Mirror, Mirror

Mirrors are one of the most useful tools in design. They offer a way to visually expand a small space. They can be used to create another "window" to balance or lighten up a room without enough architectural interest. And then there is the quick primp before rushing out the door....always a must in any home.

At the Marin Designers Showcase, I used mirrors in a couple of ways. In the foyer, I worked with Julie Holland of the Mirror Gallery to create a mirror for the foyer to the Guest Room. It was a very small vestibule and needed a little visual breathing room, so I wanted a very large mirror in front of which I placed a small console. I wanted something simple and classic for this Showcase, and Julie provided the perfect frame in a dark wood veneer.  It has a modern in profile, yet is classic in material. It reminds me of Biedermeier furniture, antiques that are as at home in modern interiors or traditional. A trick of putting up large mirrors with furniture in front I learned by studying designer Vicente Wolf over the years. He uses mirrors in such a grand way in all of his projects, and I realized that a mirror is not just something to put above a piece of furniture. I think they look very interesting when put behind furniture as well. And when they are larger, they create a much better expansion of a space.

Here is an example of Vicente Wolf's  use of mirrors:

In this office, the mirror acts like another window in an office space. Not only does it reflect the view, but it also makes the space appear twice as large.

The other mirror in the Showcase was very simple and used for the purpose of reflecting a wall sculpture by Stuart Allen, provided by Jay Jay Gallery. The wall sculpture is a series of sails, and I think having them reflected in the mirror has even more impact.....

Here is one more mirror for you to see in front of a piece of furniture. This one is in my own Living Room, but was originally designed for a another Designer Showcase. Here I placed a console table in front of the mirror with an antique Spanish trunk underneath. I also put another smaller round mirror with a white frame on top of the larger mirror. I may be recreating something like this soon! The weather has been so crazy here that the Flowering Quince is starting to bloom already.....

Experimenting with furniture, art and accessories is fun and there are no hard and fast rules. I hope you all feel free to switch it up now and again and have fun playing with your own spaces. Mirrors are a great way to start!