What is Transitional Furniture Style in USA and When You Use It
As the name suggests, transitional furniture is furniture that combines two elements: modern and classy.
These furniture pieces blend both design elements to create a look that’s neither too stuffy nor trendy.
Transitional furniture has gained popularity during the last 20 years. The traditional roots of such furniture go back to the 17th century and are inspired by Baroque, Romantic, and Neoclassical styles.
The modern roots of transitional furniture can be traced back to the 19th century. When using these two furniture styles separately, they might seem odd. However, they complement each other when we see them in transitional design.
Major Elements of Transitional Furniture
The major elements of transitional furniture are borrowed from traditional and contemporary designs. While the elements are more varied, they primarily rely on strategic combinations to create a balance between them.
1) A mixture of Curved and Straight Lines
Generally, people don’t consider mixing straight lines with curves to be a problem. But, with the popularization of minimalist style and adherence to geometric patterns, transitional furniture comes into play.
If the shapes of your furniture are different, you can add other variables that complement each other. For example, you can pair a straight-shaped couch with a curvy sofa.
You should keep in mind that you should follow a theme and not be adventurous while mixing straights and curves.
Printed curtains, wallpapers, and carpets have their individual shapes. So, keep in mind these elements when choosing furniture.
2) Simple Style
Transitional furniture has crisp and straightforward profiles. This furniture style might have decorative elements but is less intricate than traditional furniture.
The gentle curves and rigid lines work together to create textures that are easy to read. You can find transitional furniture from a variety of furniture stores in USA. Just ensure to buy stuff from reputed stores that offer durable quality.
3) Combining Different Tones
Most of the transitional design incorporates warm and neutral colors. However, transitional furnishing offers you the opportunity to incorporate strategic accents, which include bright or bold colors combined with neutral ones.
4) Adopt Minimalism
Sticking to minimalist accessories might seem a little off with the traditional style, but if you want to create a transitional style, then adopting minimalism works best. In transitional style, the accessories are limited, but they are carefully selected.
5) Medium Scale Furniture
Scale is the representation of size and how the objects interact with each other in a space. Different furniture styles have different scales. Transitional furniture has a medium scale; it is neither too large nor too small. This makes transnational furniture a suitable choice for any size room in your house.
How to Create Transitional Interior Design
If you wish to create a transitional interior for your home, then here are some tips you can follow:
Layering Textiles
You can rely on texture and tone instead of using colors to create contrast. Fabrics like suede and leather are common for creating contrast.
If you want to use other elements like wood and glass to create a contrast, they could also work well.
You can play around with different materials and textures within the same color family. If you pair suede with leather, you need to ensure that they are almost the same color.
Creating contrast with materials and textures is better than creating contrast with colors, as it adds a more creative touch.
Lighting for a Transitional Interior Design
The lighting for a transitional space usually relies on creating a focal point and incorporating complementary lights around it.
You can have a traditional chandelier in the center to create that focal point. They have unique shapes, top-class furnishings, and longevity.
If you want to use lamps, then you can use some simple shade lamps with thin arms. While choosing lamps for your space, you should remember that a transitional interior is all about creating simplicity and clean lines.
Use Cushions
The one famous element that can add a little drama to your room is cushions. They work great to uplift the ambiance of your place. You can change the covers of these cushions after some time to effortlessly change the color scheme and theme of your whole living space.
You can choose a range of colors from bright to dull so you can stick to that transitional touch in your interior.
Using Carpets
Carpets work the best to give your room a traditional and royal ambiance. You can choose carpets that have modern print or bright color schemes. Make sure that the color of the carpets you use follows your whole place’s color scheme.
You can also create contrasts by using different textures. For example, you can have a jute carpet on the bottom and add layers of soft plush carpets over it. This style will also help you retain the transitional element.
The raw and rough look translates into traditional elements, whereas adding soft plush carpets over it gives a modern look. When these two elements are combined, a transnational vibe is created.