How To Create a Transitional Kitchen + 23 Timeless Ideas

By: Andrew Saladino | 7 min

Looking for the perfect blend of classic and contemporary for your kitchen remodel? Transitional kitchens are the best of both worlds, pairing modern elements with traditional kitchen staples to create a fresh yet timeless look.

From shaker cabinets to kitchen color schemes, we'll cover tips and ideas for creating a transitional-style kitchen from the ground up.

Choose the Right Materials for Transitional Kitchen Flooring

While your kitchen flooring may not always be the focal point of your room, the type of materials you choose will serve as a canvas for the rest of your design. Most transitional kitchen flooring leans toward warm wood flooring, but there are ways to add a touch of personality to this often-overlooked area of your kitchen.

1. Add a Colorful Runner

Bright antique rugs in traditional Persian-inspired patterns will add contrast to a neutral-colored kitchen while drawing interest to your floor. This is a great option if you aren't planning on updating your flooring but are still looking to elevate it. Plus, a kitchen rug adds warmth and softness to your design (and your bare feet!).

2. Pattern Your Planks

Who said wood flooring had to be laid vertically? Set your flooring apart by installing wood planks or tiles in a herringbone pattern. This zigzag pattern creates the illusion of movement and can actually make your kitchen appear bigger, especially in those narrower spaces like between your kitchen island and countertops.

3. Choose a Contrasting Color

If you've already decided on a kitchen cabinet color, add dimension to your space with a wood stain or tile color. If you choose a dark shade for your cabinets like navy blue or black, light-colored floors will help your palette pop, and vice versa.

4. Use Concrete for an Industrial Vibe

Stained concrete and large concrete tiles have become popular wood flooring alternatives for transitional kitchens in recent years, especially with the rise of trendy industrial-inspired designs. Concrete flooring can lend a contemporary flair to modernize more traditional-looking decor.

Keep Cabinets Classic for Transitional Kitchens

When it comes to choosing the perfect cabinets for your transitional kitchen, clean, straight lines and simple designs are the way to go. These expert ideas will help you balance ornate, traditional styling with sleek, minimalist elements to create a cozy, ageless atmosphere in your kitchen.

5. Opt for Shaker Cabinets

Simple yet classic, shaker-style cabinets have enjoyed widespread appeal since they were first introduced over a century ago. These cupboards feature recessed panels adorned with clean, sleek inside and outside edges. Shakers are considered a traditional-style cabinet, but they're easy to incorporate into modern kitchens due to their minimal design. Browse our selection of shaker-style cabinets to find the perfect addition to your space.

6. Keep a Neutral Color Palette

There's a reason white kitchens will never go out of style. Choosing a neutral color for your kitchen cabinets - like white, cream, beige, gray, or black - eliminates visual distractions and can make your space appear more open and airy. Natural wood cabinets are also a popular choice in transitional kitchens.

7. Experiment With "New Neutrals"

Are you hoping for a more contemporary palette? Colors like navy blue, sage green, powder blue, and olive are popular modern kitchen colors designers have dubbed the "new neutrals." These shades are just as versatile as white or gray but can liven up a kitchen otherwise void of color.

8. Add Warmth With Brass, Bronze, or Copper Hardware

While there's nothing wrong with stainless steel, warm metals like brass, bronze, and copper can help create a warm, lived-in space that's popular with transitional designs. Whether you opt for sleek minimalist handles or timeless cup pulls, unlacquered hardware can serve as a statement piece to elevate simple kitchen cabinets.

9. Highlight Your Kitchen Island

Two-tone kitchen cabinets are the perfect solution for those looking to add a statement color to their transitional kitchen. Choosing a darker "new-neutral" color for your island or base cabinets grounds your kitchen and draws the eye to the heart of your design, while keeping the wall cabinets a lighter color will still preserve the illusion of a bright, open space.

10. Mix in Glass Cabinets

Speaking of creating bright, open spaces, a few glass-front wall cabinets can have a similar effect. Glass cabinets are a sophisticated way to add depth to your kitchen - not to mention how posh they'll look with your best china and drinkware on display.

Get Creative With Your Countertop and Backsplash

So far, we've talked about sticking to clean lines and neutral colors for your kitchen flooring and cabinets, but your countertops and backsplash are the perfect places to create a breathtaking statement feature in your transitional kitchen.

11. Give Geometric Tiles a Try

Honeycomb, fish scale, or intricate star-shaped tiles for your backsplash add visual intrigue to your space, especially in vibrant colors like emerald green or interesting materials such as pearl, copper, or textured stone.

12. Or Stick With Simple Subway Tile

Subway tile is the most popular transitional kitchen backsplash material because of its versatility and clean, sharp lines. While classic white tiles appear to be the style of choice for many transitional kitchens, don't be afraid to experiment with statement colors, textures, and patterns when designing your subway tile backsplash.

13. Inject Some Personality Into Your Range Backsplash

Want to make a statement with your backsplash but worried it'll overwhelm your design? Try placing a feature piece above your cooking range. Colorful Mediterranean tiles, stunning polished stone, or even a built-in niche can provide just the right amount of flair to a transitional kitchen.

14. Invest in Stone Countertops

Transitional kitchens value timeless, versatile design elements, so choose a countertop material that will never go out of style. Natural stone like marble, granite, or quartz are all stunning upscale options that'll complement any color scheme. Not only will they never lose their visual appeal, but stone countertops can also last decades when maintained properly.

15. Lean Contemporary With Waterfall Countertops

A waterfall countertop is the epitome of streamlined style. By bringing your countertop material from the top edge all the way to the floor, you can actually trick the eye into perceiving your kitchen as taller. Take the concept a step further by using the same material for your backsplash.

16. Mix and Match Countertops

We covered how two-tone cabinets can help your kitchen island stand out against the rest of your kitchen -well, two-tone countertops can do the same. Pairing solid-colored or subtle-patterned counters with a striking island countertop creates eye-catching contrast to help balance your design.

Bring All the Light Into Your Transitional Kitchen

Transitional kitchens place a huge emphasis on lighting to create that open, casual elegance they're known for. This means you'll want to draw in as much natural light as possible while supplementing darker areas with task lighting and unique statement fixtures. Here are a few transitional kitchen lighting ideas to illuminate your space.

17. Opt for Statement Pendant Lights

Pendant lighting is almost always incorporated into transitional kitchens to brighten up a breakfast bar or dining area. This is a great opportunity to introduce modern, funky elements into your space to balance out traditional cabinets and countertops. Oversized pendants in classic styles, geometric-shaped shades, and antique barn lighting are just a few of our favorite options.

18. Layer Your Task Lighting

Another way to brighten up your transitional design is by including plenty of task lighting. Under cabinet lighting and recess lighting are great options if you're looking for something subtle, but you can also lean classic with unique wall sconces.

19. Ditch the Window Treatments

If you're lucky enough to have ample light streaming through your kitchen, maximize it by removing your window treatments. Even when left open, curtains and blinds can obstruct the amount of light your kitchen receives - not to mention they can add visual clutter if you're opting for a minimalist design. As a window-framing alternative, consider highlighting the view with contrasting trim.

Other Transitional Kitchen Ideas That Blend Trendy and Traditional

With your main kitchen design staples chosen, complete your space with timeless accents, finishes, and decor for a perfect classic-meets-contemporary look. Check out these transitional kitchen recommendations as you add the finishing touches to your design.

20. Install a Functional Farmhouse Sink

Who said kitchen sinks can't make a statement? Sleek and stylish apron-front sinks are both functional and unique, whether they're made of traditional white porcelain or polished stainless steel. It's no wonder farmhouse sinks have become one of the most popular kitchen remodel additions in recent years.

21. Keep Decor to a Minimum

Transitional kitchens veer on the minimalist side, so it may be best to skip the distressed farmhouse wall decor and excessive countertop decorations. Items that serve a purpose - like your coffee pot, cooking utensils, and cutting boards - are fine to keep out, but try to let your kitchen style speak for itself.

22. Integrate Antique Statement Pieces

One-of-a-kind vintage (or vintage-inspired) kitchen stools, rugs, light fixtures, or appliances can provide plenty of warmth and intrigue to a transitional kitchen with more modern elements. Pieces that appear slightly worn-in - like those with distressed wood or patinaed metal - add to a cozy kitchen feel.

23. Draw Inspiration From Other Rooms

Transitional style kitchens are often a prime choice for open-concept layouts because you can easily incorporate colors, patterns, and textures from surrounding rooms. For example, if you have green curtains in your living room, you can tie in that color with your cabinets, backsplash, or even your countertop to create a cohesive design.

Looking for more professional advice? Reach out to our team of NKBA-certified designers for expert insight on designing a showstopping transitional kitchen for your upcoming remodel.

Transitional Kitchen Ideas FAQs

Ready to start designing your transitional kitchen? We answered some of the most frequently asked questions about this style of kitchen to help kick-start your creative process.

What is a transitional style kitchen?

A transitional style kitchen seamlessly blends traditional and contemporary elements to create a casually elegant and timeless look.

What cabinets work best in a transitional kitchen?

Shaker cabinets are the best cabinet choice when designing a transitional kitchen. While this cabinet style leans traditional, its simple design and clean lines won't clash with modern elements.

What are transitional kitchen colors?

Transitional kitchens almost always have a neutral or subtle color scheme consisting of white, cream, beige, gray, and black. Recently, "new neutrals" like sage green, navy blue, and olive have dominated transitional designs.

Are transitional-style kitchens trending in 2023?

Transitional kitchens are trending in 2023 - in fact, due to their very nature, this style of kitchen will always be popular. Because transitional kitchens blend both traditional and modern designs, the result is a timeless kitchen that'll look amazing for years to come.

If you're looking to balance ornate traditional styling and ultra-modernism, these transitional kitchen ideas can help bring your dream kitchen to life. Before you begin your kitchen remodel, check out our wide selection of quality transitional kitchen cabinets available ready-to-assemble or pre-assembled.