Mirrors are one part pragmatism and one part aesthetics…they adorn your walls for practical purposes, but they also need to look good. A mirror is just as much a work of art as it is a functional accessory for your home. Where you place a mirror in a room can have a tremendous impact on the light in a space, and it of course reflects what it is across from. Hanging a mirror has just a much to do with what image is reflected in it as it does in filling up a bare space on a wall.
WELCOME HOME
Most of us like a mirror in a entryway or hallway. A mirror in a hallway can, and often should, make a grand statement. Here in our front entryway, we’ve hung a giant gilded mirror lengthwise, so that you get a good-sized glimpse of yourself as you need. It is also a great reflector of light, which beams in from the dining and living rooms, across the way. In addition, it’s a beautiful opportunity to reflect the beauty and glamour of the dining room. It subtly shows you what the other rooms look like, and in this instance, it highlights the sparkle and formality of the dining room. Imagine how colourful it will be with a big canvas over top of the buffet!
A silver gilded mirror above a glass entry table, with a contemporary crystal chandelier in the reflection.
ARTWORK, TIMES TWO
I love to ensure that I reflect artwork for a few reasons. Once, because I simply love art, but more importantly because it’s an opportunity to trick the eye into thinking there is repetition in a space and therefore twice the beauty. Opposite of these mirrored closed doors, I’ve hung three colourful prints in a triptych…lined up parallel with one another. These three prints perfectly highlight the colour palette in the home, and suggest that while the spaces may seem formal, they are actually very comfortable.
Mirrored closet doors reflect light, keep things bright, and showcase the opposing artwork. Colour times two!
A COLOURFUL BATHROOM
In the kids bathroom, I was determined to have some fun with colour. My husband was determined to have light grey walls throughout. What we came up with was a combination of subtle and bold, in equal amounts. The dark blue-green that you see in the right of the photo is the portion of the bathroom walls that surround the tub. It also leads up to a skylight that casts a ton of natural light in the space. The entire wall on the cabinet side is a mirror, thus having large reflecting power. I’ve chosen bold coloured artwork and towels (the towels hide the kid dirt!) to be reflected. And since the accent wall gets picked up by the mirror too, it’s a colour bonanza every morning when they brush their teeth!
Bold polka dot towels with a multitude of colours look great and hide dirty finger prints!
PLAYING WITH SPACE AND SHAPE
The starburst mirror is one of my all time favourites! This one is a little mid-century modern, a little bit deco, and a whole lot of sparkle! I’ve hung it in the den, and it reflects our cabinet full of Lego. Each Christmas my husband buys the kids a huge set to put together…this is our family Lego. Once it’s complete, it get placed in the cabinet that is housed in the office. It’s a cool little room that pays homage to family, work and effort. In addition to the Lego, I’ve ensured to include our accent colours on the cabinet (orange, black and grey) so that the colour scheme is reflected and circles its way around the room.
An inexpensive orange tray is a great organizer for paper boxes with playful polka dots.
REFLECTING YOUR SPECIAL MEMORIES
Our family room really is a family space…kid art, comfortable furniture, indestructible fabrics, warm and soothing colour palette with bold gestures in the artwork collage. This mirror leans atop of the fireplace. It’s rustic, and heavy, and adds purpose to the mantlescape. The best part is that it reflects our kids artwork that we’ve hung in the entryway into the family room. This collection of four is also directly across from the den, where we house our family Lego. Family floor all around!
Make it Your Own and You Make it Your Home.
Categories: Contemporary Styling, Decorating
Stylish Life & Home 