Transitional Design: The Best of Both Worlds For Your Home

Are you searching for a new way to design your home but can’t quite settle on what style you like best? Do you want a modern design but also love the look and feel of traditional decorating? We have the answer for you – transitional design.

Transitional home design is a hot trend among homeowners because of its versatility and plethora of ideas and looks.

We’ll go over everything you need to know about transitional home design and how you can get the look. You’re sure to impress all of your guests.

What is Transitional Design?

As you might’ve guessed, transitional design is a blend of two opposing styles – modern and traditional. Contemporary design has been one of the most popular styles over the past few years because of its intricate look and sleek feel.

However, people still gravitate towards the classic and traditional styles which have been around for years and years. Traditional design provides a homey sense of comfort that other design styles can’t match.

Transitional design plays true to the old saying of “opposites attract.” When done correctly, transitional home style offers a look that nothing else can provide and will surely ‘wow’ everyone who walks into your home.

By combining features such as straight lines with curved furnishings or wood grain with steel, you can create a streamlined look that’s formal, but also relaxed.

However, it’s not a simple process and if you go in blind, the design features could end up clashing and look tacky. We’ll tell you below what works when going for transitional design in the home.

How to Achieve Transitional Design

There are many different ways that you can get a transitional style for your home and there are also many ways to mess up a transitional design. Luckily, we have you covered on what works best to achieve the transitional look you want.

We’ll go over some of the most important design features to pay attention to when going for a transitional style.

Neutral Colors

If you love bright colors and flashy furniture, transitional design might not be your cup of tea. The best way to pull of a transitional look is to keep colors neutral – taupe, tan, khaki, gray and others alike work best.

That’s not to say you can’t add a flare here and there. You can accent the main color scheme with vibrant accessories such as lamps, pillows or artwork.

As long as your walls have a neutral finish, you’ll find it much easier to pull off the look.

Textural Elements

With neutral colors, you’ll need some way to add some depth and character to the room. This is where texture comes into play.

By adding wood, glass, steel and other fabrics, you can create aspects that complement each other and blend traditional with modern.

For example, wooden cabinets and tables with stainless steel appliances offer a warm feel with sleek design.

The trick is to find the happy-medium between coarse fabric and sleek and shiny furniture or appliances.

Minimalist Approach

As you may know, modern home design is all about minimalist features. You’ll want to keep this strategy when going for a transitional design.

Keep the accessories to a minimum. Whether it’s one focal point painting, a few smaller pictures or an elegant rug, you don’t want to over-indulge in small decor items.

The main design point of the room will be the furniture, so you shouldn’t try to overtake it with a bunch of accessories.

Whatever you choose to accent the room with, it should have a feeling of purity. For example, simple picture frames, lighting with clean lines and other accessories with sleek designs will work best for transitional home design.

Furniture Brings the Room Together

Transitional design heavily relies on the furniture of the room to complete the look. In order to achieve this, use larger furniture with both curves and straight lines.

If your main sofa is more clean and streamlined, then try adding a more rounded chair or love seat.

When dealing with items such as coffee tables or ottomans, try to complement them with the other furniture in the room by going with an opposite style. If your seating arrangements are more sharp, go with rounded accessories and vice versa.

Don’t Forget the Exterior

Your home’s design doesn’t end at the interior, you also need to focus on your exterior if you truly want to achieve a transitional design.

Your home’s exterior is the first thing people see so it’s important that it doesn’t clash with the inside.

Windows

Your windows play a huge role in the design and look of your home. In order to achieve a transitional design with your windows, you need to think big.

Bigger windows open up the room to give it a more modern look and feel. You can throw in some window grids to add a touch of traditional design as well.

Large picture windows, bay windows or bow windows are perfect for transitional home designs.

Another way to blend old with new is with a wood grain finish on your windows. Feldco’s vinyl windows are built for the Midwest and come in a variety of finishes to help you achieve the design of your liking.

Doors

You can get the transitional design look with your entry doors by complementing them with the rest of your home. If your home’s architectural features are more modern and contemporary, you could go with a wood grain door.

However, a real wood door wouldn’t be the best choice. They’re susceptible to rotting and warping due to exposure to moisture.

That’s where Feldco comes in. Our steel and fiberglass entry doors are available in wood grain finishes so you can have the look without any of the negatives.

On the other hand, if your home’s architecture is more classic or traditional, then getting a sleek front door will help achieve a transitional look.

Siding

One of the biggest design elements of your home is the exterior cladding. Not only does it provide visual appeal, but it contributes greatly to your home’s energy efficiency.

There are many ways to get a transitional design with siding, but there’s one thing that should remain constant – the material.

For homeowners in the Midwest, the best option is vinyl siding. It comes in a wide variety of finishes and styles to help you get the look you want.

Vertical siding will give your home a more modern look while shake siding will provide a more classic feel. In the end, the decision is up to you.

Be Different with Transitional Design

Transitional style is becoming increasingly popular because it mixes the best design elements of two distinct styles – modern and classic.

Finding the right balance of the two can be somewhat tricky if you don’t know where to start, but when you find the harmony, the end result is spectacular.

Remember that your home’s design extends beyond the interior. For all your exterior home improvement needs, trust Feldco. We’re the leading window and door company in the Midwest and have many styles and options to help you get that transitional design look.

Begin your home’s transformation today with a free quote for replacement windows, siding, doors and roofing from Feldco.