Kenmare Mirror

The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw sweeping social change and major scientific advances — both of which contributed to a new aesthetic: modernism. Rejecting the rigidity of Victorian artistic conventions, modernists sought a new means of expression. References to the natural world and ornate classical embellishments gave way to the sleek simplicity of the Machine Age. Architect Philip Johnson characterized the hallmarks of modernism as “machine-like simplicity, smoothness or surface [and] avoidance of ornament.”

Early practitioners of modernist design include the De Stijl (“The Style”) group, founded in the Netherlands in 1917, and the Bauhaus School, founded two years later in Germany.

Followers of both groups produced sleek, spare designs — many of which became icons of daily life in the 20th century. The modernists rejected both natural and historical references and relied primarily on industrial materials such as metal, glass, plywood, and, later, plastics. While Bauhaus principals Marcel Breuer and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe created furniture from mass-produced, chrome-plated steel, American visionaries like Charles and Ray Eames worked in materials as novel as molded plywood and fiberglass. Today, Breuer’s Wassily chair, Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona chair — crafted with his romantic partner, designer Lilly Reich — and the Eames lounge chair are emblems of progressive design and vintage originals are prized cornerstones of collections.

It’s difficult to overstate the influence that modernism continues to wield over designers and architects — and equally difficult to overstate how revolutionary it was when it first appeared a century ago. But because modernist furniture designs are so simple, they can blend in seamlessly with just about any type of décor. Don’t overlook them.

Antique and vintage fireplace mirrors and mantel mirrors are sophisticated, classic pieces of decor, with the large size of fireplace mirrors making them centerpiece objects. They add character to any room and also create the appearance of space. Fireplace mirrors and mantel mirrors, like any well-placed antique or vintage mirror, can act as a source of light and make a room seem bigger than it is.

Fireplace mirrors were once a status symbol, as only the wealthiest could afford these big, beautiful pieces for their homes. In the 1500s and 1600s, the Venetian glass industry produced mirrors that were luxury items. Their painstaking creation was the result of a secretive process using melted tin, limiting their size and availability.

In the late 17th century, French glassmaker Bernard Perrot radically transformed mirrors. By casting glass into large, flat slabs, his work grew into an international market for mantel mirrors. These mirrors were often set in decorated frames.

French homes transitioned to lower fireplaces and mantels so tall mantel mirrors could fit above them. The design of fireplace mirrors reflected architectural trends. Some in the mid-18th century featured paintings, while others had delicate carvings.

By the 1800s, mantel mirrors had become more widely available. This reflected a dramatic change in glass mass-production technology, which made oversize mirrors more accessible, leading to their proliferation across the globe.

Today, mantel mirrors are still highly regarded statement pieces with an enduring reputation for elegance. Their versatility has allowed them to branch out beyond the fireplace. Their reflectiveness allows them to amplify a sumptuous painting in a bedroom or capture the tiling of a bathroom.

From mid-century modern designs to pieces created in Louis XVI style, there is a mirror for every room and every occasion on 1stDibs.