Cornerstones of Transitional Design
When we conduct our initial inquiry call for a project, one style is mentioned time and again when we ask about the potential client’s vision for their space: transitional design. It’s become a popular industry buzzword for describing a certain look with eclectic selections that match multiple styles. The popularity of transitional design has led to a lot of requests for its incorporation into our designs but not, necessarily with a clear conception of what the style actually means. I interpret transitional design to mean a combination of the warmth of tradition with the clean lines of contemporary interior planning. When people request transitional, they often mean the modern elements of contemporary style in a minimalist framework. I define transitional as a synthesis between the sensibilities of traditional design and the cleanliness of the modern-design sensibilities. Transitional design toes the line between these styles by playing to the strengths of both.
That said, transitional doesn’t refer inherently to one style or another. I like to keep all of the styles that inspire me (nordic, cottage, modern, and more) clearly in mind as a resource so that I can contextually utilize elements from each to create something perfectly balanced and entirely fresh. There isn’t really a definitive definition of transitional design, it represents an interpretation of multiple styles in a new context. This blog post will primarily deal with my personal interpretation of transitional design, and how you can observe examples of its conventions across our projects.
When I talk about harnessing the “warmth” of traditional design, I mean the inclusion of heritage materials like natural linen fabrics, high-end woods, and old-world tile designs. When you place these selections in a design with a focus on clean lines the subtle dissonance adds complexity to the space. When I say clean lines, I mean the silhouettes of the major additions like furniture. I love coffee tables like the custom white oak piece above that utilize the minimalist symmetry of modern design with a heritage material like a simple unpainted hardwood.
When I balance a design and search for elements to take the room in a fresh direction, I’ll first take a look at the architecture of the space. The original home for our Cascade Renovation was a very archetypal Cape home, a very traditional style. I maintained this historical style subtly throughout the architecture of the renovation, from the baseboard molding to the fireplace design. It was in the surroundings and the less static aspects of the design that I infused more clean-lined and modern elements. This balanced created a home that still felt like a traditional cape but updated to remove any clutter or fussiness associated with pre-modern style. I don’t like anything overly gaudy or ostentatious in my designs, and I find myself friendlier to the various styles of traditional design when they’re filtered through the minimalist sensibilities of the homes of our time.
If the architecture of the home is more modern, you’ll bring tradition to the space in another way. Often I’ll do this through furnishing, fixtures, or lighting. I have to listen to what the house says before I can determine the direction of any design. If you look at our Faro lake house, you’ll see a modern design with clear direction and simple, open planning. A subtle detail of note is the 18”x36” floor tile in the kitchen. These large-format porcelain tiles are very modern, but put them in a kitchen with a range of more classic elements and they soften, complimenting the space. If you look in the corner of the dining room wall, you’ll notice a subtle curve to the drywall. This detail, coupled with the streamlining of the beam in the kitchen as well as the double sliding glass doors should speak to a definitively modern design.
However, these elements are camouflaged and balanced out by the very traditional selections. The classic brick pattern backsplash adds a hint of traditional sensibilities, while the rustic light fixtures further soften the more modern effects, made from recycled antique glass and recalling a bygone age. The classical nature of a purely white kitchen unites the two sensibilities, making the lake house one of our flagship examples of transitional design. I like design because it allows you to interpret work that inspires you, allowing you to express originality through combinations of what you already love. Pure interpolation would simply be an act of copycatting if you don’t introduce something fresh into the equation. Implementing one style is a form of recreation, but when you add what you personally have discovered and learned from a variety of styles, something new is born. If you try to work exclusively within one style, there’s a chance you’ll lose the element of surprise.
As a designer, you need to work within category. No home is going to be a blank slate to simply combining any styles you want: the individual needs of each home must be addressed. This year, one of the projects that particularly challenged me from a design standpoint was our Carraway Project. The original home was a very craftsman traditional design, a deeply heritage style without many tendencies toward modernity to enhance. I decided to draw inspiration from the architecture, and the classical fireplace, allowing myself to be driven by the history of the place. I wanted to lighten the room, but the heaviness of the space made it difficult to infuse the white fabric I knew the place needed. When selecting, I made sure to find pieces that effectively drew the rich space to a middle ground. I knew that I needed an oak coffee table to match the woods and grains of the recreated original woodwork, but it didn’t necessarily have to be red oak. I focused on minute details like this to tie the space together. I knew a large white sofa would bring the desired lightening effect, so I sourced one with an English arm to match the heritage sensibility.
I was also able to bring another lightening touch in the window treatments. If you examine the pattern of the shades you’ll notice a classic pattern that draws the mind of the keen observer to the home’s original craftsman period. The white linen allowed me to make this pattern a helpful addition of modern brightness. Color scheme plays an integral role in the feeling of the space. While the white color scheme of the Farro Lake house soften the contemporary edge, the choice of an of-the-moment color like the sage green that highlights the Carraway Renovation provides a modernizing effect.
Transitional design is all about creation through unification. There is a place for this design ethos in almost every style of home. Bringing in a balanced vision of a new interpretation of your home can open your eyes to newfound ways of appreciating where you dwell. Transitional design for me speaks to the crucial balance that leads to the inception of something new.
Happy Designing!