A Bit of Backing Up

Today is a bit of backing up. Some things may be repeated and /or added to.

First, I talked about faux painting and wallpapering a bathroom.  I talked about lighting. I  really talked very little on mirrors, but may have touched on the subject of magnifying mirrors.  Mirrors add light to bathrooms through natural light or incandescent. I have all kinds of mirrors in my house, but at the moment, I want to talk about bathrooms.  One thing that I found out in buying older homes, is that the previous owner may have been shorter that I am, or taller.  I have run into a few situations that needed changed.  Especially in mirrors.  I have one that is really too short, but has a light right above it and without hiring an electrician, I can't at present move it.  I will show you a picture later.

The easiest way to use a mirror is one, buy one you like and hang it up.  That way it is not permanent, and you can take it with you if you move.  I really use mirrors a lot.  As a matter of fact, I had some hung in my studio today, and I only saw pictures of them from my son in law.  Can't wait to see them tomorrow. 

 

Here is a light fixture in the guest bathroom.  See the mirror behind it.  It is attached to the wall and framed with a mirror border.  This was popular in the 1990's and 2000's, but now I am not seeing so much in new construction.  I am seeing much fancier mirrors, round ones, or many different shapes.  One thing to remember, is that cheap mirrors distort images.  Make sure you check that out.  One good thing, if you buy one, most likely it can be returned, if it doesn't work out.  By the way, this is the wallpaper that looks kike faux painting, if you zoom in, you can see it up close.  I absolutely adore it!

 

I like to use things that are a little different.  I love things that hang on walls, besides paintings.  I will use giclees', or signed and numbered prints.  Cheap art fades, or else you see it everywhere.  I tell people, "Save your money and if it takes a year, buy a good piece of art".  I also love to buy sconces, shelves and pediments.

 

These are three pediments that have traveled with me as I moved.  I love the look.  People always ask about them.  Actually, I bought them at Marshall Field's in Chicago eons ago.  There is always a place or things like that.  AGAIN, IF YOU LIKE IT BUY IT!!!!!!!!!!!! These things are timeless.  I Italy several year ago, I bought some little houses made on the Amalfi coast.  They are hung above a door coming into the house.  Actually in the garage.  Neat, huh?

 

Back to the bath and sconces:

 

 

This is the master bath with the sconce with a blue and white vase.  See how the art work is hung and the mirror with the picture frame mirror around it. The picture above is one of mine in the blue frame to bring in my blue and white vase.  This is one way to carry your colors from room to room.  If you think of your rooms as a large wave that goes into the air and the color is a very light color and as it recedes the color changes.  Look at some surfing pictures and see how the color flows.  This is what you want to create a flow throughout the house.  You can change color but add a little bit from the room next to it.  This interjects the feeling of flow.

 

The one above is in the family room used with another old pediment.  I also use small mirrors in frames next to pictures or in a grouping, for more interest.  Look for small things in your travels, whether it be on a trip, or in a thrift store or a garage sale, or just any store.  Sometimes you find things in the most unlikely places.

 

Here is another pedestal that is in the master bedroom.  See how different they all are, in color, shape, and design.  Yet each one fits somewhere.  A great place to find pedestals was Old Tyme Pottery, if there is one in your area.  Stores that bring in a lot of things from other countries usually have some unique things.  I will say though, I prefer now to buy "MADE IN THE USA", trying to get manufacturing back to this country.

 

When I travel, I always bring back things that are prominent to that country.  I am not well traveled, but where I have been, I have some wonderful things that I bought there.  That is supporting that country. 

 

Since I live in Florida, I use sea shells, coral and sea glass in many things.  In a bathroom, I have glass sea shells, or I'll use a large shell to hold soaps, other shells, and I have seen towels rolled and put in large clam like shells.  I have several of these large shells, and I put smaller collected shells from our beach in them.  Use your imagination.  See what you have sitting around, stored away or something that you see.  Imagine what you can do with it!  Paint an old picture frame and add shells then have a mirror put into it.  I will show you one that I am planning on doing.  Best of all, the frame was free, I had a can of silver paint and the shells are on the beach.

 

USE YOUR IMAGINATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!