Mirror Magic

Mirror, mirror, on the wall, show me my

most beautiful look of all.

Mirrors really can do magic when it comes to home decor.  By enlarging a room, bringing in extra light or adding a touch of conversation and whimsy, the possibilities a mirror can provide to an otherwise simple decor are truly impressive. 

One mirror I have collected over the years was made from an early twentieth century oblong diamond paned window that was removed from my rental apartment on the Nob Hill in Portland.  My mother, who is always thinking of creative ideas, suggested I ask the contractor to save the window – which he thankfully did – and turn it into a mirror.  This piece has since greeted my guests as they enter my home and most likely always will no matter where I live.   It brings back so many memories of a time I truly enjoyed and could not have been simply purchased in a store.

Enough chit chat, let’s get to the mirrors.  I’ve included images of mirrors used in a variety of different rooms in a home.  Have a look.  I would love to know what your most creative use of a mirror has been in your decorating experience.  Enjoy!

 

 

Images: (0) Decor Pad(3) House Beautiful (4)  Martha Moments (5) The Buzz (6) Elle Decor (7) Decor Pad (8) Decor Pad (9) Decor Pad (10) Decor Pad (11) House Beautiful –Christina Rottman (12) Decor Pad (13) Living Etc!

Bravo Jen!

Not long ago, I remember reading in Vogue’s December 2008 issue that Jennifer Aniston was taking on a major remodel of her new home in Beverly Hills.  It seems the great reveal of her finished home has been much anticipated by many and I must admit, I am one of them. Before taking a look at the finished product, I’ve included a few quotes regarding the house from that article:

“ trying to take in the scale of this unusual house; all 10,000 square feet are on one floor, and everything is of a surprising proportion – the rooms, the doors, even the doorknobs are bigger than you’d expect . . .”

“The handles on her office doors are enormous bronze mudras hands from Thailand, ‘I know there’s a meaning to the positioning of the fingers,’ [Aniston] says, ‘and I should know what it is, but these basically are meant to ward off evil spirits.’”

“The house was designed in 1970 by architect Hal Levitt, best known for the Riviera Hotel in Las Vegas.”

“What she thought was going to be a four-month project turned into a nearly two-year journey.  She seems to be loving every minute of it.”

“The house itself suggested a decor, one that Aniston hired interior designer Stephen Shadley to help her execute and describes it as ‘combo platter’: Hawaiian lanai meets Balinese Zen palace.”

“'It wanted to have that feeling that when you walked in you were able to throw your feet up and just be peaceful. But I also wanted it to feel . . . sexy.’ [Aniston] narrows her eyes and shakes her hair for comic effect. ‘This is a sexy house!’”

A big thank you to Erin Gates of Element’s of Style for finding these photos of Jennifer’s home.  The photos appear in this March’s issue of Architectural Digest and photos are by Scott Frances for AD.

Let’s see if the descriptions of what was desired are what you had envisioned as you were reading the quotes.

O Magazine  recently was invited to Jen’s home as she hosted a few friends for dinner. Both the picture above and both below are courtesy of this particular article which coincidentally gave a small peek into her home.
“My friends love coming over because they get fed. It’s the best restaurant in town,” says Jen. Click here to read the entire article.



While some people expected the decor to be more feminine and bohemian, I can appreciate the need to stay true to the architectural style of the home with regards to the decor.  To me this house says very straight-forwardly, ‘An adult lives here’ and I like that. There appears a sense of calm and a love of light and the outdoors, and it seems quite clear that the someone who pulled this all together has it all together.  Bravo Jen.