Skip to main content

What is Transitional Style?

Transitional style is a fusion of classic and modern design elements that creates a restful and serene look. It’s a popular choice for those who prefer the warmth and charm of traditional decor but want more of a contemporary feel.

The key to a successful transitional interior design is to find a balance between the two styles. That means balancing the size and scale of the furniture pieces with each other, as well as the lighting and accessories.

One way to create a balance is to choose furnishings that have different textures, shapes, and materials. This will help to break up the monotony of neutral shades and give your space a more eclectic look.

Another way to achieve a transitional look is by choosing artwork that will contrast with your other furnishings. Large wall paintings with minimalist designs or medium-sized pictures with antique-style frames are great options for making a room more sophisticated.

Transitional style is also known for using lighter neutral colors like whites, greys, and browns. These calming tones make the room seem calm and peaceful, while pops of color add personality.

Transitional Style in Interior Design

Transitional style interior design is a fusion of modern and traditional design styles. It blends the sleekness of contemporary furniture with a classic look and feel, making it a popular choice for many homeowners.

One of the key elements to achieving a transitional style home is to keep your color palette neutral, with softer shades like greys, whites, beige, and creams as the base. You can then add a layer of darker, moodier colors like blues and greens to create a more sophisticated space.

Another important element of transitional style interior design is to use organic textures and materials. Natural woods and stone are a good place to start, along with rugs and carpeting.

When it comes to art and decorations, transitional interior designers recommend using simple pieces that don’t overpower a room. They may feature only one large piece of artwork instead of a collage of small pieces.

In addition, transitional interiors don’t use a lot of prints; they keep pattern mixing to a minimum. This allows them to focus on the underlying details of their designs.

Transitional Design Style

A fusion of traditional and contemporary style, transitional design combines the best aspects of both. It strikes a balance between masculine and feminine aspects, creating a cozy space with clean lines, comfortable furniture, and soothing colors.

For an elegant look, use a calming color palette that includes tans, beige, taupes, and deep browns. Layering these neutral hues with contrasting shades in decor and accents adds dimension to the room.

Another key to transitional decorating is the importance of symmetry and balance. Be sure to mix old and new pieces in your home, but also make sure that they’re all of equal scale.

In addition to balance, transitional design is all about incorporating a variety of textures. Textures in wood, glass, fabric, and metal provide visual interest without distracting from the overall theme of your space.

Transitional Style for the Home

A transitional style home is a combination of contemporary and traditional design elements. Generally, it involves clean lines and neutral colors, but it can also include some decorative detailing.

In furniture, this style often includes the rounder shapes and silhouettes found in traditional design (like turned legs and arched backs) with modern furniture pieces. Together, they soften and straighten each other out to create a warm and timeless look.

Typically, transitional rooms feature neutral tones like cream and beige. If you’re looking for a bit of visual interest, consider adding occasional darker colors like maroon or navy blue to walls and furniture.

To add texture, choose nubby chenille blankets, corduroy cushions, dimpled fabrics or textured rugs. Stone vases, wooden trays and simple potted plants are also a good choice for this style of decor.

When it comes to accessories and objects, transitional style is all about curated selections. Think less is more and stick with a few tasteful, carefully selected pieces to display without drawing too much attention.

Transitional Style Kitchen

A transitional style kitchen combines the warmth of traditional design with modern trends to create a look that’s both elegant and refined. These styles are popular with homeowners who want to be able to mix and match different elements of their home without being limited to one particular style.

Generally, the cabinetry is streamlined and subdued with low-profile recessed panels and a similar look to shaker cabinets. For countertops, transitional kitchens are commonly made from natural surfaces such as granite and marble.

While a clean and minimalist appearance is the norm for transitional kitchens, textured surfaces are often used in backsplashes or lighting fixtures to add interest and character. Consider switching out your cabinet hardware to tubular pulls in black, brass, silver or wood tone for a more modern look.

Floors in a simple wooden tone or a natural stone like travertine can also lift the mood of your kitchen, as can natural weaves such as light hessian and sisal. If you’re looking to make a statement underfoot, try installing a runner in a bold color or pattern.

Transitional Style Bathroom

A transitional style bathroom is the perfect blend of traditional and contemporary design styles. It has clean lines and is warm and inviting, according to experts.

The transitional style bathroom is a popular choice for homeowners who want a modern bathroom without losing the traditional appeal. Experts recommend using neutral colors like white, gray and beige for this style.

Pedestal-style tubs are also a great option for this design style. They’re an evolution of traditional claw-foot tubs that raise the tub off the floor instead of having feet.

Cabinets are another important feature in this style. They often have shaker-style drawer and door fronts, although they can also be more traditional with a decorative edge.

Colors for a transitional style bathroom are light and neutral, with whites, grays, beige, bone, blues and silvers commonly used. Ceramic, porcelain or stone tile is a popular choice in this design style, as are wood grain and wood imitating tiles.

Besides cabinets, transitional style bathrooms also use countertops and sinks that are either granite, quartz or marble. Other popular options are white porcelain and cast iron.

Transitional Style Living Room

Transitional style is a great way to create a welcoming living room. It combines traditional design elements with clean, contemporary lines.

If you’re decorating in this style, consider keeping the color palette simple, with calming neutrals like beige, cream or soft gray. This lets the furniture’s design and accessories speak for themselves.

Choosing a few carefully coordinated pieces can help you achieve the look you want. Sofas, loveseats and chairs are all good options for this style, as well as accent benches.

To complete a living room in this style, add a tall console table or ottoman to the space. These tables fit conveniently behind the couch, providing a spot to set drinks or snacks.

If you’re looking to decorate a transitional style bedroom, upholstered bed frames are a great option. These styles feature classic details, like diamond stitching, tapered legs and a sleek appearance. They’re also an affordable choice. Dressers and chests are a practical addition to any transitional bedroom, as they’ll help keep your closet organized.

Transitional Style Bedroom

Transitional style bedroom decor is the perfect blend of contemporary and traditional. Its soft and neutral tones create a soothing environment for relaxation, while its sleek, modern furniture and accessories add a touch of elegance.

Often, transitional design features a neutral base color palette that relies on taupes, tans and vanillas with darker tones for depth. It’s a clean, fresh look that’s easy to update as your tastes change.

To keep a transitional bedroom from feeling too minimalist, use layering to give the space visual interest. Layering different textures like wood tones, textiles and patterns adds interest while still maintaining a neutral color palette.

A great way to introduce livelier colors without going too overboard is by painting the wall behind the bed in a soothing blue or green. This type of color is known to elicit restful sleep, so it’s a good choice for master bedrooms.

Lighting is a huge impact in any interior design, and this is especially true for transitional style bedrooms. Increasingly, designers are using round, globe hanging style light fixtures in bedrooms.

Gjana Construction

About the Author: Gjana ConstructionGjana Construction is a trusted licensed contractor in residential and commercial construction, renovations and remodels with more than 20 years of experience. Our blog and web articles shares expert tips, insights, trends and best practices.

Leave a Reply