Narciso by Caravaggio. Image from Wikimedia Commons.
Mirrors are mysterious and paradoxical. Astronomers use them to see into the vast reaches of the galaxy; dentists, to explore the innermost recesses of people’s mouths. Magicians use them to create illusions, while most of us trust them to reflect truth. They figure prominently in science and superstition, in myth and reality.
We as visual beings are naturally drawn to bright and shiny things such as mirrors. And as self-aware creatures, what also holds our attention rapt and provides endless fascination is that mirrors have the ability to, well, mirror. We love the way they allow us to see ourselves. If it weren’t for mirrors, we’d probably be stuck in riverbanks and lakesides, mesmerized by our reflections, like the mythical Narcissus.
It is for all these same reasons that a lot of us like mirrored furniture. For some it may be that they are bright and shiny, and can imbue flash and polish to the prosaic. For others, it may be the convenience of being able to extend normal vision, or to surreptitiously preen. And for others still, it is just because they are beautiful.
Featured here are some pieces of spectacular mirrored furniture. Which do you think is the fairest of them all?
Venetian-inspired Romano mirrored side table from Homesdirect365.
Mirrored retro "tulip" table from Out There Interiors.
Antiqued mirrored coffee table from J. Covington Home
Not every surface needs to be mirrored, as this 3-drawer Sabrina chest demonstrates.Also from J. Covington Home.
Love how the mirrors take on the color of the surroundings! Five-drawer chest in beveled mirror and silver leaf finish from www.ivgstores.com
The bright sky blue wall and the bronze carpet makes this mirrored credenza look oh-so-contemporary. Image from katrya-kyla.blogspot.com
And who says mirrored furniture have to look Renaissance, Baroque, or retro? Mirrors have inspired a lot of contemporary furniture design too.
Mirror circle table from hirshfields.wordpress.com
3 mirrored cubes from Linthorpe Interiors
Gorgeous mirrored CD tower by Tonelli Design
A cubist's approach to storage. Love the gold color too! Psiche sideboard also from Tonelli Designs.
Oooh I love the Psiche sideboard by Tonelli! I am digging the shape and colour and funhouse reflection!
Absolutely! That’s my favorite too!!