Transitional homes differ from every other contemporary décor trend. Transitional homes are classified by a fusion of elements, and a fluid merging of design trends over time. The tried and true values and themes of today’s biggest trends integrate seamlessly with the more long-lasting underlying design elements of the past decade.
In interior design, transition stresses the meshing, merging, and magic in bringing traditional and contemporary elements together with an emphasis on cohesiveness. The elements are distinctly their own, markedly traditional or contemporary but brought into the same space. It may be the color, the materials, or the proportions, but the disparate elements seem right together.
It’s a way of modernizing the traditional gracefully and warming the modern with something old. It adds spark and energy to comfortable settings and maximizes use of yesteryear’s specials. Millennials see transitional design as one means to incorporate a unique new buy into a palette and canvas allowing them to claim an ambiance of class and respect.
Moving somewhere from a memorable past
In one sense, a transition is a phase on its way to another stage. But it’s not a move from place to place or time to time; it is change in the act of progress. It is a process you find yourself actively embracing. In time, elements will fall away while new things move in.
Look at the Talin for starters. It has the silhouette of a classic chandelier. It lacks the bangles and beads of European traditions. There are no teardrops and frills. But its flame-shaped bulbs and crystal hurricane columns recall colonial-era simplicity.
Add to that the subtle use of simple lines in acid metal black, and you have hints of Industrial Era geometry and joints. Talin goes well in any number of environments because it does not upset the expected, it engages without shocking, and it graces rooms without overwhelming.
Talin’s slim profile integrates comfortably with the elegant fireplace and tall windows and gold-framed mirror. Still, it belongs to an era featuring the imposing modern table and contemporary chairs.
Moving on to something new
The transition can also make room for something new. Transitional homes favor combinations marked by curves and straight lines, soft and hard elements, and textures and colors. It’s less interested in mixing styles than with creating a largely seamless flow of forms, colors, and materials.
The Isla fabric shade pendant makes a more dramatic statement. Isla is bold and black with a burst of glass magic. A pitch-black silk shade some 32-inches across hangs from a thin column of powder coated black metal.
Complementing the rich, chic, black shade is a gold foil interior reflecting, diffusing, and distributing the clever interior. Filling the interior to bursting below are clear glass balls at the end of metal spikes sparkling with the light from hidden bulbs. The fixture’s silhouette is a larger take on a classic drum while the Sputnik spikes and glass globes makes it strikingly new.
The transitional character
A feature common to transitional style is the quality and craft. Thought, engineering, and architecture created fixtures like these for homeowners and interior decorators to place smartly. These designs are not afterthoughts; they are designs to build a room around.
The Palmer pendants, for instance, are reflective of transitional design even though their silhouette is simple. Mixing textural elements like metal and linen help create a dimensional, yet balanced look. Transitional formats favor a neutral palette and consistent furniture lines where unique elements are welcome. Palmer does not threaten or overwhelm the space, and leaves room for other high-impact pieces to set the standard for the room.
Transitional style very current because it allows residents and designers to select unique pieces for placement among traditional architectural features. Such singularly contemporary elements do not disrupt the traditional comfort of home, yet they hint at design changes to come. It’s calm and relaxing but has a hint of something to come.
Written by Chelsey Loya