Transitional interior design is the term used to describe a style that reflects the contrast of modern and traditional elements used in the same room.
That’s to say it’s almost as if the room transitions from classic to contemporary, yet the two styles work in harmony to create a beautiful finish. This type of interior design is becoming increasingly popular nowadays, particularly amongst the millennial generation.
Featuring simple colour schemes, clean and spacious rooms and a mixture of textures, transitional design is putting a modern spin on an old classic. But as you’re mixing two very different styles, it’s crucial that you get it right, or you could risk your room looking confused and cluttered. So, if you’re considering this style for your home, we’ve got just the thing for you! Below is a simple guide for how you can pull off a transitional style in any room.
Choose neutral colour schemes
You want your room to look effortlessly elegant, you also want it to appear bright and spacious. That’s why transitional styles call for neutral colour palettes that let your furniture do the talking. Why not opt for whites, greys, creams or taupes to keep things classy. You can always include tone-on-tone colour palettes if you want to add depth, but just be sure to keep it clean and simple.
This applies to the walls, ceilings and flooring. You want to create what is essentially a blank canvas and then let your furnishings take centre stage.
Create contrast
The real key behind transitional style is creating contrast and there are a number of ways you can do this. Using neutral tones on the walls means you can afford to be more bold with your furnishings to make them stand out. You also need to mix up the materials you use throughout your room. For example, you can really add texture by choosing elements such as wood or metal trims and mouldings or using different fabrics for your material furnishing such as curtains, cushions and table runners. An example of these could be leather, suede or velour.
Bold furnishings
You want to add a modern feel to your room, but also keep it classic – it’s a hard line to tow! One way to do this is by choosing bold furnishings with classic lines. For example, you might want to choose statement chairs like those from the Sloane and Sons stylish chairs range. Choosing beautiful furniture in this way means you can select your focal point for the room and add a splash of colour. You might also want to opt for wooden coffee tables, or simple but practical storage spaces such as cupboards or chest of drawers. This will of course depend on which room you’re decorating, you might even choose to adopt this style throughout the whole of your home.
Limit your use of accessories
Unlike many styles, accessorising is not the key to transitional interior design. In fact, quite the opposite, you want to keep your accessories to a minimum so that your furnishings are the rooms main selling point and you’re not confusing the eye. Especially if you’ve already added a range of textures and materials to the room, by adding too many accessories you risk your space looking mismatched and cluttered instead of stylish.
Decorate your walls
Just like your furnishings, you might want to choose some bold art for your walls. Again, nothing too distracting that it will draw attention away from the rest of the space, but impactful art that will compliment your style. Be sparing with this decor however, you want this to add sophistication to your room, not overwhelm it. Just one large piece on the wall is better than a number of small arrangements.
Reflect your style
Finally, you can make your room look bigger and continue to add texture with mirrored surfaces. Whether you choose to hang an actual mirror in your room, or include glass or metallic furnishings, these can be a great way to maximise the space and add a beautiful finish. You can do this by choosing metal tables or chairs, if you’re decorating your kitchen or bathroom in this way, you might even consider steel worktops and sinks. These reflective surfaces can be extremely complimentary amongst neutral colours and add extra depth to any room.
