A Tutorial On Mirrors By Guest Blogger Renya Ramli

It's been tough for me to get back to blogging, so when I got the following note, I felt relieved:

Hi Valorie!
My name is Reyna and I'm wondering if you would like a guest blog post regarding mirrors or ‘What Everyone Should Know about Mirrors’. I have experience in the interior design field and I love writing...

So take it away Renya, and thank you for guest blogging today.

And my dear Vamp readers I am coming back, and please leave Renya a nice comment...

Mirrors have had a long and illustrious history since our ancestors stopped gazing into pools of still dark water and created the first known convex mirror from volcanic glass in 6000 BC. Many manufacturing processes and materials followed, each more advanced than the last. During Renaissance times, the first example of our modern day glass mirror was created in Venice. Its reflective quality was so dazzling, the new Venetian mirrors became all the rage with Europeís wealthiest. Paris would see the height of this trend among its aristocrats, with Louis XIV, whose collection of 535 mirrors was not enough to please him, so he had the Hall of Mirrors built in Versailles.

Framed Mirror from Uttermost

Mirrors in Decorating

Like Louis XIV and his love affair with mirrors, many homeowners and designers today, use mirrors for their dazzling brilliance as purely aesthetic elements in a roomís dÈcor. The majority of todayís mirrors are created using modern inexpensive processes and materials which make for very affordable mirrors. Of course, the cost rises according to the mirrorís size, frame, decorative accents and beveling or etching.

Perhaps the most versatile of all home decor accessories, decorative mirrors can be used in any room, with any style. They tend to be neutral unless their frame or decorative accent lends itself to a certain style. For example, an ornate gold framed mirror lends itself to a more formal style in which grand architecture, furniture and accessories are used to attract attention. A smooth black framed mirror would tend to look more contemporary. When choosing a frame, consider how it fits with the rest of your decor.

One rule to remember when using decorative mirrors is to consider what they will reflect from any chosen position? If placed above the fireplace, will the reflection be that of a plain white wall or if hung on a wall opposite a window, reflect a view you donít care to look at once, much less twice? Strategic placement of a decorative mirror doubles the beauty of a room. Reflecting lavish and colorful window treatments or a piece of wall art is an ideal way to use mirrors to your advantage.

Mirrors for Practical Purposes

They can be used for a purely aesthetic purpose like those mentioned above or they can be beautiful and practical at the same time. Examples of double-duty mirrors include: bathroom vanity mirrors and powder room mirrors used for grooming and as a focal point in the room when paired with wall sconce lights on each side; entryway or foyer mirrors used to check one's reflection when coming and going and to make a stunning focal point when accompanied by other supporting elements such as a demi lune, or crescent moon shaped table.

Oval Mirror from Quoizel

Their reflection extends the lines of sight and can be used to solve architectural problems. A bulky wall is lightened by the hanging of a large mirror on it. Shorten a lengthy room with windows by placing mirrors on the opposite wall to reflect a nice outdoor scene. Floor to ceiling mirrors in a small living room reflect the roomís beauty and add a sense of spaciousness to the small space


Mirror Shapes and Sizes

Geometrically speaking, mirrors run the gamut. Think of a shape and more than likely you can find a mirror to match. Popular shapes include: oval mirrors, rectangular mirrors, square mirrors, and round mirrors or circular mirrors. When choosing the shape of a decorative mirror, consider how you will use it and where it will be placed. For example, placing a wide rectangular mirror above a smaller width round entry table would overwhelm the table and look out of place with the shape. A good rule of thumb is to make any mirror subordinate, or smaller, than any piece of furniture placed near it. So the hall table above should be wider than the mirror placed above it. This is true for any room, accessory or piece of furniture.

Mirror Types

The most common mirrors are framed wall mirrors. They can be used in all rooms of the house without looking overdone. A mirror goes nicely above the sofa with sconces on either side, in a bedroom hung by itself, in the kitchen as a backsplash behind canisters or other decorative items, and by the doors of the home so one can check their appearance before heading out of the home.

The majority of decorative mirrors are framed. The frame will normally be considered once the size and shape of the mirror is determined. Some framed mirrors are not just used for decoration, but are made for grooming as well, this group of mirrors includes bathroom mirrors, table mirrors, lighted mirrors and makeup mirrors.

Floor Mirror from Uttermost

Large floor mirrors, or peering glasses, have become increasingly popular amongst designers. Leaning an oversized floor mirror against the wall can brighten a space dramatically, and with strategic placement create a stunning focal point especially if the mirror is framed with a chunky wood or metal frame in a metallic finish such as matte nickel or soft gold.

Mirrors have been an important aesthetic and practical part of the majority of successful interior designs and architecture for centuries now and they will surely remain a part of our everyday lives for many more to come.† Seemingly endless choices in styles, frames, shapes and sizes of mirrors abound. Make your choices with the suggestions above in mind for a beautiful home dÈcor.

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