Test if for asbestos. If it is positive it may be a hassle to have it removed.

If you were to choose based on looks alone, I think most would remove the swirls.

Ceilings are traditionally textured to hide the nail heads and seams. It takes a real craftsman to do a large area well. You may have more of a job on your hands then just removing the swirls. There maybe much they are hiding.

Removing the swirls is not easy. The were most likely done with a sand paint. I like them. When we had the ceiling in our family room we had it "swirled". It fit the house.

Though we are redoing the kitchen and did a wood valance because when we to down the the old one the swirls had not ben painted in 50 years, there was no way to make them match, but I like the valance too, again it fits the house

I believe it is your personal preference if you want smooth or swirls. My home has lightly swirled rock lath plaster on ceiling and walls except for the kitchen and baths. Those are flat. It does not look odd since it is a closed kitchen. Personally I like my swirled ceiling and walls. The down side is it is very hard to match the swirls if you need to repair. I feel the plaster work should match the style and age of the house and not what is popular.

The swirls were probably done with a material not easily removed. I would either leave them for some nostalgic link to the age of the house or cover them with thin drywall. Not sure what you mean about the archways they were usually very simple .I have a 1956 ranch that we have done very contemporary with no problem at all these houses lend themselves to contemporary very well.

depends on the ceiling height. if your ceilings are 8' i'd spend serious money to get them smooth.

i hate swirls as much as i hate popcorn. we didnt buy a house because of swirled ceilings.

Gothic arches were very popular in midcentury houses where I grew up. ( Midcentury modest or minimal traditional rather than too modernist).

my kindergarden teacher lived in this amazing house that was a large single floor with arches going everywhere.. tile roof, mexican tile floors.. it matched nothing else in our small rural upstate new york community where everything was new built and basic ranch houses or victorian era. i have never gotten over seeing a house like i'd never seen before, when i was 5 or 6.

Gothic arches were very popular in midcentury houses

Interesting, palimpsest. In S FL, where I grew up, arches were everywhere (very round-topped in the twenties, smoothing out to more of a square opening with rounded corners by the late forties, then round again in the mid- to late-50s), but I never ever saw a gothic arch. Even Palm Beach tended more to the Romanesque or Italianate arch in its heyday. One or two Moorish arches.

are you confusing tudor and gothic?

this is tudor

They were more Gothic than Tudor but the points were very subtle.

I have seen much swirlier and more defined than that, creating a distinct pattern. In the picture at least yours doesn't really bother me.

thanks but they are more pronounced in person

Does anyone know if this is a big (costly job) to remove the arches.

thanks...if arches went...i think that would let more light come through to dining area??

Would remove all the way to ceiling...your thoughts?

is this a costly / big job?

They are likely plaster over a steel or wood substrate, so demo will be messy, half of them will be load bearing (a guess) so will require headers in the ceiling or in the attic- all of this equals expensive to remove something that many people will see as a feature. Of course it can be done but only makes sense as part of a comprehensive plan. If you need more lighting, put that money into recessed can lights.