Wet bars are unusual little nooks of the home. That’s exactly what makes them so perfect for using mirror and glass. Let’s face it, when your back is to your guests mixing drinks, it’s so nice to be able to glance up and still be a part of the action. Here are some winning examples of wet bar designs to which I shall raise my glass to those who designed and installed them:

But if you think it’s only a traditional look, think again. In this example, instead of using the mirror behind the bar, the mirrored surfaces come front and center.

With this effect, don’t count out using bold pattern and color to create some visual playfulness. Mirrors can enhance this effect while lightening the mood.

And lastly, use antique mirror in this area to soften reflections while still adding light to what could otherwise be a dark, dreary area. Beautifully done.

Antique Mirror furniture has been hot for a few years now, and its appeal is hard to ignore. Mirrored furniture brightens up dark corners in ways that nothing else can. It adds a touch of old Hollywood glamour instantly and it feels powerfully feminine. With one piece, luxury and power can be interjected into any room. It will be a trend we will continue to see for a while longer because of the flexibility these pieces can provide.

You can take lots of ordinary pieces of furniture and elevate them by adding antique mirror to them. Sure, there are plenty of lovely ornate and exquisite pieces of mirrored furniture out there. But if you want to give a piece extra life and repurpose it, adding antique mirror is an extremely easy way to do it. Any quality glass shop in your area can cut Antique Mirror to size, edge it, and drill holes in it for this purpose.

Some pieces that are good candidates for adding Antique Mirror have simple lines, and are very geometric like these:

It’s not hard to imagine these as the simple pieces underneath. A hole for hardware is all it takes. Replacing cabinet inserts doesn’t even require that. But any glass shop can fabricate the glass for your furniture. Add some groovy hardware and you’ve got a piece that is brand new!

I’ve actually done this transformation to a piece or two this way. We made the drawer fronts out of 1/8″ thickness since we wanted to keep the weight down and they were relatively small and fully supported on the back. The top, we made out of 1/4″ thickness antique mirror for additional durability. You might need to replace the screws for the hardware with some slightly longer to account for the extra thickness, but the weight of the glass is being supported by the hardware. The addition of some mirror mastic to secure the piece fully is all you really need to add.

So if you’ve got a piece of furniture you don’t know what to do with,…put Antique Mirror on it! (and make sure you watch IFC’s “Portlandia” and their brilliantly funny sketch)

Headquartered in Houston Texas, the Laura U Design Studio is a full service interior design firm with a broad reach. Focusing on luxury homes and fashion forward restaurant, bar, and corporate office interiors, Laura U provides turn-key interior design solutions for its clients. It is helmed by Laura Umansky, who is designing truly beautiful luxury residences in Texas and throughout the US, and bringing new hospitality concepts to life.

Over the last five years Laura U, Inc. has won 12 ASID awards. This year Laura Urmansky won an additional four awards: Residential Project over 3,500 square feet, Kitchen (Honorable Mention), Residential Singular Space and 2012 Best of Show. Laura Umansky has been recognized by the interior design industry through additional awards: ASID Presidential Citation, Houston Design Center’s Inaugural Stars on the Rise, Houston Business Journal’s Top 40 Under 40, and Luxe magazine’s National Gold List.

This is a residential project in Houston, TX that was the recipient of many of the aforementioned awards. The whole thing is truly worth a detailed look at her portfolio on the Houzz website. Thank you Laura U, for sharing your beautiful designs with us. View the slide show of a few of the stunning rooms below:

When we first started making Antique Mirror, we started with a very basic overall pattern that was gentle and consistant. Now, we’re glad to announce that we have three patterns included in the line of Dreamwalls Antique Mirror. The patterns are named Leopard, Spring, and Paris and all are available in regular or in unique bronze-tinted versions for use in large-scale wall and door installations.

“Before, antiqued mirrors were only made by taking a perfectly good mirror and destroying the reflective layers from the back with acid and other chemicals,” stated Mandy Marxen, Vice President of Marketing for Dreamwalls.  “What we’ve been able to do is create a first-quality product, that still has all the protective layers of coatings intact and can be made in sizes far larger than available anywhere else.”

To create additional options, the same three patterns can also be applied to bronze-tinted mirror, for a deep, rich effect.  The product can be fully fabricated, including water jet cutting into unique shapes or with cut outs, selectively painted with logos or designs, and may be tempered during fabrication for additional safety. The product is available with largest size capability of 96 x 144 inches, and thickness from 1/8 inch to 1/2 inch thick (•minimums or size limitations may apply on some sizes).

“The art of making antique mirrors is so subjective,” said Marxen. “But we wanted to offer extremely large sizes of antique mirror for hospitality and commercial applications at an economical price point. I think the three choices we offer can appeal to a wide variety of those installations. Add the fact that we can warranty our mirror, and you’ll see that Dreamwalls Antique Mirrors are extremely unique to the industry. ”

North Carolina-based Gardner Glass Products, makes the Dreamwalls family of products and is currently celebrating its 50th year in business. Specializing in mirror manufacturing, Gardner is known the world over for making high quality glass-coated products. For more information on Dreamwalls Antique Mirror, please e-mail me at mmarxen@mac.com

The 35th Annual San Francisco Decorator Showcase featured the work of top Bay Area interior designers 2012. While full of beautiful rooms and talented designers, last year’s showcase featured a room that stopped me in my tracks. For me, the most amazing room was this small upstairs powder room, entitled “Reflections”. What the space lacks in size, it makes up for in big impact. It was delightfully designed by Sophia Kabler Cowley and Joe McGuire for KCS Estates,  a design-through-build company in Mill Valley, California.

This powder room  used the home’s classic elements as a foil for this unique mirror installation. The  organic shape of the mirror softens the straight lines created by the vanity and bath; it is laid over a patchwork of detailed Walker Zanger tile. Polished chrome and marble adds traditional style. From a technical point of view, I must confess the mirror is a stunning piece of work. The shape was probably waterjet cut to create the wonderfully curving shapes, but the fact that the edges were then fully polished is very, very nice. It is extremely difficult to polish those inside radius corners, and were probably done by hand. The overall effect is a contrast of order and organic, texture and smoothness, solid and transparent,…and overall delightfully unexpected.

According to KCS Estates website: “The concept, “Reflections,” draws upon the home’s classic details mimicked in new and contemporary ways.  As a team we were driven by the idea of eliminating the lines that a mirror and bathroom vanity can create by incorporating the bathroom mirror directly into a wall mural.  This allows an elegant space like a powder room to make a single dramatic statement.  The mirror cuts away to reveal “Tracciato Diva” tile by Walker Zanger warmed by the rich taupe walls.  “Steelwork Argento” Walker Zanger tile is laid to draw someone in.  The polished chrome fixtures and calacatta marble countertop fuse traditional and contemporary elegance.  Similar to art, our hope is that the silhouette of the design will cause someone to pause and reflect.”

I’m not sure how thoughtful and reflective I became at seeing these images. I was more inspired and impressed. Thank you, KCS Estates, for sharing such a wonderful project for a fine cause. The 2013 San Francisco Decorator Showcase will be taking place April 27th – May 27th, 2013. [For the past 35 years, the charity event has benefited San Francisco University High School's financial aid program, raising over $12 million and benefiting hundreds of students for this private high school, of which over 20% of the student body receives some amount of financial aid.]

From the kitchen to the bedroom, today I’m rounding up some of my favorite ways to incorporate glass and mirrors into your home decor this Christmas season.

Anyone who knows me, knows that I love to bake. Christmas is the perfect time of year to whip up some sweet treats, and these glass pedestal candy jars are the perfect way to display those treats for yourself and holiday gatherings.

via Trendir

The combination of these vibrant blue ornaments and the pine cones displayed in glass apothecary jars are one of my favorite centerpiece ideas. It’s simple, elegant and wouldn’t cost a lot to make.

Via QBlog

If you already have a mirror above your mantle, you don’t need to take it down or move it so you can decorate for Christmas. Use it as a backdrop to your decorations like these homes did. Mandy has a great post on using mirrors to decorate your holidays. Check it out here.

Via Houzz

This has to be one of my favorites. Simple strands of lights layered over large mirrors creates a fairytale-like look that I wouldn’t mind having in my room all year long!

Via DigsDigs

There are always a lot of reds, greens, silvers and golds used this time of year, so I like the idea of mixing things up a little bit and throwing in some non-traditional colors. This purple glass table setting, along with the low hanging ornaments make this table festive in it’s own unique way. Add in one of our custom color glass table tops and it would be even better!

Via Decoholic

Now I’m ready to do some decorating! Have a wonderful weekend everyone.

Holly

12 Ways to Use Mirrors to Decorate your Holidays

Tired of decorating for the holidays yet? NEVER!! So today I present to you more ways to use mirrors in your home to create a beautiful and festive home. They’re fantastic layering pieces with unexpected practicality and flexibility.

1- Swag It

Decorate your normal framed mirrors with lights, greenery, and ornaments.

These great glitter letters make a simple, sweet decoration that can last all winter long.

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2- Framed Mirror Face Up

This example has more Fall colors than Christmas colors, but you can see how with a framed mirror, a few candles and some great flowers, you’ve got an instant centerpiece.

It doesn’t have to be  an extravagant mirror. A simple silver frame will do the trick.

And of course, the inexpensive door mirror makes a killer mirror  on a long table.

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3- Mirror Chargers & Centerpieces

It’s amazing how versatile mirrored chargers or placemats can be. Sure, they reflect all the color of whatever other fabulous pieces you use,…but they’re also extremely easy to clean and moisture resistant. Pretty and practical.

Ring in the new year with all the glitz and glamour you deserve! This mirrored table runner is the perfect layering piece for a lush tablescape.

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4- Go Faux Snow

This Scandinavian-themed interior really benefits from the simple tree silhouette sprayed on the mirror. What a winter wonderland!

The “Spraying Joy” entry at the Anythingology Blog gives a really good step by step on how to use stencils and spray snow. Once you start, you may not stop at the mirrors,…it might go on doors, windows, and even cabinetry!

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6- Highlight Your Loves

It doesn’t have to be super cool or chic, but the collectibles in your home should have real meaning to you. If they’re chosen carefully and with love, it makes sense to focus and highlight them with mirrors behind.

A simple framed mirror behind collectibles adds layers and interest.

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7- Make A Fireplace Hot

I showed some great examples of this in this earlier blog post, but it’s a great effect for non-working fireplaces. You don’t want to (or can’t) do away with the architectural focus, so what to do? Try mirror!

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8- A Bowlful of Balls

Use a bowl full of mirrored ball ornaments as a dazzling centerpiece. It’s super simple, and always sparkly and sophisticated. Who knows,…it may even get people dancing!

Mirror balls with the added sparkle, of candles? Yes please.

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9 – Give Your Skaters Some Ice

When I was a kid, I was fascinated with how clever my mom was for doing this,….it was years before I realized that EVERYONE’S mother did this. But it’s still cute and comfortably retro. So try it.

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10- Temporary Changes with Big Impact

Tracy just painted some simple wooden letters from the craft store and duct taped them to the mirror. Simple, sure! But also really, really cute.

Greenery hung over top of the mirror creates a stunning focal point. The complimentary color scheme shown doesn’t hurt either!

Vinyl Clings: These clever clings from the Ice Queen herself, Ms. Martha Stewart. Very economical (14 per pack) and re-usable, too!

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11- Tiles as  Serving Trays

Being non-porous and hygienic, mirrors are very practical for food service. Try them as a cheese or fruit tray!

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12- Wrap it Up

Wrap up your mirror with a bow, and it creates a bit of unexpected whimsy. So as I wrap up this post, I’m going to remind you to have fun with your mirrors and be sure to include them in your festivities!

Antique mirrors can accomplish many things: adding light, softening reflections, and creating visual importance to a space. But one of the most interesting things it can do is create the unexpected graphic element to a room. The lines of a mirrored wall installation become their own art,…that’s why you so often see them put “on point” to create diamond shapes or framed details.

But the rosette often gets overlooked. The rosette is the piece of decorative hardware “jewelry” that accomplishes 3 main goals:

1. It physically assists in holding the mirror in place (although the actual fastening is still via other methods)
2. It often creates spacing between the mirrors to allow for expansion & contraction
3. It adds charm and personality

It takes a glazing professional to use the rosette beautifully and install it well. Sometimes the corners have to be notched slightly to allow for their use. Other times a hole has to be drilled through the mirror (again, by a pro). But the attention to detail; on the part of the designer and the installer are well worth it.

You may want to look for flatter profiles of rosettes so that they don’t accidentally “grab” anyone. And make sure your installer is aware of your intentions in advance so that they can account for additional seam size.

There are  many, many choices of rosettes; sleek, historical, or whimsical. Which is right for you?

Love the above look? Here’s an idea you may not have thought of. Use decorative thumbtacks to accent the corners of your mirrors! Now, keep in mind that these are not a mechanical way to fasten mirrors AT ALL. Since the pin might be a little short to actually grab any wall, you’ll need to add a tiny dab of mirror mastic to them before adding them into the mirror seam. But with a little craftiness, you’ve got a “rosette” that has a little extra personality. Here are just a few that could be really cute from Ballard Designs. But as you can probably guess, the the sky is really the limit when it comes to possibilities.

Use a rosette with your next antique mirror installation and add a little of the unexpected!