Here’s What Transitional Style *Actually* Means (and 6 Tips to Nail the Look)

“Transitional style has its roots in traditional design but it’s more relaxed and laid back,” explains Casey Hardin, Decorist designer and creator of The Karma Corner.

Basically, a transitional room uses traditional design as its basis, with pops of color and fun accent pieces that are more contemporary. That way, it’s still pretty timeless, but it doesn’t feel as stuffy and formal as your typical, traditional room.

Transitional style actually started in the 1950s, almost as a knee-jerk reaction to the stark look of the mid-century modern movement. It kept mid-century mod’s clean lines and light, bright look, weaving in the warmth and character that traditional style’s plush, detailed designs offer. (Picture a traditional, four-poster bed, only without the ornate detailing and paired with, say, a modern chair and sleek window treatments.)

Transitional style leans so heavily on trad design that it’s helpful to define it a bit further. Simply put, traditional style is rooted in 18^th and 19^th century design, with a focus on creating a sense of symmetry and order within the space. (Kind of like how many bedrooms you’ll see feature a nightstand on either side of the bed with matching lamps atop them.) It creates a sense of peacefulness, especially with its often-neutral color palette. There’s such a sense of tradition to this design that you walk into a room and know what to expect, and there’s comfort in that. You also know that a decade from now, the room won’t seem dated—another plus.

The furniture tends to be darker and much heavier than other styles, Hardin says, which can be grounding—but can also feel too intense for some people, particularly when paired with the ornate patterns (like toile) and heavy drapery also associated with this style.

Transitional tends to be brighter and more playful than traditional style, thanks to the addition of more modern pieces and accents. “With transitional style, you can try a wallpaper that has a bit more funk or edge to it, or incorporate a mixed-metal table, or a table that has a wood base and a marble top, or vice versa,” Hardin says. Transitional lets you dabble in trends, but it’s not so obsessed with the new-new that the room feels like a time capsule of the exact date you decorated it.

“It can still be relevant in three, four, five years,” she adds. Consider transitional traditional with a twist—you’re transitioning into a new style, but you’re not going full-tilt into it.

Hardin’s advice here is straightforward: Keep your big furniture and investment pieces traditional. That way, you won’t be sick of them in two years—and regret the money you spent on them. Then, for your accents, like throw blankets, pillows, side tables and lighting, skew more contemporary.

Target’s Threshold collection is pretty transitional, and Hardin recommends checking out Pottery Barn and Bed, Bath and Beyond for key pieces of furniture that won’t break the bank. (Psst: Bed, Bath and Beyond has actually become Hardin’s secret source for accent tables and lighting that’s transitional and affordable.)

For more contemporary pieces, hit up Lulu & Georgia and West Elm, Hardin says. Or, to make things easy on yourself, you can always shop the story below.