for your
home
Make
your rooms
the fairest of
them all
By Cheryl Fenton
IRIDIO PHOTOGRAPHY
Hanging
tough
WHEN HANGING mirrors,
there are ways to avoid
the seven years of bad
luck from breaking these
beauties. Mirrors are usually heavier than pictures
or paintings of equal size.
When hanging a mirror,
never use wire. According
to Dave Alkire of Majestic
Mirrors, the proper way to
hang a mirror is to hang it
from nails or hooks with
the D-rings in the frame.
If you’re hanging a mirror
on drywall, use a sturdy
wall anchor.
SINCE 1317, WHEN VENETIAN glassmakers and makes the room look brighter and larger,” shelf or ledge to display them like works of art.
made the first mirror, there have never been says Alkire. Used alone or placed in flat-bottomed more ways to showcase these versatile room Here are a few tips from design profes- bask•ets, mirrors make perfect serving trays
accents. With today’s mirrors coming in all sionals on the magic of mirrors. for entertaining, especially when serving
shapes and sizes—with elegantly carved frames When you’re working with a large space, colorful cheeses, fruits or sushi. “The best or beveled and bare—it’s all about creativity. such•as a 12-foot vaulted ceiling coupled with Christmas setting I have ever done was when
Interior designer Rebecca Stubbs, owner a spacious wall, Alkire suggests using “lean-to” I covered a client’s entire dining table with a
of Rebecca Stubbs Designs in Meridian, mirrors. Prop these 6- to 8-foot-tall framed huge mirror,” recalls Stubbs.
Mississippi, uses two words to describe what mirrors against the wall in question as a per- If you have several mirrors that are a bit mirrors can bring to a home: ambience and fect way to “lower” the ceiling. bigg•er than dinner plates, why not lay them
spaciousness. Try positioning a mirror so that it re- down as place mats? “Mirrors aren’t just on walls anymore. flect•s a great view or an interesting decorative “Mirrors today are so decorative, you can
We use them on furniture, tabletops and ceil- element. This can bring depth to the room. use them for eclectic looks or match them
ings,” she says. Placing mirrors on the sides of a narrow with the rest of your décor,” says Alkire. “We find many people are even using mir- hall m• akes the hallway seem less claustrophobic. Whether you rescue a $5 mirror from a yard
rorsinstead of art or photos,”says Dave Alkire, Place a mirror on a wall opposite an sale or score a great value at Costco, you’re vice president of sales and marketing at entr• ance in a small space, such as a foyer, to sure to see a smile reflected in any mirrors
Majestic Mirrors, a manufacturer and distrib- open up the area. that you choose for your home. C
utor of decorative mirrors in Hialeah, Florida. To brighten up a dark section of a room, “Art has so many components to it, whereas set v•otive candles or a small lamp on top of a Cheryl Fenton is a freelance writer who has
mirrors are just the frame and the reflection.” flat mirror to double the lighting effect. at least one mirror in every room of her
There’s even a spiritual side of these If space isn’t your problem, look to these Boston home.
reflections. Feng shui followers consider mir- suggestions for other ways to add ambience
rors “the aspirins of feng shui, a quick fix,” with mirrors throughout your home.
as they are believed to reflect desirable chi Show off a collection of mirrors of vary- (energy) and guide it throughout the home. ing s•izes by grouping them on one wall. “On a
ARTICLE FEEDBACK
One thing is for certain: There’s no easier wall over a sofa, hang 12 ten-inch round mir-way to create an illusion of space than to rors lined up in rows offour,”suggests Stubbs.
hang a mirror. If that seems too much, Alkire suggests pairs
“Using a large mirror in a small area will or triplets placed horizontally or staggered.
make it seem more spacious. It reflects light • Overlap several mirrors on a shallow
The Costco Connection
You’ll find several mirror choices at
most Costco warehouses this month,
plus online at costco.com.
