Mirrors are those ubiquitous things that tend to skate into our consciousness when we need them. In most cases, mirrors are used as items that reflect our images for the purpose of practical things like checking our reflection on our way out the door and watching ourselves as we go through our morning rituals of getting clean and dressed. The eyes they say, are the windows of the soul.
Mirrors as a tool of reflection, are visual connections to our physical selves and the world around us. By 'world around us', i am referring to our interior spaces! No deep spiritual meaning here :-)
As you already know, everything has a story. Knowing me, I love to tell a good backstory. Untold stories, I believe, are like removing the key ingredient that gives a dish its distinctive flavour - like lasagna without cheese.
Since man's relationship with reflective surfaces is as old as time itself, i would like to share with you a tiny bit of history about how reflection evolved into being an ubiquitous presence in our homes; and then i will dive into some cool ways we can use it to enhance our interior spaces.
Traditionally, mirrors have been approached from a practical point of view. Life went from one dimensional to multi-faceted when the first human discovered that he/she could see themselves! What a revelation! We also discovered that, among other things, a piece of broken mirror could channel energy from the sun, creating enough heat to light kindling - a life saver if you were marooned on an Island with nothing to make a fire with.
A brief history
Our ancestors first discovered their reflection in pools of water. This extraordinary discovery led to man's quest to make this tool of reflection into something that could be carried around, and within reach. Down the line, mirrors were fashioned from polishing stone so smooth that it looked like glass.
Another, more intriguing source of reflection, that is shrouded in the mystical, is the type of black mirror fashioned from obsidian glass. It was believed that this obsidian glass possessed mystical powers that enables the viewer to see into the realm of the spirit. This was first seen about 8,000 years ago.
The image above is the raw, unfashioned obsidian glass. "Obsidian is a 'naturally occurring volcanic glass formed as an extrusive igneous rock. Obsidian is produced when felsic lava extruded from a volcano, cools rapidly with minimal crystal growth".
Beautiful isn't it? It is easy to see why something so mysterious looking could be considered mystical. This obsidian glass is then ground and polished into what is in the image below.
After this time, other inventions popped up in China, India and Mesopotamia ranging from polished bronze to copper. I won't bore you with the minutia of history - that black mirror tickled my fancy so much i had to share it.
Modern Mirrors And Their Myriad Uses
Now that that brief history is over with, let's dive into modern mirror use!
In the classic decorative sense, mirrors are used to make rooms look and feel bigger and brighter. The right amount of mirrors in the home helps to highlight features, create the illusion of space and add interesting dimensions to interior spaces.
A clever use of mirrors can effectively bounce light around adding energy to the home, be used as a stunning design feature on its own, or paired with another item that complements it.
Below are a few ways you can use mirrored surfaces.
Create The Illusion Of Light And Space
There is more than one way to use mirrors to increase the amount of light and space in your home. Something worth remembering here is that depending on the scale and amount of natural light coming into your space, you might want to consider the number of mirrored surfaces you use. Smaller and darker spaces will benefit a great deal from using mirrors to increase the amount of light in the space. However, if natural light is not a problem in your home, you would be more interested in using mirrors for adding dimension and visual interest.
Not only does this room benefit from the reflection of natural light coming from the window , the large mirror creates an interesting sense of depth, giving the space the feeling that it is larger than it really is.
Use Mirrored Furniture To Infuse Elegance
Another interesting way to use mirrors is by including furniture with mirrored surfaces. Although not everyone's cup of tea, mirrored furniture, when used cleverly, infuses the space with elements of luxury. This is something that can be easily overdone, and can very easily go from luxe to tacky.
A great example is this image above where mirrored surfaces are paired with velvet and matte tones. Whatever excess light is created by the reflective surfaces are absorbed and balanced by the matte finish on the walls, ceiling and soft furnishing.
Make It A Feature Piece
You can use mirrors as focal points in your home. This is one of my favourite ways to use mirrors - The drama you create can range from subtle to in-your-face. It is also a feature that can be accomplished on any type of budget. Two of my favourite ways to use mirrors as focal points are with lighting and embellishment.
I can't think of a more apt way to visually describe using mirrors as a focal point with dramatic lighting, as this image does. Without costing the earth, you can have your mirrors designed into your space to enhance its aesthetic quality.
Remember the article I wrote on the art of Kintsugi here? This is a classic example of kintsugi inspired art. Using a mirror with embellishment infuses your space with instant elegance. For the purpose of pure aesthetics, this would make a statement in any space.
Create Contrast On Textured Walls
Contrasting textures instantly draws the eye and introduces a focal point into your space. The shiny and reflective surfaces of mirrors against a textured background Is an interesting way to add character to your interior spaces. Use textured wallpaper, or even a patterned finish. But be careful not to go overboard and keep it simple.
There are so many ways to use mirrored elements in interior design. The way your space is curated and how this element is used to best effect would be determined by your space, your needs and your aesthetic proclivities. Have a look at your space and see how you can introduce this element into your space in simple ways. It could be something as simple as refreshing old mirror frames with a gold leaf finish that would instantly add an element of oomph to that piece.
Redesigning your space by upgrading what you already have is a topic for another journal which I would be writing soon :-)
Do you like mirrors and mirrored surfaces? How do you use them now? Have you gotten any inspiration from the ideas here? Let me know in the comments below!
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