Mirror, Mirror…
As an interior designer I often use mirrors in a scheme. The question is why one would use a mirror rather than a painting or print? Whereas a piece of art can lift our spirits, or add to the ambiance of the room, a mirror can reflect light – either from a window or electric light – and be an important contributor to the success of the overall scheme as well as our well-being. A carefully placed mirror can increase the impact of the light entering or already in the room.
Apart from reflecting light, a mirror, whether large or small, can act as a statement piece bringing the whole design together. It might be an over mantle mirror above a carved stone fireplace or a convex mirror in a narrow hallway which catches the eye of the passer-by. Even an inexpensive sheet of plain mirror glass set into a recess or on a wardrobe door can visually increase the size of a room and it doesn’t have to have a decorative frame to work.
A statement mirror is a must in the hall, perhaps placed above an ornate console table. It is in the best place to check one’s appearance before opening the front door to visitors or braving the outside world, whether the paparazzi are lying in wait or not! Inexpensive mirrors of all sizes and designs are everywhere, but the designer will hunt for something special. The mirror below is hand-made by Italian designer, Davide Medri. You can see his wonderful mirrors here: http://www.davidemedri.eu .
Early man would have seen his reflection in still water and the earliest mirrors made by man were made from polished stone or obsidian, which is black volcanic glass. Examples of these have been found in Turkey, made 6000 years ago, and some have beautifully ornate frames. Later mirrors were made of metal polished to produce a reflective surface, using either copper, tin or bronze and, more recently, mirrors were made from blown glass, much as we do now, but with a lead backing. You can read more about the interesting history of mirrors here: http://www.mirrorhistory.com
We have some lovely mirrors for sale on the Interior Design Exchange website – all shapes, sizes and designs; all new mirrors which were ordered for a design project and not used and are in excellent condition. Have a look here: http://interiordesignexchange.com/products.php
The beautiful Davide Medri mirror, above, has a mosaic mirrored frame. A similar one is available to IDEx members at an excellent price. See it here: http://interiordesignexchange.com/addforsale.php
Mirror, or a polished and reflective surface, can be employed equally well on a piece of furniture or light fitting. Here is a selection of interesting reflective pieces for sale on the IDEx website:
So, mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the cleverest of them all?
The designer who buys mirrored treasures from Interior Design Exchange!
Have a good week!
Susanne
www.interiordesignexchange.com
