Transitional Style Master Bedroom Ideas

The last time our master bedroom got some TLC was in 2008. Yes, you can say that our decor has seen better days. After a lot of consideration, I envisioned a transitional style master bedroom. In this post, you will find before pictures of the room why I chose a transitional style decor and a master bedroom mood board. Along with the design board, there’s a checklist of things to do and a wish list of resources.

After 12 years, it was time to make a lot of changes. As always, our master bedroom refresh project started with a fresh coat of paint. The old paint was a periwinkle blue, which I loved for many years. But it was starting to get old (literally and figuratively!)

On the other hand, the window treatments were outdated, and the leather on the bed was deteriorating. Part sunlight damage, part cat-claws damage. I also wasn’t content with the furniture configuration in the room anymore.

Defining My Decorating Style

For starters, I have to say I don’t have a defined decorating style. I love clean lines, but also love furniture with traditional profiles. French country decor, but also the laid-back feeling of the farmhouse trend. As a result of all these ‘likes,’ I think my decorating style is transitional.

I honestly have a love-hate relationship with design trends, and I suffer from analysis paralysis when I have too many options in front of me.

My husband loves modern, straight lines, glass, and polished stainless. I am a sucker for beachy, shabby, and cottage style with a hint of the farmhouse style. I am not madly in love or obsessed with the farmhouse trend, and I honestly think it’s been overused so I try to keep it at its minimum.

We don’t live on a farm, so why force the farmhouse in our suburban home. But at the end of the day, if I LOVE a piece, I find a way to use it in a room and mix and match until I am happy with the results. Hence, I think my master bedroom style is transitional.

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How to Decorate in a Transitional Style

The transitional style is a marriage of traditional and contemporary furniture, finishes, materials, and fabrics, equating to a classic, timeless design. Furniture lines are simple yet sophisticated, featuring either straight lines or rounded profiles. (Source)

So, here are a couple of changes that will help our master bedroom transition from a full-blown traditional to a transitional style.

• Keeping our traditional cherry wood and marble top dresser and nightstands.
• Adding timeless upholstered pieces like this recliner.
• Replacing the ceiling fan with one with a sleeker design
• Keeping the color palette in neutral tones. Gray, whites, beiges, and browns.
• Adding unexpected pops of color for a modern twist. I am thinking of doing this with toss pillows and wall art. Don’t hold me accountable for it.
• Eliminating the window treatments and mantles.

Transitional Style Master Bedroom Mood Board

Back in 2010, when I was expecting our baby boy, I created a physical binder (that I still have) filled with ideas to decorate his nursery. It was the only way I could narrow down my thoughts. All I did was bookmark websites with favorite rooms and pieces, print pictures of the products I wanted to purchase, and add them to the binder.

Turns out, his nursery was so beautiful people encouraged me to start a blog and an Etsy shop. Wouldn’t you know, his nursery was also featured in Cosmopolitan Pregnancy in 2011, and the rest is history!

Fast forward to 2019, this master bedroom makeover gets a design board, not a binder. It was also fun creating the master bedroom mood board. A design board helps you envision the entire room. As opposed to having all things pinned or saved in different places, a design board allows you to see if there’s cohesiveness in your design.

If you are unsure on how to make a digital design board, my dear friend Tasha, at Kaleidoscope Living has a handy step-by-step tutorial.

Before Pictures of the Master Bedroom

Here is a picture of our master bedroom furniture set in all its glory. It is the Savannah collection from Cindy Crawford designed for Rooms to Go. This is what our master bedroom looked like in 2008.

I told you it was periwinkle…and brown. Very brown. I am dying. My favorite spot was my reading nook, next to the electric fireplace.

My husband installed wall sconces to frame the fireplace. And I had the fantastic idea (queue the sarcastic tone), to add some trim and texture to the walls. Once done, I never liked it. We all make poor choices, sometimes in our lives. This was mine.

For 12 years, the dresser sat across from the bed with only 18 inches of room to walk to the other side of the room. It was definitely time to reconfigure the room and give it a makeover while at it.

We have a large window with gorgeous lake views.

Master Bedroom Makeover Checklist

1. Paint the room.
2. New bed and mattress.
3. Pintuck or ruched duvet.
4. Duvet insert.
5. New reading chair and ottoman. I purchased this beautiful Better Homes and Gardens recliner. No need for an ottoman, which saved me some space!
6. A side table for my reading nook
7. Build a custom bookcase/media unit
8. Smart TV
9. A lamp for my reading nook
10. A sleek ceiling fan with light.
11. New table lamps
12. Window treatments – We opted for installing pre-made plantation shutters.
13. New wall sconces. I decided to keep what I had.
14. Wall art
15. Euro pillows
16. Toss pillows
17. New hardware for dresser and nightstands

Update

TOUR OUR MASTER BEDROOM!

If you want to follow along with our transitional style master bedroom makeover, follow me on Instagram or pin this design board for future reference.