Mirror, mirror, on the wall....

One of the things I love to use when decorating is mirrors – though certainly not because I’m so enamored with my own reflection that I like to see it every where I turn. Mirrors have the wonderful ability to reflect and bounce light around a room. They make a room look larger, feel more spacious, and funnel natural light into dark corners. I have them all over my house, multiples in a single room, and always in hallways and on landings. Yet, I never feel like they’re overdone. Just as you don’t pause to take in the view as you pass each and every window in your home, you won’t find yourself stopping to look every time you pass a mirror. Rather, the mirrors become almost window-like in their ability to provide a sense of ‘other space’ - where you could go, if only you could pass through the glass, much like climbing through a window.

Most people expect to see mirrors in certain places – over a dresser or above a fireplace mantle. Mirrors in the dining room reflect candlelight, whether it’s the warm glow of candles on the table, or the electric glow from the candles in a chandelier. And of course, a mirror hung beside your front door provides a chance to quickly check yourself before greeting visitors who come knocking! But I like to use mirrors in other, less typical, places as well. Mirrors in a hallway or basement bounce and magnify light when existing light is insufficient. A mirror backing an arrangement of flowers amplifies the drama by expanding your floral vignette to twice its depth. A small mirror placed against the inside back of a shelf can bring light into the depth and add sparkle to the items displayed there. China cabinets often have mirrored back panels; so do knick-knack shelves. You can accomplish this same thing with a small mirror leaning against the wall on a shelf of treasures.

I sell lots of vintage mirrors, and work hard to keep an ever-changing selection available. Often, the mirror itself is no longer perfect, having developed streaks or marks in the silvering behind the glass as a result of age. These marks don’t bother me – or most of my clients - as they are part of the patina of an older piece. Besides, when it comes to really looking in a mirror, most of us use the brightly lit mirrors in our bathrooms for make-up and skin care. But for those who can’t live with these marks, it’s a simple matter to replace the old mirror with a new one. Occasionally, I need to replace a mirror and when I do, I always use A-1 Glass on Rt. 28 in Manassas. Their prices are excellent and you can’t beat the service! [A word of caution is called for here: antique mirrors are never a standard size, and are frequently slightly out of square, so it’s best to give the whole frame to the mirror company, not just the measurements.]

Perfect glass or not though, the real star of an antique or vintage mirror is the frame. Most of the mirrors I carry are mahogany and many have wonderful pierced cutwork adorning their crests.

Others have inlay and still others have other types of embellishments like those seen here.

My painted mirrors have multiple levels of molding that remind me of the ornate layers of icing found on a wedding cake.

Most modern mirrors are rectangular and though their frames may be gilded or silvered, they never seem to have quite the character of a vintage mirror. If you’re looking for a way to update a room that doesn’t take a lot of money and can provide instant satisfaction, try adding a new mirror – or two!