MIRROR, MIRROR ON THE WALL...
In interior design, a mirror can make a well-decorated space look twice as nice as it already does. Reflecting what’s already there in a room, it can serve as an effective design tool when used properly, not just adding to the visual appeal but also making a space look larger.
But what of a mirror that’s stunning on its own, due to its decorative nature? Simply put, can a decorative mirror be even more attractive than the image it reflects?
“It’s very strategic, depending on the space it’s in. It’s important not to put a mirror in front of something that we don’t want to see reflected,” said Philippe Harvey, interior designer behind the design firm of the same name. “It’s nice to arrange a mirror so that it reflects a piece of art that’s hanging on the wall, for example, making it visible from other areas in the house or condo.”
In the fairy tale about Snow White, the evil queen owns a magic mirror that proclaims her to be the fairest in the land until, one day, it identifies Snow White as being “a thousand times more beautiful” than the queen. But what if the mirror in question held not only magical properties but also decorative ones; is it possible that it would have identified itself as the most beautiful?
“The 2012 movie Mirror, Mirror — starring Julia Roberts — was actually the first big antique mirror project that we did,” said Holden Collins, the artist behind decorative mirrors sold at Vitrerie VM, one of the oldest glass and mirror shops in the city. “People started asking for antique mirrors, which is a big part of what we do now, around 10 years ago — but we were never really interested in it, until the demand just became too overwhelming.”
Collins, who also goes by the moniker “the Montréal Kid,” learned about the unusual art of decorative mirrors from his parents, Peter and Deirdre.
“My parents got involved with the Vitrerie in the Eighties, so I grew up in the shop, learning from both of them,” he said.
“My dad went to art school for most of his life, just outside of Toronto and in California, and he learned a lot from his brother, who’s a sign maker. They started off by doing sandblast on wood, and we do a lot of sandblasting now, too — only on glass and mirror.”
As one of the few makers of antiqued mirrors, Collins won’t divulge exactly how he goes about creating the unique look, but he will say that it involves putting an acid on the silver side of a mirror, which both warps and oxidizes it. As for his other creations, which include full-fledged designs, he’s a lot less secretive.
“The way we make our mirrors with designs is by sandblasting them. We put a stencil that’s handdrawn on the back of the mirror, remove the negative space, sandblast it and then paint or airbrush it,” he said. “We do a lot of gold and silver leaf, too, which is just applying a glue to the sandblasted areas and then laying down the leaf on top of it.”
Similar to a statement piece of art, decorative mirrors can create a unique sense of artistry on a wall and serve as a focal point, drawing the eye to specific areas in a room or adding visual interest to transition areas, like entryways and hallways.
“It’s a strange art form that people often overlook when decorating, but it brings so much to a room — especially when a plain mirror can be so stark and cold,” Collins said. “If you have a nice gold design, or a nice finish on the edge, or a great border, it can really just bring a room together.”
As for size, Harvey confirms that bigger is definitely better.
“I really like the look of oversized mirrors,” he said. “Even in a small space, like a vestibule, it’s nice to have a huge mirror because it has more of an impact — it’s more theatrical. And just like regular mirrors, decorative mirrors also create the illusion of more space.”
While mirrors were popular when Harvey started his business 25 years ago, they went the way of the dinosaur for a while, perhaps due to their lack of originality.
“The mirrors I use now are a lot more visually interesting, whereas they used to be very stark and bright,” he said. “Now, with so many effects possible, they give depth to a space instead of merely being reflective.
“The other great thing about mirrors is that they can work with any style home, whether it’s new and modern or more vintage looking.
“It all depends on the finish of the mirror, the design, and the frame used to surround it.”
It’s a strange art form that people often overlook when decorating, but it brings so much to a room ... HOLDEN COLLINS, Vitrerie VM