5 KEY ELEMENTS FOR TRANSITIONAL LIVING ROOMS

Transitional décor is the perfect solution for many of my clients. It blends all the comforts of traditional design with a bit of contemporary elegance.  Mixing two different design styles can be tricky, so to help you out here are 5 of my best tips for creating the perfect transitional style living room.

1. A great color scheme

Start out with a great color story to help guide your entire project.  I recently helped a client pull together the final touches in their transitional living room by blending soft earth tones with pops of modern color and pattern in a scheme we called “earthtone elegant”.

This beautiful pallette with colors from Sherwin Williams set the tone for the entire project. I suggested either SW 7504 Keystone gray or SW 6238 Icicle for the walls to provide an elegant and neutral backdrop for the other colors to stand out.

from left to right :

SW 6425 Relentless Olive, SW 7054 Keystone Gray, SW 6244 Naval, SW 6238 Icicle, SW 6268 Veiled Violet, SW 7006 Extra White

2. A mix of patterns 

Next add accessories that incorporate a mix of patterns. Stick within a color family to create unity between traditional (the light blue damask pillow) and more contemporary patterns (the dark blue trellis pillow). For this particular space we kept the textiles in the SW 6244 Naval family. <—-PS i love this color, check out how I used it on this project!

3. Artwork

Artwork is like the jewelry in any space. It adds color and personality and completes the entire look. For a great transitional room try mixing a few styles of art such as an abstract oil painting on canvas with more traditional nature prints in silver frames. If you prefer the look of one particular style of art go ahead and use it but try it in a contrasting style frame to round out the transitional look.  For example, a abstract painting in a vintage gilded frame or a nature print made into a large scale graphic canvas.

4. A mix of materials

Transitional living rooms need to give the impression that they were collected and put together over time. The best way to do this is to avoid having all your major pieces of furniture match. Bring in a mix of materials such as leather, linen upholstery, wood and soft textiles to create a truly curated feel.

5. A touch of symmetry

With all this mixing and matching it is important to add a bit of repetition and symmetry to give balance to the overall design.  Give a nod to the traditional elements of this style by creating a symmetrical seating area or table vignette. Here we used a large sofa table with two crisp white lamps and two baskets for storage.

Transitional living rooms can be a gorgeous and comfortable space in your home. Follow these simple rules and you will be sure to nail it.

Still feel like you need guidance? We can help!  We work locally with clients in Marquette, MI and virtually with clients around the world!