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Design Guide
Transitional
Transitional style blends characteristics of traditional and modern designs for elevated comfort, sleek lines, and a minimalist look that’s still full of personal charm.
Pro Tip
Transform Your Home with Transitional Interior Design
A transitional home blends modern and traditional elements for a balanced look. Start with a classic monochrome palette, anchor with traditional furniture, and add modern touches like a geometric light or angular table. Keep accents minimal to avoid visual clutter.
Transitional Style By Room
“Transitional design is like finding the perfect middle ground. It blends the warmth and familiarity of traditional pieces with the clean, fresh lines of modern style. It’s timeless, but never predictable.”
Danielle Zenga, Art Director, Furniture.com
Transitional Furniture Style Essentials
Statement Lighting
Modern decor add just the right amount of sleekness to a cozy traditional design. Consider art, lamps, and vases to balance heavier pieces of furniture.
Plush Comfort
Pay homage to traditional style’s central tenet — homey comforts — through plush seating like sofas, sectionals, accent chairs, and even ottomans.
Defined Lines
Modern tables seamlessly blend into transitional design with their clean lines and timeless appeal. Opt for sleek surfaces, sculptural bases, and subtle detailing.
Neutral Layers
Rugs and tone-on-tone colors create a neutral, soothing base that complements a mix of styles, seamlessly blending with various furniture and decor.
Shop Transitional Furniture & Decor
Simpli Home
Lumens Light + Living
Lumens Light + Living
Lumens Light + Living
Lumens Light + Living
Lumens Light + Living
Simpli Home
Lumens Light + Living
Lumens Light + Living
Lumens Light + Living
Lumens Light + Living
Annie Selke
Lumens Light + Living
Lumens Light + Living
Lumens Light + Living
Lumens Light + Living
Simpli Home
Lumens Light + Living
Lumens Light + Living
Lumens Light + Living
Lumens Light + Living
Lumens Light + Living
Kathy Kuo Home
Lumens Light + Living
Lumens Light + Living
Lumens Light + Living
Lumens Light + Living
Lumens Light + Living
Lumens Light + Living
Simpli Home
Lumens Light + Living
Kathy Kuo Home
Lumens Light + Living
Kathy Kuo Home
Lumens Light + Living
Lumens Light + Living
Lumens Light + Living
Lumens Light + Living
Lumens Light + Living
Lumens Light + Living
Lumens Light + Living
Eternity Modern
Lumens Light + Living
Kathy Kuo Home
Lumens Light + Living
Simpli Home
Eternity Modern
Lumens Light + Living
Olivia OBrien
Content Manager
I’m Olivia, the Content Marketing Manager of Furniture.com. I help bring inspiring ideas to life and have authored blog posts that guide customers toward finding the perfect furniture pieces to match their style and needs.
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Discover More Styles
Transitional Furniture Style
Sometimes, you fall in love with a specific interior design style and go all in with matching furniture and accessories. But other times, it’s not easy to commit to just one aesthetic. You might adore old-school furniture, like your grandma’s antique dresser, but also feel drawn to contemporary pieces.
If this dilemma sounds familiar, transitional interior design could be exactly what you need. This style mixes elements from different aesthetics to create a timeless look that’s 100% yours. Discover everything you need to know about this popular style, from choosing transition furniture to where to find the perfect accessories.
What Is Transitional Furniture?
Transitional furniture blends traditional and contemporary styles, straddling the divide between the old and new. These in-between pieces don’t belong to any particular time, so they have an ageless feel.
This furniture typically mixes elements from multiple aesthetics or time periods. A transitional dining chair might have a boho flower pattern with slanted legs inspired by mid century modern design. Or you could bring a colonial vibe to your space with backrest spindles and tapered legs. It’s all about finding pieces that speak to your unique tastes while also gelling together.
Transitional furniture often combines different materials, too. One transitional dresser may feature a gorgeous Italian marble top, wood, and gleaming gold hardware. Another might mix rich mahogany wood with antique brass legs and knobs. The possibilities are endless, giving you plenty of room to experiment.
A neutral color palette is another key characteristic of transitional style furniture. Forget about bold, trendy colors that will feel outdated within a few years. Instead, look for timeless shades like ivory and taupe. You could even sneak in some not-quite-neutral colors such as light blues and greens. These subtle colors go well with virtually any style, so it’s easy to mix and match pieces.
Why Choose Transitional Furniture?
Flexibility is the biggest benefit of transitional style furniture. These pieces combine all sorts of designs and materials, from glamorous gold hardware to antique woods. It’s ideal if you prefer versatile styling options instead of getting locked into one specific look.
Transitional furniture also strikes the perfect balance between classic comfort and modern minimalism. You get the best of both worlds: cozy textures with clean silhouettes with a universal appeal.
This style works great if you already have beloved pieces from different time periods. Can’t bear to part with an antique bed set but don’t want to decorate your entire room in that style? Transitional furniture lets you balance that old-fashioned vibe with modern touches.
Similarly, if you’re torn between industrial and mid century modern furniture, the transitional style is the perfect compromise.
Shop Transitional Furniture by Room
Are you ready to bring the transitional style interior design into your home? Follow these tips to find the perfect pieces for every room.
Transitional Living Room
With the transitional design, you can turn your living room into your private resort. Start by shopping for a comfortable transitional sofa as the centerpiece of the room. These sofas often have simple shapes and gentle curves, perfect for minimalist lovers. They’re also made from soft upholstery or leather, making them perfect for Saturday morning lounging.
If you need extra seating, why not add some transitional accent chairs? They come in countless styles, from plush corner chairs to funky upholstery. For a more harmonious look, consider choosing chairs with similar colors or materials to your sofa.
Of course, you’ll also need a transitional coffee table to hold your snacks and decor. Look for tables that mix different materials or styles. For example, you might choose a rustic wood table with industrial metal legs or one with a marble top and metal base.
Transitional Dining Room
Transitional dining sets frequently blend metal and wood for timeless elegance. Complete the look with neutral-tone chairs. You could even mix and match different colors or designs for a breezy, eclectic vibe.
Transitional Bedroom
Create a cozy transitional style bedroom. Choose a soft-textured bed that combines old and new elements. For instance, many transitional beds feature ornate wooden frames with modern, upholstered headboards. This mix of styles will keep your bed feeling fresh for many years.
For storage, look for transitional dressers and nightstands. These versatile pieces are typically made from wood with metal hardware. Accents such as elaborate carvings or tapered legs add timeless charm.
Transitional Home Office & Accents
Transitional desks are known for their minimalist designs. They typically have slim frames and narrow surfaces with just enough room for a laptop and a few accessories. Many also include slender drawers or open shelves for added storage.
If your desk is overflowing with office supplies, check out transitional storage solutions. A small cabinet made from wood or glass could be just what you need to stay organized. Or consider an open bookcase made from wood and sparkling metal.
How to Style Your Home With Transitional Furniture
Once you’ve picked your main pieces, you need the right decor to tie the space together. Stick to mostly neutral accessories with a few soft pops of color. For example, you might pair a white transitional sofa with a light blue rug for a gentle contrast. This approach will help you create a calm and balanced look without boring your guests.
Less is more with the transitional style, so be careful not to go overboard when choosing decorations. Look for wall art with geometric shapes or simple, nature-inspired imagery. These pieces will liven up your space while adding a modern touch.
For lighting, look for lamps made from mixed materials. Many transitional pieces combine fabric shades with tapered metal legs. By juxtaposing soft and hard materials, these lamps are sure to capture attention.
Shop Transitional Furniture at Furniture.com
If you love expressing yourself with furniture and decor, you can’t go wrong with the transitional style. This aesthetic gives you an immense amount of freedom, allowing you to combine modern and classic elements in totally unique ways.
Get started by exploring our huge catalog of transitional furniture. From transitional accessories to sectionals, we’ve got exactly what you need to personalize your home.
F.A.Q.
What are the colors for transitional design?
When it comes to transitional style interior design, it’s all about neutral colors. Look for shades like beige, gentle grays, and warm whites. These colors will make your home feel more serene and inviting. Plus, a neutral foundation lets you play with different colors and textures without worrying about them clashing.
Can you mix farmhouse and transitional?
Absolutely! By fusing farmhouse and transitional styles, you can create a space that feels both rustic and sophisticated. Master this combination by choosing pieces that combine antique textiles with modern designs and materials. For example, you could pair a vintage wood coffee table with a sleek leather couch, bringing together the old and new.
What is transitional interior design?
Transitional interior design mixes elements from different styles and time periods. But, contrary to popular belief, it’s not a random mishmash of furniture. Instead, this style carefully blends contemporary and vintage elements to create ageless designs.