Mirror, Mirror not just on the wall anymore

I remember back when I was still in college and sitting in on one of the lectures on Philippine furniture, there was a worthy mention on mirrored furniture. These were the pieces of furniture that had mirror panels cladded and following in the carcase form. Most antique houses had these with some bearing very intricate and delicate designs. We had one at my grandmother's house. It was very old and not in a very good condition.

My grandmother didn't belong to a wealthy family but she made do with what she had. She fashioned decorative pieces to tie in with her mirrored bedroom furniture theme. A kind of boudoir meets art noveau look. Everytime we go to her house, her room is still quite intact and most of the venetian furniture were still there. Somehow, remembering how the room looked like the last time I visited triggered some very nostalgic memories for me.

Nowadays, the "mirrored furniture" look is making a comeback. They can be seen on modern pieces and integrated into furniture pieces in highly stylized or geometric forms. These are great statement pieces especially in a room or hallways that desperately needs one. I most especially like the ones with hand-painted ornament details in them because they give an added "ooomph" to an already stately piece. The pieces I've seen have been mostly chest drawers so far but they've also been applied to consoles and other table furniture.

Aside from giving a room added character and a sort of understated femininity, it also adds to the illusion of space since it mirrors the elements in the room it is placed in. I'm glad that they've been adapted into modern pieces. This way it can now be clearly recognized as a dignified furniture style and not just passed off as a fab or a trend.