Cover photo by Harper Sunday on Unsplash

I’m highly professional but truth be told, I also resonate with playfulness and whimsy so when I learned that, like Slim Shady, squiggle decor is back, back again, I got giddy. Curvy and fun, squiggles are often associated with modern decor and bold spaces. However, don’t keep a good squiggle down or away from a traditionally decorated room. Read more to learn how the squiggle designs became popular and how to use them in your home or office now.

Where the Squiggle Started: 20th Century Art Movements

Tracing its origins back, we land at early 20th-century art movements like Surrealism and Abstract Expressionism that challenged rigidity and embraced the unconventional, and freeform design. Artists like Joan Miró and Wassily Kandinsky used fluid lines and organic shapes, laying the groundwork for the influence of squiggle décor.

Squiggles gained popularity in the early 1980s in response to prior decades’ clean and simple design approaches, including mid-century modern and minimalism. The Memphis Group, a Milan-based collective of designers and architects, brought squiggles to the forefront of design. Led by Ettore Sottsass, the group rejected the minimalist trends of the time, opting instead for bold colors, playful shapes, and, of course, the iconic squiggle pattern. Memphis design’s cult following included celebrities and artists such as David Bowie and Karl Lagerfeld.

Cork Squiggle Tiles in a column configuration by EC artist, Erika Cross

BUY IT: Contact team@embracecreatives.com for pricing and lead time.

Cork Squiggle Tiles in a diamond design by EC artist, Erika Cross

BUY IT: Contact team@embracecreatives.com for pricing and lead time.

Where the Squiggle Landed: Today’s Trends

Fast forward to the 21st Century we find that squiggle room décor is experiencing a major revival. As part of the broader trend of nostalgia-driven design, where retro styles are being re-imagined for contemporary homes, squiggles have made a comeback. However, there’s a marked difference from their playful look in the ’80s — they’re popping up in a much more sophisticated manner. Today, they are used to add movement and a lively persona to a room, making spaces feel more dynamic without clashing retro prints.

This rich history of squiggle room décor shows how a simple design element can evolve and adapt, continually finding new ways to bring joy and creativity into our living spaces. Plus they make us smile.

To add the squiggle into your life and home decor, check out some of our favorite Embrace Creatives pieces!

A composition study in motion and shading this original drawing showcases soft and textural squiggles and wiggles.

BUY IT: Graphite 2 ($200)

Shapely and organic, the squiggle in this artwork splashes across the surface adding a touch of movement to the digital drawing.

BUY IT: Coastal Pebbles ($350)

These collages are derived from squiggles and shapes taken from images of Henry Moore sculptures. The squiggles are collage outlines the move in and around the sculpture collage.

Upside Down #2 by Paul Westacott. Digital drawing printed on aluminum. 36″H × 36″W × 1″D

Bold and a bit more retro in feel, this digital wall art is an exciting way to bring squiggle decor into your abode.

Peg Board Squiggle by Erika Cross. MDF and brass accents.

Sure squiggles are fun but they can also be functional. Introducing a sophisticated and design-forward wall sculpture to hang your hat on. And your coat. And your bag.

BUY IT: Contact team@embracecreatives.com for pricing and lead time.

Wave Step by Michael O’Reilly. Brass EDM wire, latex paint, flex seal rubber. 16″H × 9″W × 16″D

Squiggle on top of squiggle. Wave on top of wave. This curvy sculpture brings a soft twist to the squiggle trend.

Squiggle #2.11 by Erika Cross. PVC, acrylic, Baltic Birch.  78.2″H × 31.9″W × 1.5″D

This sumptuous wall sculpture has SQUIGGLE in the name – you can’t go wrong!

Atkins by Diane Rosenblum. Digital print on canvas.  36″H × 36″W × 2″D

Stripes bulge, ripple, and twist subtly encourage new ways of thinking and being. The title, Atkins, is after the 19th century botanist and photographer Anna Atkins. Like Atkins in her time, this artwork uses cutting edge technology to make new dynamic images.

BUY IT: Atkins ($3,600) For installment payments, contact team@embracecreatives.com