A Blend of Old and New Could Be Just What You Need for Your Remodel
Are you planning a kitchen remodel in the Northern VA/DC Metro area? Do you want the warmth of a traditional kitchen AND the sleek, functional style of a contemporary kitchen? If so, a transitional kitchen design could be just what you’re looking for. Among homeowners looking to transform their kitchens without going ultra-modern, transitional designs that feature a mix of old and new are a very popular way to create a balanced, unified design that remains stylish for years to come. Transitional kitchens offer a range of design possibilities, allowing you to create your own unique feel and get just the perfect look. Let’s look at some of the hallmarks of transitional kitchens in the Northern VA/DC Metro area and see how a transitional kitchen can be the answer to your big questions about your kitchen remodel.
EXAMPLE: Here’s a nice example of a transitional remodel we completed in Falls Church, Virginia. Notice the simple and clean lines, and how the neutral colors create a nice meeting place for the cabinets, the range, and the beautiful wood floor. This works especially well with the open design and creates a smooth continuity between the kitchen, dining room, and living room.
Also Read : Plain & Fancy Cabinetry: Cabinets Made Especially For You
Key Elements of Transitional Kitchens
Transitional kitchens do offer a wide range of design options for personalizing your kitchen remodel, but there are also features common to all transitional kitchens that you need to consider when planning your project. Following a few simple guidelines will make the design process fun and ensure a fantastic new kitchen for your family and guests to enjoy for years.
- A blend of old and This is really the guiding ethos behind transitional kitchen design. This allows you to incorporate just enough modern to make your kitchen completely new while keeping just enough traditional to preserve the comfort and warmth of traditional design. This blending of old and new is something you really need to consider carefully – too much flourish or fancy mill work will cause your kitchen to lose its modern appeal, and too many modern materials will leave your design feeling less comfy and inviting than you might want. It’s always good to have the help of a design pro here, especially for big items like cabinets, countertops, and lighting.
- Blended A major design element of transitional kitchens is blended materials. This means blending modern with traditional and natural with man-made, and the results can be what really makes your kitchen stand out from the crowd. When done skillfully, this will allow you to fine tune your design to fit your life and your unique style more than anything else.
- Blended Here again, the materials you select work in concert to create a rich landscape of textures that keeps your kitchen interesting without getting too busy. This can be accomplished by blending more traditional wood cabinetry with more modern surfaces like concrete for countertops, for example. Textured tile work and natural materials are also often used to add life to the neutral colors that dominate transitional kitchens.
- Neutral Transitional kitchens feature neutral color schemes that rely more on texture and materials for contrast. Neutral palettes are more effective for blending materials; for example, they make it much easier to include metals for a more modern look. All neutral is not a hard-and-fast rule, however, and many people choose a muted accent color or even a splash of bold color – but don’t get carried away. The transitional kitchen is about moderation in all things.
Also Read : Featured Custom Kitchen Cabinetry in Alexandria, VA
EXAMPLE: Here’s a transitional design that’s a little more modern. This example really highlights the effect of blending textures to create contrast. As you can see, the colors used here are all quite neutral, and the textural variation between the backsplash, the countertops, and the floor are what give this kitchen its character.
- Sleek, crisp kitchen As with any kitchen design philosophy, there’s nothing more crucial to transitional kitchens than getting the right cabinetry. Custom kitchen cabinets for a transitional kitchen are typically made from more traditional materials with designs that include both old and new elements. A popular option is Shaker style cabinets designed with the sleek lines and simple shapes of contemporary kitchen cabinetry. The formula here is pretty simple: don’t over complicate things. Transitional cabinets feature minimal mill work and detail, as too many small details will detract from the symphony of materials and textures, a major feature of transitional kitchens. This is also why you’ll often see minimalist hardware and fixtures featured in transitional designs.
- Just the right amount of Transitional kitchens get a lot of their “old meets new” appeal from getting the details right and making somewhat disparate design features work together. So your cabinets, for example, could feature paneled doors, but you’d want to keep the millwork simple and the lines clean and fluid. The same applies to molding, edge treatments, fixtures, lighting, etc. – too much detail detracts from the overall effect of the design, and really undercuts the philosophy of moderation.
EXAMPLE: Here’s another great example of a transitional kitchen with just the right amount of old and new. The fantastic tilework and white cabinets really put a spotlight on the luxurious countertops, and also look perfectly natural next to the wood floors, which serves to tie together the more modern style of the kitchen with a more traditional dining room. The available natural light and the stylish warmth of this room really push this one over the top in terms of simple elegance.
Also Read : Kitchen Remodel Estimates: Good, Better, or Best? You Decide
If you think a transitional kitchen design might be the answer to your kitchen remodel needs, we’d love to help you get started on the road to your dream kitchen today. Here at Bath Plus Kitchen, we have the desire and the know-how to help you get the kitchen you’ve always wanted; we’re waiting to hear from you.
