I cannot have enough mirrors when decorating an interior. They work beautifully in so many places – an entry hall, powder bath, dining room – honestly, where do they not work? To me they are functional works of art.
Immensely popular at the moment are mirrors that were made during the reign of Louis Philippe I, who was king of France from 1830-1848. These mirrors are easily recognized by their beautiful French gilding, lightly banded trim, and carved beaded accents along the glass. Typically, they have soft rounded frames and I find their simple lines to work well in traditional or contemporary spaces.
On a recent trip to Houston, I found this Louis Philippe mirror and fell in love with the beautiful ornamentation at the top. What can I say, I like my bling!
Other finds in Houston include the mirrors shown below from one of my favorite antique importers. Scavenging her warehouse is like a trip to France without the jet lag! I want the green one for my house.
As I was leaving, I saw this simple, Empire style mirror sitting alone at the door. The owner said that it was from a past shipment and the price was reduced. I sure was tempted to find it a home. Wouldn’t it look great sitting above a fireplace mantel?
In the end, I left it behind and drove away longing for more walls and a warehouse for mirrors.
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