What was once traditional is now transitional; a style that incorporates old and new design elements with finesse and cohesion. Few have period homes that, for example, are purely Colonial in style or that sport Art Deco architecture with the furniture to match. Today we mix and match what the contemporary décor industry has to offer with a large range of eclectic styles. These often include vintage items as well as new purchases. New is not necessarily better!
An understanding of transitional style begins with furniture, art and artifacts, and other décor details. For some these are inherited pieces that have sentimental value; for others they may be very valuable heirlooms, such as notable art or antiques. Whatever your personal style or circumstances, let’s review some key questions that can help to bring it all together.
Does it have good bones? Older furniture worth keeping must have sound structure that has stood the test of time and wear. If you have a 1960’s Ethan Allen wingback chair or an original Eames chair, both are worth refurbishing at any cost. Ikea circa 1993, not so much. However, it doesn’t have to be a valuable antique to make it worth some tender care; anything well-made, carved, or beautifully unusual will be a lovely addition to your home.
Does it need to be upholstered or recovered? Re-upholstering furniture can be expensive; therefore, the item must justify the cost. Certain styles of furniture are just not manufactured anymore. Also, many contemporary chairs are made at a larger scale and seem behemoth in an average size house. Furniture made before 1989 usually does not have this issue. Upholstering a chair in a nice fabric will often cost as much as a new one, therefore the only reason to do it is because you adore it and the piece is well worth the effort.
Is it the right size (scale) for my house and my other furniture? Scale is one of the corner stones of good interior design. If furniture is out of proportion to a room it throws off the balance. No matter how much you love that antique curio cabinet, if it makes the rest of the room look like a doll’s house, it will never work. The same is true for delicate furniture pieces that are placed in rooms with beefy ones. Filling a space well requires both negative and positive spatial juxtapositions. This means leaving enough “blank” spaces to serve as the glue in between them.
Do I really love it or is it a sentimental piece or both? Sometimes we think we like an object when what we really cherish are the memories that it holds. This is a perfectly valid reason to hang onto something, but will you sacrifice the harmony of a room to it? The answer is to be objective about where it really fits (or not). Uncle Fred’s stuffed moose head was a knockout over that river rock fireplace in his house, and because he bagged it himself, you would rather not give it away. However, your house is nothing like his. Maybe you can donate it to your favorite pub and visit it every Friday night or perhaps now is the time to make that spare bedroom into the man cave you have always dreamed of!
Transitional style blends old and new, creating harmony through timeless furniture, meaningful pieces, and thoughtful design.