Whenever I see round doors I think of Hobbits. I understand why I make that association, and it’s a wonderful connection.
But I can’t help worrying whether that can also be a bad thing. That visual association is so powerful and prevalent that it sort of takes over.
Whenever many people see a round door nowadays, they immediately flash to the Peter Jackson movies. But the round doorway has existed for centuries in many cultures.
For example, in traditional Chinese culture, it is referred to as a moon gate (月亮门). Moon gates are generally found as pedestrian passageways within garden walls, and they are quite lovely to behold.
I wonder whether, in the fullness of time, the association with Hobbits will fade away, and round doorways will again regain their original cultural associations. And then things will have come full circle.