Using Mirrors Above Bedside Tables

About 9 months ago (wow, time flies!!) I posted a DIY project where my Mom and I covered a pair of quatrefoil mirrors with gold foil. The idea was to mount the mirrors on the wall above each bedside, reflecting the light from the table lamps and adding a bit of sparkle. That idea worked great in the old condo but I hit a snag in the new place - the master bedroom here is about 6" narrower than my previous bedroom, plus the new upholstered bed is 6" wider than the headboard I used to have (which was recovered & relocated to the guest bedroom). If you do the math, you'll calculate that I lost an entire foot which meant that the quatrefoil mirrors no longer fit in the space. Boo :(

I decided to hang the gold foil mirrors in the entryway (still a work in progress) and I've been on the hunt for a new pair of mirrors for the master bedroom ever since. I bought a pair that were too big, and then I bought a pair that were too small, and finally, just like Goldilocks, I found a pair that were just right. Thank goodness HomeSense has an excellent return/exchange policy.

Success!!

There is more space between the mirror and the headboard than there appears, I just couldn't get back far enough to get the right camera angle. I love the shape of these mirrors, and I also love that even the frames are mirrored - I wanted to keep it as simple as possible without introducing any other elements to this wall.

What do you think? Do you like this idea?

DIY: Gold Foil Quatrefoil Mirror

While daydreaming about my new master suite, I got stuck on the idea of hanging a mirror on the wall behind each bedside table lamp. This would add a touch of glamour and sparkle, plus it practically doubles the amount of light in the room - a huge bonus when the bedroom lacks a ceiling junction box. Here is an inspiration photo from Tides South Beach:

It's no secret that I love me a good quatrefoil motif, and you may recall that we used a quatrefoil mirror from HomeSense in my Mom's powder room makeover. I thought that this style would work perfectly for my bedside table idea, so I went ahead and also purchased a pair for myself.

Scale is everything in this case, and unfortunately the mirrors were too small and got lost behind the lamps, so they were promptly returned. Instead I found a pair of 30" x 30" quatrefoil mirrors at Lowe's which were just the right size - substantial enough to avoid being completely covered by the lamps. The only problem was that I was not a fan of the black frames.

Here is where the gold leaf enters the story. I picked up all of the supplies I needed for less than $20.00 - two packages of gold foil and size adhesive from Michael's (purchased with a 40% off coupon), and sponge brushes from Dollarama. After several months of procrastination it was time to get started. With help from my Mom and some online tips from Jenny at Little Green Notebook, we taped off the mirror and applied the adhesive size and gold leaf one section at a time, slowly working our way around.

After just a few long short hours, we ended up with a gorgeous gold quatrefoil mirror. Some of you may wonder why I didn't just spray paint this mirror gold, since I'm such a pro (see other spray paint projects here, here, here and here), but I wanted to achieve the antique patina that comes with real gold leaf. We completed just one mirror on Sunday afternoon, so there is still another to go, but having one under my belt makes me hopeful that the next one will be a bit quicker.
 
I love the way it turned out. What do you think?

Design Details: Mirrors

Mirrors are for more than checking your hair - they are the perfect way to visually expand a small space, and if they catch the light in their reflection, they can brighten an entire room. Available in many shapes, sizes, finishes and price points, there's a mirror to suit your home. One thing to keep in mind when positioning a mirror: be mindful of what the mirror reflects.

The mirror in this space has been angled to reflect the patterned ceiling and light fixture:


And again in this bedroom, notice how the mirror is hung at just the right height to reflect the headboard on the opposite wall:



Imagine how these would reflect the light and elements of your home:

Casalife $17o:

Casalife $268:

Ikea NESSANE $59.99:

West Elm Capiz $199 (USD):

West Elm Sun $129 (USD):

Pottery Barn Starburst $99 (USD):

Martha Stewart Furniture Seal Harbor Acanthus-Leaf:

Crate & Barrel Sutton $449 (USD):

Venetian (ebay) $349 (USD):

Gold Gilt (ebay) $3999 (USD):

Art Nouveau Gilded (etsy) $123 (USD):

With all these choices, there is a mirror out their to suit your taste and your budget. Which style do you think is the fairest of them all?