DO YOU HAVE ‘TRANSITIONAL’ STYLE?

Ever wondered what your interior ‘style’ is? I was confused by mine because I like neutral palettes and clean modern lines, but mixed with shaker cabinetry, eclectic accessories, a bit of the ‘Hamptons’, a touch of chinoiserie, different textures, masculine and feminine, classic elements…you get the picture. Does this sound like you too?

Being an Aquarian I’m ok with being a bit different to be honest, but by having an obsession with interiors and home styling as opposed to a solid interior design background I started to question whether I was about to make some pretty awful choices when making our house a home. That was until I came across the term ‘transitional’. Now you could be fully au fait with this term but as I wasn’t I’m figuring there are other people out there like me who might benefit.

According to Karen Williams for the Huffington Post:

‘Transitional designs are somewhere in between traditional and modern styles; they bridge the gap between the two, borrowing from each aesthetic. What it yields is an environment that is warm and welcoming, unfussy but incorporating classic components.’

I’m pretty convinced that if I was going to define my style, this would be it, although there could be a professional out there who disagrees! Like I said, I’m ok with making unique choices and pairings at times, but knowing that this is a ‘thing’ gave me the confidence to stick with my vision and go with what I really love, if you know what I mean?

If you think this is you, here are my views on transitional style based on my own (non-professional!) experiences:

– ‘Transitional’ can be masked as ‘lack of clarity’ by the confusing array of varying styles that collectively don’t seem to ‘fit’ into a definition (until you come across the term transitional!)

– in some ways it’s easy to get the foundation right when it comes to choosing neutral colour palettes that are complimentary throughout your home. My Pinterest board on wall colours has helped me:

– what is trickier is the layering that adds to the foundation and making choices that combine your love of different styles in a way that means they’re complimentary towards each other. A mixture of having a vision and sticking with it plus endlessly pinning what I love to identify trends in my style and seeing it work for others has given me the conviction to follow through.

– it’s sooooo much fun! once the foundations are there and you have a vision for the layers on top like the accessories, this style gives you real freedom to create a look that is totally representative of you, add pops of colour and break the rules a little.

– having a simple design and neutral colour palette as the foundation for your scheme means that as the seasons change, as your moods change, and in my case as new exciting accessories are launched (I confess, cushions and candles are my weakness), it’s pretty easy and fairly inexpensive to change things up. I did this update in our lounge to introduce Pantone Colour of Year for 2018 (read more here):

Here was the room before so you can see what a difference those colour changes in the accessories made:

– this is where my love of DIY projects come in as I’ll make something to tie in with my new pieces, like the acrylic painting I created to match the cushions in our kitchen banquette (read how here) and the marble coffee table for our family room (read more here):

– It’s really easy to move accessories and furnishings around the house from room to room because you have a neutral palette everywhere. It’s a great way to freshen up rooms without spending a penny.

My endless pinning can be found here (!) should you wish to check out my boards and gain inspiration for your own home:

So there you have it, ‘transitional’ style! I really hope this help if you’re about to embark on a decorating project or if you’re confused about your ‘style’.

If this inspires you please tag @ohsokel and use #OSKinspired on Instagram as I’d love to see the results.

Until next time,

OSK xx

Follow:
0
Share:

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

as seen