It wasn’t too long ago that, if you were asked what our homes would look like in the 21st century, visions of the Jetson’s with hard plastic furniture, robotic “Rosie” au pairs tooling around in “space age” high rises, and automat instant food dispensers came to mind. As you well know, a lot of the futuristic “James Bond” technology has been integrated into our daily lives. Fortunately, we have rebelled against the hard, sterile, cold designs of the total futuristic chrome and plastic, hard-edged furniture look in our everyday living spaces. We instead turn to the soft, inviting, and nurturing familiarity of more traditional furniture that we grew up with and feel comfortable and safe with (and are now finding is really boring!).

Mix It Up to Freshen Up!

So, how can we jazz-up our nests without launching into outer space? Mixing contemporary with traditional is a good way to ease a room into a more updated feel. If you design an entire room in a certain period, it gets a little boring. If you mix periods, it gives you more layers, depth, and excitement. It adds freshness to the antiques, and the antiques soften the harshness of the contemporary stark lines. You can refresh with just a little bit of something that’s new, exciting, and contemporary.

Not Quite Modern…Not Quite Traditional….Transitional!

Open up to the idea of mixing contemporary touches with the antiques, dark woods and elaborate English or French styling central to the traditional look. This mixing of styles has become increasingly popular, including in areas where the traditional has always reigned supreme. In the designer lingo, the style is known by some as “casual contemporary”, and it’s the second most popular in the country–right behind traditional. Not quite modern, not quite traditional… “Transitional”! It is basically a fusion of styles that unite to create an eclectic look that provides a subtle balance of modern and traditional, incorporating the clean lines without being harsh.

What’s Old and What’s New?

Most people immediately think of only “English or French anythings” to be antique. They believe that if it doesn’t have a “Louis” or an “Empire” before its name, it’s just not an antique! However, most definitions of “antique” begin with the age of the object. (One of the most unpleasant days of my life was when I found my high school yearbook in an antique mall!) The general consensus these days is that most items over 50 years of age are considered to be antiques. (Before you start yelling, the age requirement depends upon the general piece, what area of the country you are from, and which expert you ask.)

What really is contemporary? Most of us would be surprised to learn that some of the styles that we consider to be stark contemporary are really antiques…having been designed in the early to mid 1900’s! Charles Eames and his wife, Ray designed their now famous plywood chairs in 1945 and the lounge chair in 1956, while Eero Saarinen was designing his futuristic furniture in 1948.

How Do You Pull This Off Without Creating a Mess?

Mixing styles is not a hit or miss endeavor. It’s a challenge.  As with all good design, the key to arranging the old with the new takes into account scale; balance and harmony; contrast and surprise; and an element of simplicity. What you are trying to achieve is a balance and harmony with a bit of oomph!

By adding contemporary paintings, classic mid-century modern furniture pieces, and centuries old antiques, you develop a visually stimulating tapestry of texture, colors and periods in which each element is a thread that goes into making the whole. You will create a visually stimulating space where the past and present seem to combine effortlessly.

Evolution…Not Revolution!

Mixing old and new is where the opportunities for real style lie. It’s more chic than having wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling antiques and real Louis whatever everywhere. Mixing old and new says “I’m in tune with the future, and I honor the past; I’m not a hostage to trends and the “design de jour”; I am my own person with my own taste; I am woman; hear me roar!”.... Oops, sorry, I tend to get carried away. 

Remember, it’s a matter of evolution-not revolution. Start off slowly. Whatever you decide, just don’t overdo it. With just a few select pieces, you can change the look of a room, or give your entire home a whole new perspective. The relaxed mix of transitional, eclectic design is timeless. Once you take that first step toward putting old and new together, you will discover the beauty of this look is full of surprises and allows interiors to evolve, endlessly.