Transitional style furniture - combining tradition and contemporary

Pieces of furniture have always had elements of embellishment, that something to make them pleasing as well as useful. From the simple carpenter to the famous designers, none of them have limited themselves to the function of the object but have tried to make their mark by making it special. This is how styles in furniture which in the past were quite elaborate. For many, that comfortable and useful furniture of the past, with its curved, soothing lines, is still an option. However, a reduction in decoration, perhaps even in size, would make them easier to adapt to contemporary interiors. This is how Transitional style furniture has emerged, furniture with 'clean' shapes, harmoniously combining straight and curved lines and using warm colours for the quality wood chosen.

How we identify transitional style

Although it may seem very similar fusion style, the transitional style is different. Fusion style combines different styles in such a way as to attract attention, sometimes even to shock. But transitional style is a style that is a good way to make the transition from the classic, richly decorated style to the simpler, contemporary style.

The combination of traditional and contemporary does not refer to folk traditions but to those in interior and furniture design. Traditional design is classic, old, highly decorated, with curved lines and sumptuousness. In contrast to the classic style, contemporary is minimalist, focused on utility, airy spaces.

Transitional style brings with it curved lines, comfort, wood as well as nuc, oak or paltin and combine it with straight lines, with metal and glass, with not very precious fabrics, in neutral colours, with discreet repetitive designs.

What are the characteristics of transitional style furniture

Transitional style furniture is timeless furniture. It's that furniture you can have anytime because it will never go out of style. It's the sofa you can't part with because it's comfortable and relaxing.

If I had to sketch it out, transitional style furniture would boil down to:

• clear, clean shapes;
• minimal but not minimalist decoration;
• round profiles;
• straight lines;
• wood in warm, classic colours;
• light, neutral fabrics, tone-on-tone combinations (same colour in different shades).

The furniture pieces are simple, not oversized, yet retain those curves, colours and finishes reminiscent of classic furniture. Quality wood, such as walnut or oak, is used, with pleasant finishes that can range from matt to mirror gloss. Wood can be combined with metal or glass, while retaining its dominant note.

In short, transitional furniture is that old, classic furniture brought into the present day. If we liked the curved legs of Chippendale furniture, we find them, but with more discreet lines, without exaggeration and bowls caught in the claws. Baroquewith its wealth of decorations and grandiose shapes, fascinates us? We find its forms, but without the opulence of the past. Designers like Barbara Barry, Christopher Guy, Maxine Snider or Thomas Pheasant, representatives of the transitional sil in furniture, have created furniture for all tastes, from exclusive designs to simple, affordable armchairs and sofas. The common denominator is classic lines brought into the present, the transition from classic to contemporary that defines the style.

What a transitional style interior means

The transitional style of interior design is balanced, durable, harmonious and versatile. It can be simple and sophisticated at the same time, being versatile yet warm and ageless. It is a balanced combination of old and new, masculine and feminine, ordinary and luxurious, creating spaces that look pleasant, harmonious, comfortable and relaxing.

Unlike fusion where there are colour accents, here the preference is for discreet, neutral, monochromatic tones or a combination of shades belonging to the same colour. The style focuses on comfort and practicality, but doesn't forget the pleasure of discreet accessories, the small dose of luxury that brings elegance. It can be said that the style is the resulting combination of the needs of a housewife and those of a discreet lover of elegance and lifestyle.

I recently saw an apartment decorated in such a style. Initially everything seemed white and uniform, a promise of monotony. Yet it was far from that. Although white was everywhere - walls, floors, furniture, carpets - it wasn't that hospital white. On the contrary, every white was actually a very light shade of grey or cream that blended perfectly. The furniture had classic, round lines without being heavy and busy. A thin black line marked parts of drawers or doors, and the sheen was warm and silky. The sofa tried a slightly more pronounced grey, but without being a splash of colour. The lines were straight and it was primarily comfortable. A modern-style silver frame and 2 silver candlesticks, large frosted glass doors separating the kitchen from the living room, and an understated chandelier with glass fittings intertwined the overall look harmonious, elegant and ageless.

The transitional style is one that many of us unknowingly adopt. Those who find minimalist style too little and classic style too much feel comfortable in such interiors. So it is with transitional style furniture - less than the classic styles with rich decoration and predominantly curved lines, but more than the simple minimalist, Scandinavian style based solely on utility, straight lines and small dimensions. It is the middle style of an interior that is never old-fashioned, but never ultra-modern.