Web Design: My Thoughts on Square vs. Rounded Corners

For a long time, I used slightly rounded corners almost instinctively when designing interfaces. For example, border-radius: 8px

Not because I particularly liked them, but because they were hard to get wrong.
They looked modern and clean, and matched the default aesthetic of almost every product in recent years.

But lately, while repeatedly tweaking my own website, I suddenly noticed:
I was starting to get a little tired of those rounded corners.

When rounded corners are everywhere, they “disappear”

Looking at many websites now, I get a strange feeling:

There's nothing wrong with the page, but it's also completely forgettable.

Cards are rounded, buttons are rounded, dialogs are rounded—
Rounded corners are no longer a design statement. They're more like background noise in the UI.

They make no mistakes, but they say nothing either.

That was when I first realized:
When everyone uses rounded corners, they lose their personality.

My first impression of square corners: calm

I didn't start out “liking” square corners. They just caught my attention.

Suddenly, the page felt quieter:

• Clear boundaries

• Distinct sections

• Alignment that feels honest

It doesn't try to look friendly or put you at ease.
It simply lays out the structure.

It feels more like using a mature tool than browsing a product showcase.

The more tool-oriented the page, the clearer the difference

As a page fills with information, this difference becomes more noticeable.

On information-dense pages, rounded corners can distract me a little:

• Every module looks like a “box”

• Everything feels a little soft, a little cramped

Square corners, on the other hand, hold up better over time:

• The structure is clear at a glance

• My eyes follow the grid more easily

• No unnecessary shapes get in the way

I began to realize,
What I want isn't “looks good at first glance,” but “doesn't get tiresome after repeated use.”

I haven't given up rounded corners entirely

Ultimately, I haven't gone to the extreme of making everything square.

My approach now is more restrained:

• Page structure and containers: square corners

• Tables and lists: square corners

• Buttons and input fields: just a hint of rounding

Barely noticeable, but not so sharp that interactions feel harsh.

Rounded corners are no longer the main attraction. They simply serve a function.

This may just be my preference right now

I don't think square corners are necessarily “more sophisticated,”
they just happen to match what I currently want from a product:

• More like a tool

• Less emotion

• More stability

• No rush to please

Maybe after a while, I'll find rounded corners appealing again.
That's how design works. There's rarely a final destination.

Final thoughts

Looking back now, I realize the question isn't really “rounded or square.”

It's about my own taste, my own attitude.