As the old fairy tale goes “Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?” it’s even more difficult to be sure these days. Let's face it, mirrors are everywhere: some are ultra cheap, others are ultra expensive. Anyhow, mirrors should never be broken, for the fear of bad luck, so it is better to make the right choice! A mirror is not just a thing to look at you in: it has the power to make or break a room in terms of elegance, style or charm, not to mention that they almost always make rooms look bigger than they are.
For a truly unique talking piece mirror (that’s not the mirror talking of course!), the charming antique mirror, made with reclaimed doors. Each is unique and individual, both in its look and its history. When looking into, it’s easy to almost “fall into” the mirror through the open doors, wondering about its history, where it has been and what it has seen!
The silvered-glass mirrors we know today first came into existence in Germany, around 200 years ago. German chemist Justus von Liebig developed a process in 1835, for applying a thin layer of metallic silver to one side of a clear glass pane. As for all good things, people developed them and refined the manufacturing, allowing mass production of mirrors.
Even though modern mirrors originated in the 19th century, mirrors have actually been around for much longer. The very first mirrors were made out of ground and polished obsidian (volcanic glass) about 8,000 years ago. So I guess the art of beautifying oneself was something of a challenge at this time!!
Back to the mirrors of today and what’s best for your home or office! But before, here is one little ditty that everyone should know: a feng shui lesson, no less! The ancient Chinese design philosophy says that if you hang a mirror across from your front door, the mirror will push opportunity and money out the door... and no one wants that: your home could be starved for income and you'll have to work harder. So please, never ever hang a mirror opposite the front door!
A really cool and trendy place for a mirror is on the floor. Yes, the floor! Just like paintings don’t all need to hang on a wall, nor do mirrors: an old antique style mirror can look just plain fantastic on an easel, or resting on the floor, leaning against the wall if it's tall enough—but make sure you secure it. An added advantage of this it the “pitch” of the mirror that will really let you reflect a treasured item in your home.
Mirrors with doors (yes, doors!) add a huge amount of intrigue and style, especially if they have an air of antiquity about them.
Rooms with little or no natural light are great candidates for mirrors as they can bounce around all the available light that the room can muster and give it a much-needed warm and inviting glow.
This may sound really old school but believe it or not, the dining room represents the wealth a family has acquired, with gleaming crystal, china, silver, and a chandelier, along with the joy of family and friends gathering for the festive times and gatherings. A mirror here doubles this joy and activates and promotes it—and who wouldn't want to double the look and the fun!?
If your dining space is on the small side, lose any tall china cabinets or hutches and replace them with a tall mirror. Also, a sideboard topped with an oversize mirror always gives a huge a space bonus.