Style Trial: Traditional Style Furniture and Transitional Style Furniture

If you’re like me, defining your personal style isn’t black and white. It’s usually a gray area of furniture and décor of several styles that speak to you. That’s why we created the Style Trial series — to explain the black and the white of basic design styles and help you define your gray (or green, or blue, or red) area of style. Because we know it’s not all or nothing. It’s often a mix.
 
Which, when you think about it, is how one of our next styles came about. Transitional style furniture is actually a bit of traditional style with a contemporary flair. In this edition of the Style Trial series, we’ll help you identify the subtle — and not so subtle — differences between traditional and transitional styles. Sounds easy, right?
 
What is “traditional” furniture?
Traditional style furniture may evoke a vision of a formal dining room in an 18^th- or 19^th- century British colonial mansion with detailed woodwork and exquisite china. It’s true this style is rooted in history. The foundation and basic elements have remained the same through the years. However, a lot of people don’t realize it’s frequently updated to stay current. Prime examples include updated versions of traditional patterns like florals and paisleys, and unique, more modernized functions and forms.
 
Traditional style furniture is easily identified by the use of medium to dark wood finishes  with a more pronounced, formal grain or high-grade veneer. Medium-toned woods are sometimes distressed to give them an antique look and feel. Symmetry and pairs are popular in the traditional style, which is classic and favors calmness and order.
 
What is “transitional”?
If traditional and contemporary styles had a baby, it would be transitional style furniture. Through the use of contemporary materials and fabrics, updated finishes and the subtle manipulation of more traditional lines, transitional pieces take on a sophisticated look while maintaining a traditional feel.
 
Bold, accentuated forms and dynamic shapes drive transitional style furniture. The emphasis is on the silhouette or form, incorporating curves and clean lines simultaneously with the lack of ornamentation common in contemporary furnishings. The sophisticated, timeless look is complemented by simple but rich textural elements and graphic patterns. Metal accents are important, often textured and incorporating bronze, gold, copper and silver.
 
How do I tell the difference?
After you check out these questions and answers, you’ll have a good idea which style you prefer.

	Traditional Style Furniture	Transitional Style Furniture
How do I describe it?	Formal, time-honored, firmly rooted in history	Traditional meets contemporary — curves and clean lines, sleek and sophisticated
What colors are prominent?	Neutrals like cream, beige and taupe complemented with lighter colors (peach, blues, greens and lavender) or darker hues (deep browns and reds)	Warm neutrals with a splash of dark brown
What materials will I frequently see?	Medium- to dark-finished wood, antiqued metals such as brass, gold or painted finish	Dark brown or deep gray wood finishes, textured fabrics like suede, corduroy and chenille, textured metals (bronze, gold, copper and silver), wrapped leather
How can I decorate with this style?	Crystal chandeliers, tassels and fringe, oil paintings in gold gilt frames	A wall of black-and-white photos, a simple potted succulent, leather ottoman
If this style was a movie, what flick would it be?	Pride & Prejudice. Lace up that corset, Kiera Knightly!	10 Things I Hate About You. It’s a modern take on a Shakespearean story.