Starburst mirrors, ornate, Rococo mirrors, mother of pearl inlaid mirrors, Venetian mirrors. I'm kind of over them all. I liked the whole Dorothy Draper/Kelly Wearstler Hollywood Regency thing for a while, but now I thinking if I'm going to drop a small fortune on a mirror, I want it to be timelessly stylish, not trendy.
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This Swedish Pier Mirror ($3,900) would bring a touch of shabby chic to any interior. Decorated with a frieze of molded swags of fruit and foliage, this mirror might look lovely in your entry in its current condition.
But let's not be boring, shall we. For this challenge, I'd like you to tell me how you'd liven up this piece.
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I love design that solves minute daily frustrations, like wiping off the condensation of my mirror after every morning shower. But a pet peeve of mine has always been that car wipers don't wipe off the entire surface of the window. So while I think the Suck UK Wiper Mirror (inquire for price) is clever, I haven't been won over by it.
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I'm not quite sure if I'm sick of the cuckoo clock trend or not, but I must admit I like the Klaus Rosburg Cuckoo Clock ($95). While there's been a proliferation of die-cut mirrors, something about the mirrored silhouette shape of a cuckoo clock against this exposed brick wall caught my eye. The ornate, three-dimensional design of traditional cuckoo clocks gives them a lively, kitschy feel, but seeing one in silhouette form made me appreciate them in a whole new way.
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Who would have ever thought that Dutch designer Tord Boontje would be inspired to create a mirror based on Guatemalan tribal masks. The Dog Mask Mirror ($2,200) is just that: one big woof of Guatemalan inspiration. I'm a big Boontje fan but I'm kind of thinking there's a reason why the Atlantic separates Europe and Central America; maybe Boontje should consider making some mirrored klompen instead.
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I thought I was over faux bois mirrors, but then some sweet little birdies chirped when I came upon this beautiful Gold-Leafed Hand-Carved Mirror (inquire for price), making me fall for them all over again. This gilt wood mirror from the late 20th century was carved by the Carvers Guild of Massachusetts, a company run by a couple recognized for their old-world craftsmanship and exceptional design. The Carver's Guild began in 1970 but they could have fooled me: this hand-carved mirror looks like it dates back to Colonial Williamsburg.
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If you love mirrored furniture as much as I do, but don't have the dolla dolla bills to make it happen in your living room, there is hope. Find a piece of furniture you already own, or thrift one, and have a local glass cutter custom cut you a mirror (or several pieces of mirror) to the measurements of your table, dresser, etc. Sand the surface of your table lightly and adhere the mirror to your table with mirror adhesive like Liquid Nails.
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If you've yet to have your fill of faux bois, or my recent Less or More post on faux bois mirrors has added one to your wish list, check out the West Elm Faux Bois Mirror ($169, reduced from $249). The mirror, first made in white, is now available in black resin, and both are on sale. I've seen it used in an Upper West Side bedroom and find it sophisticated, despite its potentially fading trend appeal.
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If you belong to a gym that offers fitness classes or you take classes at a yoga, martial arts, or dance studio, there's a good chance that one side of the room is covered in wall-to-wall mirrors.
Now I'm all for using mirrors to check my form and alignment while lifting weights or doing strength-training moves, but what do you think about having a huge mirror opposite you for an entire class. Do you like seeing yourself or being able to see others.
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For the next installment of this game, take a look at each of these faux bois mirrors and see if you can answer my questions about them.
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