What do you do when your home is furnished with traditional styled furniture and accessories, but you want to make your space a bit more contemporary, but you don’t want to change everything? Here are some tips to help you achieve your new look.

Learn to mix elements of both contemporary and traditional decor in a design style that is referred to as “transitional.” This term can be defined as a design style that is neither traditional nor modern. Combining design styles is eclectic, cozy and creative. The mixing and matching traditional furniture designs with contemporary furniture designs can create a vibrant, interesting and relaxed environment.

Start by introducing one piece at a time and get a feel for how it looks to you. You can add more design elements as you feel comfortable. Keep it simple and don’t over-do it are two key factors to keep in mind when mixing traditional with modern style.

When choosing furniture pieces that differ from what you’ve got, look for unifying elements. Color can be one unifying element, but so is scale and design. Consider adding just one unique element. Sometimes, less is more, and that includes mixing up decorating styles. The one unique element can become the focal point of a room, and dramatically change its feel. For example trade in your traditional patterned overstuffed couch for something solid, modern and sleek. Suddenly, you’ll see that the whole room changes, even if most elements stay the same.

Consider a neutral color scheme. If you find want to experiment with varied styles, you’ll have an easier time doing so by sticking to creams, taupe’s, beiges and other neutral colors that can help unify a room. One of the easiest ways to combine traditional and modern is to go with an all-white color scheme. Suddenly, a white modern leather couch can look perfect with a shabby chic distressed white coffee table and two white English armchairs.

Keep window treatments and other accessories simple and minimal. Simple can look good with traditional and always looks right with modern. It’s harder to mix these two design styles if window treatments and other accessories are elaborate, stuffy and overdone and leaning towards a traditional style.

By: Jeri Rosenthal & Paul Terry Edwards