Transitional Kitchen Design – 5 Tips for a Kitchen Style that Can Change with You

Are you struggling to decide on a design for your new kitchen? It’s understandable. Renovating your kitchen is a major investment in terms of both money and time, and you don’t want to be stuck with a kitchen design you’ll hate in just a few years.

If you’re feeling ambivalent about choosing a kitchen style, there is a solution. It’s called “transitional kitchen design.” This is a style that’s meant to evolve and change, so you don’t have to feel locked in to any previous preferences.

A transitional kitchen design incorporates both contemporary and traditional elements, and it utilizes design features that could go either way when it comes to major components like kitchen cabinets. It’s the perfect design style if you might soon be selling you home or if you want the flexibility to change up your style in a few years.

If you’d like a transitional design for your kitchen, here are 5 tips:

1. Paint Your Kitchen in Neutral Colors

Trendy design schemes might emphasize bold, bright colors, but these choices can look dated in just a few years. If you want your kitchen design to last, it’s better to choose timeless colors that are neutral, such as grays, browns, creams, and white.

By choosing a neutral color for your walls, backsplash, and cabinets, you can continually update your kitchen accessories without having to make major renovations. Best of all, today there are grays available with all sorts of undertones from pinks to greens to blues, so you can still incorporate hints of color while keeping your overall palette neutral.

2. Incorporate Elements from Nature 

Nature never goes out of style. As human beings, we’re practically programmed to respond favorably to plants and wood and stone.

One way to make sure your design will last is to choose natural elements for major components in your kitchen, such as the flooring, countertops, and/or cabinets. If you want to keep your kitchen feeling fresh, you can plan to incorporate plants in a certain spot and then change the particular plants you feature based on the seasons or a certain color scheme of your choice.

3. Choose the Right Lighting Fixtures

Kitchens always require plenty of light. Ideally, your kitchen will get plenty of sunshine beaming in through a window, but you can always substitute LED natural light bulbs to mimic sunlight. In addition to the ambient light that fills the room, you probably also want to install light fixtures for specific purposes and tasks.

When you’re designing a transitional kitchen, you want to be sure to avoid any light fixtures that appear decidedly vintage or modern. Instead, you want to aim for a classic look that can be versatile as trends change.

4. Mix and Match Old with New 

A transitional kitchen design is typically eclectic, combining both old and new elements.

For example, if you prefer the sleek efficiency of modern stainless-steel appliances, you might want to combine them with a rustic butcher block on your counter. Or, if your lighting fixtures have an industrial metallic look, you might want to pair them with traditional textiles hanging on the walls.

If you continually aim for a balance between old and new, you’ll be able to introduce a wide variety of different elements as time goes by without ever needing a major overhaul.

5. Try Shaker Style Kitchen Cabinets that Can be Traditional or Modern

Your choice of kitchen cabinets will be one of the most important decisions for your new kitchen. If you want your design to be transitional, you’ll want cabinets that could fit either a traditional or modern look. Shaker style cabinets are perfect in this regard.

With their clean lines and timeless durability, Shaker style cabinets fit into rugged rustic and ultra-contemporary kitchens and everything in between. Thus, they make an ideal selection for transitional kitchens. There are even a variety of Shaker style options, so you can choose what’s best for your unique kitchen.

If you want a transitional kitchen design for your home, our team of designers here at RTA Wood Cabinets will be happy to help you make that dream a reality. We even offer a FREE consultation with one of our kitchen experts – just give us a call at 1-800-788-7575.