Despite the appearance of new decorative materials, mirrors are still very popular when choosing the filling for frame facades. The high demand is due to their practicality, ease of care, excellent aesthetic characteristics, as well as a wide range of design options. A rich assortment, vast palette and several methods of artistic processing provide the possibility of using furniture with mirrors in rooms with any interior style.
What is a mirror?
It’s no secret that a mirror is an ordinary transparent glass, where a reflective layer (amalgam) is applied on the reverse side, protected by a special paint and varnish coating. The shape of the mirrors can vary greatly and depends on the imagination of the designer who develops them for a particular interior (square, rectangular, round, oval, etc.).
And there are also many options for the edges of the mirror – frames, covers, stands or just polishing, grinding, bevelling.
Mirrors have found their widespread use in everyday life, including furniture. The use of mirrors in furniture as an insert into the frame of facades, especially in wardrobes, visually expands the space, makes bulky furniture structures visually less cumbersome, and when used correctly, serves as an additional decorative element in creating an interior. The main thing here is not to overdo it.
Historical reference
According to the research on the history of mirrors, the first ones appeared in Egypt in the third century BC. At that time, they were polished sheets of bronze, silver and gold. Mirrors as we used to see them began to be produced in the 8th century in Holland. And the first mirror factory appeared in 1373 in Nuremberg. At that time, these mirrors were worth a lot of money and were collectible by kings. Starting from the 17th-18th centuries, mirrors began to be used everywhere. Mirrors in furniture, sandblasting drawings on mirrors have become in demand in the furniture industry. Moreover, the drawings can be matte, on a mirror surface, and, conversely, mirrored on a matte surface. They can be applied both on the “face” of the mirror, and on the reverse side, in this case, the reflective surface of the mirror is removed according to the pattern stencil. Stained-glass windows are also widely used on mirrors in furniture.
Mirrors in Feng Shui
The Chinese doctrine of Feng Shui pays great attention to mirrors in the interior, in particular in furniture. This is the science of the distribution of Chi vital energy in the right direction, as a result of which it is possible to make the environment in the house more harmonious, comfortable, which also affects the general condition, well-being of a person, as well as their performance and luck in different spheres of life. Feng Shui masters advise arranging furniture so that mirrored doors are not in the bedroom opposite the bed, and in the hallway – not opposite the front door. On the other side, mirrors in the kitchen or living room, placed next to the table, can attract well-being.
It is better not to use mirror tiles in the interior. The image is distorted, and this can adversely affect the fine structures of a person, worsening their health and mental state.
If, nevertheless, there is a great desire to use mirror tiles in the room, it must be arranged so that there is no direct reflection of the owners in it. Feng Shui advises, when leaving for work, to put a banknote in front of the mirror, this can positively affect the increase in earnings.
Common placement
It is better to place the mirror on the doors of the sliding wardrobe in the hallway, closer to the exit, so that it is convenient to see yourself from head to toe. If your hallway is very narrow, it is better to place furniture with mirrors along a long wall, this will visually increase the narrow space.
You should know that under direct sunlight not only furniture deteriorates, but mirrors fade and crack, stains may appear over time. Mirrors are also short-lived in rooms with high humidity or, conversely, with increased dryness. Mirrors fixed against the wall and deprived of circulation can also deteriorate over time.
The advantages of mirror inserts
Mirrors are one of the most common options for decorating furniture. In addition to the aesthetic function, as they often are a thing of beauty, mirror inserts have their own direct purpose.
When reflected in the mirrors, the light is scattered in such a way that the room becomes more spacious and brighter. With the help of correctly selected and distributed mirror inserts in the interior, you can play with the geometry and colors of the room.
Among the mirrors that are made for furniture, the lion’s share is occupied by mirrored doors for cabinets. A great collection of such cabinets you can find at nfoutlet.
Mirrored doors come with a number of advantages. Like any large mirror, such doors make the room visually larger than it actually is. But this trick will only work if there is one closet in the room.
The opposite effect will be obtained if you use mirrored doors in two closets in the same room. Another great advantage of a wardrobe with mirrored doors is that it allows you to dress to your full height, which is especially necessary for fashionistas and devoted trend followers.
Mirrored doors, in addition to the obvious conveniences, give a cozy and comfortable look to the room, and if you buy a wardrobe with an ordered image printed on the door (using sandblasting) or mirrored furniture with a photo print, you can give it a unique and charming flavor.
Arrangement tips
A few more words about how best to arrange furniture mirrors. It’s bad when there are too many mirrors, when they stand in front of each other, forming an endless corridor of reflections when they stand at an angle to each, in this case, a kind of spinner is formed, not a very pleasant effect.
Accentuating decorative elements is another important function of mirrors. In the interior, a facetted mirror placed next to a stylish and bright art object – an old vase, painting or antique chest of drawers – will emphasize its beauty and attract the attention of guests.
And if you want to fill in your interior with some important details, this is also can be done via mirrors. Due to the play of reflections, the mirrors will visually make the interior rich. And at the same time, the useful area of space does not suffer, which is not cluttered with decor items.
