Custom framing of mirrors opens up a world of possibilities. If you do decide to go this route, the only caution is that if you're
unaccustomed to having frames for mirrors custom made, know that it takes a leap of faith. When you buying mirrors that has already been
made, you can decide whether or not you like it before you buy it.
When designing a frame for mirrors, there are a number of features to consider:
1 - think about the overall size of the mirror in relation to the space that it will fill. Unless the mirror is square or circular, you
need to consider whether a vertical or horizontal mirror would work better, whether it should be rectangular or oval.
Vertical mirrors are more usual, but given that many houses have low ceilings.
Horizontal mirrors might be just as effective by emphasizing the horizontal space of the room.
2 - consider how big your mirror should be. With a lot of space around the mirror, mirror is more like an object. When mirrors filling the
wall, mirrors are more like an architectural feature of the space.
A piece of cardboard or paper cut to size and taped on the wall might give you a rough idea of the appropriate size.
3 - Once the overall mirror's dimensions are determined, the material and dimensions of the frame for the mirror should be considered.
There are endless kinds of frames that would be appropriate for mirrors - everything from carved and gilded to thin and angular.
The wonderful thing about using a frame shop is that you can build up the frame with different components. Besides the frame itself, there
are linen liners and mats and brass fillets. There are rounded corners, mitered corners or corner blocks. The mirror itself can be beveled,
creating yet another frame.
When you buying mirrors, the question is which mirror. When you have mirror made it becomes a much more complex process with a lot of parts
to put together. Think about the palette, textures, and style of furnishings in the rest of the room. Those things will help determine the
style of the mirror, whether it's traditional or modern, rustic or sophisticated.
The size of the mirror will help determine the size of the frame. It is partly a practical decision: a tiny frame simply will not support
a huge mirror. But rest assured that if it doesn't work functionally, it probably wouldn't work aesthetically, either. But consider the
reverse proportion. Sometimes a relatively small mirror looks great with a really broad frame-a deep, ornate molding profile with a velvet
liner gives a more traditional look, a wide flat square edged frame is more modern.
Once all the decisions are made, the final product will surely be a unique mirror that works perfectly for its context and that will make
it well worth all the time it took to create it. |
