kitchens
Essential: Modern FurnishingsIf you stick to just traditional trappings, you might end up with a kitchen that slides from transitional to just traditional overall. This is where some great modern furniture pieces come in, such as high-tech extruded dining chairs, midcentury bent metal barstools, cool industrial accent lights or a minimalist dining table.
Mosaic BacksplashesIf you prefer the look of a mosaic backsplash, consider choosing one in a neutral palette in a rich, classic pattern rather than one in a trendy accent color. This is another great place to consider a herringbone installation or a tile with an interesting shape such as fish-scale or hexagon. This will suit the transitional style and help you avoid passing color trends in an area that’s not easy to update.
This kitchen in Providence, Rhode Island, has access to outdoor space through a single door.Some crave more access to the outdoors. About 18 percent of renovating homeowners said they were opening their kitchens more to outdoor spaces. The most popular way to do so was with double doors or a row of doors. A single door was the second-most popular choice.
Splurge: Statement PendantsYour lighting is a great place to splurge, as it always makes for a natural center of attention. In transitional style, it’s very common to see sizable lights in a simple material and shape, relying on the drama of their size to catch your eye without being so bold as to overwhelm your field of vision when you sit down to snack.
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