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Finding the Right mirrors for You
The road from early innovations in reflective glass to the alluring antique and vintage mirrors in trendy modern interiors has been a long one but we’re reminded of the journey everywhere we look.
In many respects, wall mirrors, floor mirrors and full-length mirrors are to interior design what jeans are to dressing. Exceedingly versatile. Universally flattering. Unobtrusively elegant. And while all mirrors are not created equal, even in their most elaborate incarnation, they're still the heavy lifters of interior design, visually enlarging and illuminating any space.
We’ve come a great distance from the polished stone that served as mirrors in Central America thousands of years ago or the copper mirrors of Mesopotamia before that. Today’s coveted glass Venetian mirrors, which should be cleaned with a solution of white vinegar and water, were likely produced in Italy beginning in the 1500s, while antique mirrors originating during the 19th century can add the rustic farmhouse feel to your mudroom that you didn’t know you needed.
By the early 20th century, experiments with various alloys allowed for mirrors to be made inexpensively. The geometric shapes and beveled edges that characterize mirrors crafted in the Art Deco style of the 1920s can bring pizzazz to your entryway, while an ornate LaBarge mirror made in the Hollywood Regency style makes a statement in any bedroom. Friedman Brothers is a particularly popular manufacturer known for decorative round and rectangular framed mirrors designed in the Rococo, Louis XVI and other styles, including dramatic wall mirrors framed in gold faux bamboo that bear the hallmarks of Asian design.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, mid-century modernism continues to influence the design of contemporary mirrors. Today’s simple yet chic mantel mirror frames, for example, often neutral in color, owe to the understated mirror designs introduced in the postwar era.
Sculptor and furniture maker Paul Evans had been making collage-style cabinets since at least the late 1950s when he designed his Patchwork mirror — part of a series that yielded expressive works of combined brass, copper and pewter — for Directional Furniture during the mid-1960s. Several books celebrating Evans’s work were published beginning in the early 2000s, as his unconventional furniture has been enjoying a moment not unlike the resurgence that the Ultrafragola mirror is seeing. Designed by the Memphis Group’s Ettore Sottsass in 1970, the Ultrafragola mirror, in all its sensuous acrylic splendor, has become somewhat of a star thanks to much-lauded appearances in shelter magazines and on social media.
On 1stDibs, we have a broad selection of vintage and antique mirrors and tips on how to style your contemporary mirror too.
- What is a Federal style mirror?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertOctober 19, 2021Federal-style mirrors refer to American mirrors made during the late 1700s through the early 1800s. Most of these mirrors were made of hardwood overlaid with bronze gilt or gold leaf. Federal-style mirrors are ornate and are frequently topped with eagles. On 1stDibs, shop for antique Federal-style mirrors from top sellers.
- What is a Federal convex mirror?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Federal convex mirrors were created during the era of 1790-1830. This was a time of strong patriotism in the United States, prompting the Federalist movement. Convex mirrors had been around for quite some time and featured a convex shape, which made the most of fire light and displaced it throughout the room. Adding a Federalist element often meant eagles or something acknowledging the 13 colonies. Shop a collection of Federalist furniture from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.
- When were federal mirrors made?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertFebruary 13, 2023Federal mirrors were made during the Federal period, which began after the Revolutionary War and lasted through the early 19th century. Eagles were common ornamental motifs on Federal-period furniture, as were cornucopia, lyres, garlands and scrolls, adding subtle flair to pieces characterized by clean lines, geometric symmetry, balanced shapes and a sense of grandeur. Find a range of Federal mirrors on 1stDibs.