Leaning Mirror Purchase - Trying out this Decorating Trend

Pottery Barn Leaning Mirror - about $600

My husband and I are, we are told, within a month of finishing our lower level (aka basement) "mini" renovation project.  The drywall is up and undergoing taping and finishing today; the new stairway oak treads are in; the bathroom floor tiles are waiting for grout, etc. etc.   I have, as usual, gotten ahead of the project and started actively looking for furniture and decorations for the space since much of what we had down there before was a mis-mash of furniture and accessories relegated from other areas of the house - comfortable and functional but not great!

I do want to put in a plug for the Salvation Army.  They have a "pick-up" program that is well organized and works beautifully to pick up donations that are too large to haul to the nearest Goodwill donation center.  They schedule areas of pickup; communicate a day in advance to verify pickup dates and times (within a three hour window); and, leave behind a printed donation sheet for tax records.  They were courteous and professional and I was happy to donate a still serviceable Southwood sofa and coordinated chair and ottoman.

Earlier View of window area (ceiling is now sheetrocked) - leaning mirror would be on left of this set of windows.

One item I have been checking out on Craigslist is a leaning mirror to enhance the visual size of the space.  I have been seeing leaning mirrors in decorating magazines and Pottery Barn and Ballard ads for some time and liked the way they were being used.  We have a window alcove that has only two of the three windows it previously had - the third window had been removed to build-out our 2004 home addition - this is the area I targeted for a leaning mirror - see above.

I checked out a usual web source for advice on using leaning mirrors and found helpful suggestions source :

Place a leaning mirror in a room that will benefit from its qualities. Place a dramatic leaning mirror in your living room or dining room to create the illusion of a fuller room when people are present. Use the mirror to balance a room that has limited window space.

 

Select a location that is structurally sound. Choose a solid wall that does not experience significant shifting or tremors. For example, if the walls adjacent to your front door vibrate slightly when the door closes, do not place the mirror against one of those walls.

 

Select a location that is not in a high-traffic pathway. You do not want people brushing against the mirror or carrying food near it on a regular basis. Find an otherwise overlooked wall in a high-traffic room against which you can lean your mirror.
 

Select a mirror that is framed tastefully. Unframed mirrors look cheap and unfinished. Many leaning mirrors have understated mirrored frames so that they look finished without introducing another dramatic element. The mirror and frame together should feel like one object, not an object in a frame.

 

Use the mirror to create drama and add glamour. Place the mirror so that it reflects a portion of an luminous light fixture or other decorative feature. The key is to balance the amount of light and shine in the space. If you have a large mirror in a room, you should have no more than one other significantly shiny or sparkly feature, like a detailed light fixture.

 

 Do not hide the mirror behind a big piece of furniture. You can keep other items close to the mirror, even overlapping it slightly within the lines of sight in the room. Do not obscure its qualities by including too many other elements in the room. If you have the splendid design sense to include such a dramatic piece in your home, do it justice and let it take center stage.

My theory, of course, is that you have to buy the items you are looking for when you actually see them.  I found a mirror with the dimensions (44X78) and simple good looks on Craigslist Sunday morning and we had the mirror by Sunday afternoon.  The owner was moving and she had purchased it new for $300 at American Signature Furniture and was selling for $150 ($100 if you could pay and pickup immediately) so a quick trip and $100 later, it was mine.  If will be at least a month before we get to verify that it works but it certainly should and I can't wait to place it in our new space!

Pottery Barn mirror  - about $400

Ballard mirror - about $700

My mirror (not in my space) - $100