The Humble Mirror:
Mirrors. Most of us use these several times a day, from dawn until dusk. They are one of the few furniture items that can be placed in any room of the house and used at any age.
Stephanie Lowder, in her piece ‘The History of the Mirror, through a dark glass, darkly’ remarks, ‘mirror not only brings utility and beauty to living spaces, it also provides an artistic medium for expressing thought and feeling.’
Throughout history, mirrors have been enjoyed all over the world, from the Himalayas, to Greece, Japan, and for a number for years, mastered by the Venetians. For a time mirrors were seen as prized possessions, decorated with gods to have on your person, or as a way to ward off unwanted negative energy.
A piece that can range from simple to elaborate, small to grand and ridged to curved. We have considered a handful of ways in which this accessible item of decoration can benefit and uplift our interiors.
1: Bouncing off Natural Light: Place a mirror near a natural light source, and it can help amplify the light in a space as well as create a greater sense of space. The Mirror is this image is placed behind a sofa and near the window, enhancing the sitting room whilst not being over bearing.
2: Add Depth: Placing mirrors in a dark corner can instantly make the corner an inviting one rather than poky or awkward. Mirrors have the ability to create a dramatic and moody atmosphere especially when matched with the right lighting. This way of using mirrors can also be used in narrow hallways and rooms without natural daylight.
3: Trick the Eye: This effect doesn’t have to be confined to one room. A mirror that faces another mirror from a bedroom to a powder room in these two pictures highlight the magic potential of a never ending mirror corridor. Paired together like this, mirrors meet and produce an intriguing tunnel of continuum.
4: Accenting. Have you specified a great finish that deserves to be viewed from more than one angle? Whether this is in the form of wallpaper, gorgeous joinery or a stand out tile – a mirror can help bring attention to the finish. These deep brown porcelain but leather looking bathroom tiles had so much texture that a juxtaposed mirror accented its character on the mirror adjacent.
5: Texture and Pattern. @Bokart Glass offers a wide range of glass, and also has a patterned mirror collection. This exciting way of using a mirror can be explained as follows:
“Our pattern mirror collection delivers an infinite variety of patterns on either a single plate or laminated glass. Applying a mirror to both sides of glass creates depth, movement, and shade inside the glass panel.
Because we control every stage of the manufacturing process we can adjust any of our techniques to suit your needs e.g. silvering (mirroring), colouring, by using different types of glass, etc. but ultimately the choice is yours.
Pattern mirrors are a great solution for interior walls and space partitions by reflecting light, adding privacy and creating a luxury feel.” Bokart Website.
Pictured beneath we have the Oxide Pixel mirror, the Simple diamond and the Simple dot sediment.
6: Subtle star of a space. Mirrors are often placed as the focal point of a room, but what if it’s the star of the show without one realising? As seen in the back of both of these spa photos, the circle and rectangular mirrors respectively add depth, interest, and continuity to the room whilst directing light and height upwards and outwards.
Conclusion:
Which mirror will you consider next?
Sources:
https://blog.oka.com/expert-designs/design-tips-mirrors/https://www.furniturelibrary.com/mirror-glass-darkly/https://www.luxdeco.com/blogs/styleguide/12-ways-to-style-with-mirrors
