Elegant, classic, and timeless. If these words describe the look you’re after, you may prefer Transitional Design style for your home. This style blends traditional and contemporary furniture, feminine and masculine styles. In this post, I explain the elements that are used in the Transitional Design style.

Mostly Neutral Color Palette

A Transitional style room generally has a calming feeling as mostly neutral colors are used in this design style. That doesn’t mean these rooms lack color, but the majority of the color used in the space is neutral. This helps to make a space feel timeless and also makes it easier to introduce new furniture and decor items into a space. In this concept board you can see neutral colors in the sofa and rug. Here I’ve chosen to add blue as the accent color in the artwork and accent chair.

Traditional & Contemporary Mix

You can incorporate traditional and vintage pieces into your Transitional Design. These pieces can be mixed with Contemporary furniture and decor to create that perfect blend of old and new styles. Shown here, the sofa has a traditional silhouette and roll arms, while in contrast the coffee table looks modern. You can also choose furniture that is designed for Transitional style. These pieces are essentially traditional style pieces with a twist to make them feel more contemporary.

Layers of Textures

With a mostly neutral color palette, you can add more interest to your Transitional Design space with different textures. Use a mix of textiles in your upholstery, pillows, and window treatments. A variety of materials like wood, glass, and metal will also add interesting texture to your space. In the concept board, I wanted to show how you can also mix wood tones like the console table and end tables.

Comfortable & Chic

Transitional design is meant to be timeless, so your decorated space will ‘work’ for years to come and not feel stuck in a particular period of time or style that is no longer on-trend. Spaces decorated in this style can be comfortable and informal, while still looking very elegant. Less is more. Furnishings should not be overly designed or incorporate too many flourishes. The key here is to use pieces with clean lines, fewer patterns, and just the right amount of decor items and art.

Is this the design style for your home? I hope you found this blog post helpful in explaining the Transitional design style.

Explore more design styles in the Design Style Blog Series.

If you would like a design concept like this one, but customized for your space, visit the design services page to learn more,