Choosing the Right Mirror – Part Two

Venetian Mirrors

For those of us who like a bit of pomp and take style seriously; if you want your mirror to be as dazzling as your reflection, then Venetian glass mirrors are the perfect choice.

Like your reflection, Venetian mirrors sparkle and amaze. They were first used as decorative pieces in ball rooms, drawing rooms and banquet halls rather than as looking glasses for bedrooms. The opulent, elegant frames were often etched, or smoked, with additional pieces of mirror layered onto them to add depth. This stunning example of a Venetian mirror from the 1870s has a bevelled mirror surrounded by an extravagantly carved and etched frame.

Venetian mirrors tend to be built slowly, step by step. Each piece of glass, whether clear or coloured, that makes up the ostentatious structure is cut and shaped to the size required and then bevelled, polished and etched individually. Next, each piece of the glass has the silvering added, then finally, the pieces are assembled and fastened into position on a wooden frame.

Venetian mirrors, with their beautiful etched glass frames and sense of drama, make the perfect complement to dining rooms, living rooms and hallways.

Mirroring a Wall

Creating a ‘mirror wall’ is a technique frequently used to produce the impression of space where it is lacking.

The sitting space in this bedroom gives a good example of this system being displayed in an unusual and aesthetically pleasing way. Instead of using just one large stretch of glass, the designers have used three framed mirrors on top of a patterned wallpaper which not only creates the illusion of added space, but also brings attention to the textures and layers of the room.

To help you to make your small rooms seem larger using this method, here are a few tricks of the trade;

• Mirror a whole wall –MirrorWorld can fabricate and install large mirrored panels which will help you create your mirror wall
• If your wall isn’t entirely smooth and flat, try reducing the size of the pieces of a mirror that, when fully attached, will be the same size. Maybe go for bevelled edges on each piece as well, making the wall less modern and more decorative
• Finally, don’t worry if your wall is a stud wall, as long as your mirrors are attached properly to the wall at all corners and not just from a hook at the top, then your wall will be able to take it. We recommend that you get professionals to fit your mirror wall for you for a perfect installation