Pier Mirror
My home is starting to look like a Parisian apartment.
I like mixing old with new, white walls, art, and big statement light fixtures. I adore floor-to-ceiling wall paneling, parquet or herringbone wood flooring, and marble mantels. If I were to describe my design aesthetic, it would be just that, a Parisian apartment entwined with a streamlined eclectic vibe.
Last November, I thought my living room needed a large mirror. Once I got the idea, I became obsessed with finding one and ultimately, designing and building one.
I didn’t have a vision for what I wanted it to look like, but I knew how I wanted it to feel. The reflective nature of mirror and what it does to a space is powerful; after all, pier mirrors were built before electricity to bring light in and often hung between two large windows.
I jumped right into building it. After several trips to the decorators supply, a massive library of historical moulds, the inspiration unfolded. As I rummaged through rosettes, crown mouldings, capitals, corbels, and large pieces of reeded wood, I was confident I’d come up with something great.
I didn’t.
I left with materials but didn’t know where the design was going.
At one point, I imagined it would be a French gothic piece reminiscent of Notre Dame Cathedral—tall and light, with a transcendent pointed arch.
I love this design style.
It has some attributes of this style but stands distinctively on its own.
In the process, my design ideas for mirrors kept evolving, and as the mirror was being constructed, my thoughts were bound by what I already had. In the end, I am left with many other mirror ideas I need to execute. Future business?
Ultimately, I ADORE it. It’s special and reminiscent of us—it holds the reflection of our love of this home in its frame—and is a genuine representation and testament to the house we are building.
I hope you love it. It’s a true work of art.
And…
If I didn’t know it myself, I’d be easily convinced that it was here in 1880 when this home took its first breath.
Love,
Jaclyn
or
