Transitional Rugs Save The Day

by Judy Arthon on March 14, 2010

When it comes to decorating a room, something all of us have a problem with is the combination of different styles. Think in terms of different time periods – how will you combine elements from the Georgian period with those from the Victorian period? Is it even possible?

There is a kind of rug called transitional rug wherein every aspect of the material is a chameleon. Why so? It’s because transitional rugs have the elements of various styles found in a room. You might be a skeptic and have now started to raise your eyebrows on the viability of this idea. Allow me to tell you more

Transitional rugs have both flavors of the European and Oriental styles, and are reflective of modern designs. The daring mix of art and chic makes these rugs a major favorite especially among collectors.

However there are even more characteristics unique to the transitional rug that you won’t easily find with other styles of rugs, such as color. While other rugs are rooted in tradition with the style of their patterns, the different colors or types of colors, etc., transitional rugs have that freedom that allows for virtually any combination of color.

An additional feature that makes the transitional rug different from other rugs is the aspect of the rug design. Consider a country motif rug or perhaps one decorated according to botanical tastes. These traditional rugs will often have a certain design or object featured in the design, such as a specific country scene or only certain types of flowers. Again here the transitional rug is different in the sense that it can feature anything from a genre or subject, be it the smallest flower, the biggest tree, an old farm scene, or any other item or idea usually avoided by traditional rug makers.

Most people opt for the conventional type of rug because there is a distinct color like dark and light, and a striking accent like a medallion. The downside to this however, is that there is nothing in between. The color might be too dark or too light, but there is no shade in between – not very dark or light. The choice then becomes quite restricted.

With transitional rugs, versatility is an attractive feature. You can see the integration of various designs and level of color. An illustration is a rug inspired by Oriental designs but not totally Oriental. The colors are all there but the shade is lighter and elements of other designs are also mixed into the rug’s makeup. So it can turn out to be a rug with Oriental influences and a touch of earth tones with a style borrowed from a modern, geometric design. The result is a little bit of everything to produce a unique, one of a kind rug.

All these said, transitional rugs are the ideal choice if you aren’t sure or decided on what type to choose. They are flexible indeed. Just consider the right size for the room and where you intend to place it. Decide if you want your rug to be the main decor or just an accent to modify the room. When you have finally figured this out, you’re transitional rug shopping will be trouble-free.

Don’t be ripped off by imitations. Be sure to buy authentic transitional area rugs directly.