gives each piece its fluidity, softness and sense of movement. “The process encourages fluid curves and gentle volumes rather than sharp edges or rigid geometry,” explains Charlie Bowles, Director of Original BTC. “The subtle irregularities and sense of movement give the finished piece a warmth and personality that sit beautifully within interiors that favour softer, more expressive shapes.”
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It is not just the form, but the light itself that contributes to the effect. Hand-blown glass diffuses illumination in a way that feels atmospheric rather than clinical, less about brightness and more about glow. “The fixture itself feels almost like an object you want to reach out and touch,” Bowles adds, a telling observation in a moment where tactility has become central to how we experience our homes.
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That desire to touch and actually feel something is the point. In a world increasingly mediated through screens, interiors have become one of the few spaces where sensory experience still matters. “Soft, bulbous forms tend to humanise interiors,” says Bohinc. “Minimalist environments often prioritise clarity and precision, which can produce beautiful but sometimes emotionally distant spaces. When a more voluptuous object enters that environment, it introduces something tactile, bodily, almost character-like.” These shapes also change how we move through a space. “With rounded volumes, interaction becomes more fluid,” she adds. “People brush against them, lean on them, approach from multiple angles. The object becomes less like a piece of equipment and more like a presence.”
It reflects a growing preference for homes that feel more comfortable and more lived-in. Rather than spaces that appear overly resolved, there is a shift towards interiors shaped by use and atmosphere, where softness and irregularity take precedence over polish. “People are moving away from environments that feel overly controlled or austere, and towards ones that embrace comfort, tactility, and individuality,” Charlotte and Angus explain. “Softer silhouettes introduce a sense of fluidity and imperfection, which feels much more aligned with how we actually want to live now.”
While the term neotenic may feel of-the-moment, the aesthetic itself is far from new. Like many design trends, it emerges in reactionary cycles. The 1960s saw designers such as Verner Panton and Joe Colombo experiment with plastic, fluid forms that felt optimistic and forward-looking. Gaetano Pesce’s Up chair pushed this language further, introducing furniture that felt uncannily bodily. By the 1980s, the Memphis Group rejected modernist restraint altogether, trading functionalism for exaggerated, irreverent shapes.
As Bohinc notes, these forms tend to resurface at moments of reaction. “Soft, exaggerated forms have appeared repeatedly throughout design history, usually when designers wanted to break away from rigid functionalism,” she explains. “What distinguishes the current moment is that they are less driven by ideology and more by a kind of sensory need.” The reasons for its prominence in contemporary interior design are both cultural and technological. Our daily interactions are increasingly flat, smooth and intangible, defined by screens that offer no texture or resistance. In contrast, our homes have become spaces where we seek out the opposite. Materials that feel soft, volumes that feel generous, objects that invite interaction. At the same time, there has been a broader cultural softening. The industrial aesthetics and high-gloss minimalism of the early 2010s has given way to something more expressive and playful, seen in the rise of designers such as Gustaf Westman, whose exaggerated, rounded forms embrace colour and tactility.
“Neotenic design reflects a broader shift toward more expressive, personality-driven interiors,” says a spokesperson for 1stDibs. “We’ve seen this translate into increased interest in what clients often call ‘chunky’ or ‘thick’ designs, particularly in lighting and seating, with searches rising significantly in recent years.” More broadly, the aesthetic speaks to a desire for comfort and playfulness, bringing softer silhouettes, humour and a sense of personality into contemporary spaces. With its rounded edges and gentle proportions, this type of design offers both a visual and emotional release. It is less about making a statement and more about creating a feeling.
For those looking to introduce the aesthetic, restraint is key. “It’s best to start with one or two key pieces rather than trying to apply the idea everywhere,” say Angus. “Lighting is a particularly good entry point, as it naturally draws attention but doesn’t dominate a room. A softly sculptural table or floor light can shift the tone of a space without overwhelming it.” Beyond that, small furniture pieces, occasional seating, or accessories with gentle curves can introduce the language in a more understated way. This can be as simple as incorporating rounded objects, ceramic vases, softly contoured trays, or bulbous decorative pieces, that echo the same swollen, tactile forms on a smaller scale.
“The key is contrast, pairing something soft and expressive with more restrained elements so it feels intentional rather than excessive,” adds Charlotte It is, ultimately, this balance that gives neotenic design its longevity. While its forms may feel playful, its appeal runs deeper, tapping into our instinctive response to softness, to warmth, and to spaces that feel human.
