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Mirror choices are making me crazy! Pls Help! Lots of Pics

14 years ago

The saga of our bathroom remodel continues and before I post this in the bath forum I thought I'd tap into your creative ideas first cause I'm just at a loss.

I've been trying to figure out a mirror solution that will give some great pop but is still budget friendly for some time now. I've collected pictures from the galleries, magazines and books but nothing seems to "work". The room is small (8 x 10) & the counter is a 93 inches. The fixtures are white and brushed nickel, and the granite which will be installed next week is oranges & creams. I wanted something with a little twist on it, a special trim or design. I was even thinking of building mirrors with the lighting mounted in the header myself. But the cabinets are maple and I can't find any maple casings in a size or design that works. sooo...I was at Home Goods today and as miracles would have it, they got a truck load of mirrors in. I found these and fell in love. But now that they're in the room, I'm not so sure. What do you think? The decorative part has a worn silvery color that matches the handles we're going to use, but I'm not so sure about how the two different woods are working together, as well as the size. Should I return them? And if so, what do you think would work? Any suggestions other than using a plain mirror? I really don't want plain, we've always had plain mirrors and was hoping for something with a little more personality. Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.

Here's how they look from the bedroom, sorry it's a dark room & that temporary lighting doesn't help!

{{!gwi}}

And this is a closer look

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And this is a close up of the detail

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This is the floor, which maybe the frame does match?:

{{!gwi}}

And this is the granite, it was just templated today. :c)

{{gwi:1490874}}

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Comments (8)

suero
14 years ago
Your links are bad.
User
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks Suero for letting me know...cause the pics show up for me. I'll set up a new album and repost. --lukki
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Okay, here's the Bronwynsmom full tilt more-than-you-aked-for solution. And I confess that I haven't read all the other posts (I usually do), so if I'm repeating, I apologize. Your room needs life, and cohesion. I like the sofa against the mirror, and I like the mirror's effect on the room, but I think the heavy timber frame is too much for the room and the delicacy of the rather slender bookcases. First, I would set the bookcases up on a low platform, so that you can push them all the way back to the wall, and give them a bit more substance - and to get that bottom shelf off the floor. Then I'd choose a rich, beautiful paint color for the room, and paint everything - walls, trim, timbers, and the bookcases - to match the walls. We did the bookcases that way in our den here, and it looks really nice, if I do say so.... I'd add a clip downlight to the top center of each bookcase section to light the contents. Then I'd treat both the window and the mirror as if they were both windows, and handle them in the same way. I'd hang generous, lined floor-to-ceiling drapery panels, in a colorful or graphic pattern you really love, out beyond the sides of the windows, with the leading edges just covering the frames. If you need privacy at night, I'd think about adding simple roman shades at ceiling height. I'd do the same thing at the sides of the mirror, with two curtain panels out to the side just covering the frame. That would pull the two walls together, and make the heavy side timbers disappear, which I think the room needs. I'd add a pair of end tables and substantial lamps, add sofa pillows in lighter colors, move the large coffee table somewhere else, and put a pair of smallish square ottomans in front of the sofa. I'd turn the rug 90 degrees, so that the stripes run across the doorway, rather than creating a runway effect to the couch. I'd add a pair of Parsons-style upholstered chairs, with skirts, on either side of the table in the window, to avoid too many legs in the room. And I'd put a desk lamp on the table, and a floor lamp in the corner to your left as you walk into the room. The result would be a serene architectural background with the books, the wonderful table, the curtains, the upholstery and pillows, he sparkle and expansiveness of the mirror, and that great graphic rug as the stars.
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Lyfia, I thought about your great idea and stood there and sized up the situation. I think that is beyond my meager capabilities and the chair rail would come right in the middle of it. I wish I'd thought of it before I put up the wainscoting, and maybe then I'd have had a fighting chance at it, but not now. Lukkirish, I will, thanks. Here is what keeps haunting me about this job. I have a leftover (from previous home) partial roll of wallpaper here that I adore, that looks fab with the Mucha. It's an arts and crafts pattern. I just keep coming back to wanting to use this paper. [](http://tinypic.com?ref=2woja78) The problem is, I don't have enough of it for the job, even with not going over the bathtub area. I have looked and looked and can't find anything out there like it. So the question is, could I put up narrow margin molding frames on the upper walls and put this paper inside them, then paint the paper's background color on the rest of the wall? Or the lighter beige\-peach featured in the first picture here? Or with the wainscoting would that look too choppy? Here is an example of a framed wallpaper panel: [](http://tinypic.com?ref=vkxae) What if I did it ONLY behind the Mucha and nowhere else in the room? What do you think?
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While many different WTs would work, it's most important to determine what your light control and privacy needs are. As it looks like a lot of sunlight is streaming in the DR plus you have two windows to either side of the TV, I think you would benefit from putting in woven blinds that filter the light rather than block it out. If you require total privacy then the woven blinds wouldn't cut it alone. However, you can put a lining if needed and/or pair it with panels, which would be my choice in your situation. Though your windows have varying heights I would hang at the same height and stack them to the sides of the windows so when open, you can enjoy the view outside. For the windows flanking the fireplace, I would just put the panels on the outer side of each window and pull off to that side. If you can get by without the need to open/close the drapes, then you won't need as many panels as you would otherwise and since some of your windows and the slider are quite wide, that would be my first choice. Stationary panels would also work best given I see you have a floor register under at least one of the windows. Though you did not ask about your rooms, I also would suggest adding an area rug in the DR, something darker, so as create a division between the similar wood tones of floor and table. Mine used to be like that before I added a rug and it's a huge improvement. It's hard to tell from your pictures whether it'd be better to move the DR light fixture or the table. I think it might look nice if there is room to move the table to the right and add a low buffet below the window. Perhaps something in a dark or painted wood to add more interest to the area. Lovely home!
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Thanks everyone! So of course the one I chose is not even one of the original top 5 contenders from the top of this thread. I chose Hampton Cararra 3x6 satin finish from The Tile Shop. I was so afraid to go with marble because I really like variation in the tiles and I didn't want to end up with boxes of all white. I found a Tile Shop near me, never knew they existed until GW. I loved that they had so much in stock, and on display. So I was able to take an entire box of the Hampton Cararra home before I decided. Its the one in my post above from Nov. 7, on the right. It had a lot of variation and was a lot less expensive than some of the options I had been considering too, so it was my winner. Herbflavor, thanks for the compliments & for remembering. You are one of many here who specifically helped me a lot. Yes the whole project now is done. We love the new use of space, its really working out for the way we live just as I hoped. The kitchen is done just how I wanted it, though of course theres several decisions I second guess, but overall I love it. The other 2 rooms which we opened into each other I am just not thrilled with how they look yet because the budget has run out but I really wanted to do more in those rooms. I wish we could get all new furniture and I wanted built ins next to fireplace and new mantle, etc but its not happening for a while. I know we have time. I hope to do a reveal now soon, but I still need a window treatment on the big kitchen window. We get tons of light so I needed to put a paper shade up and I don't want that in my final pics!! I might still need one more post for advice on a window treatment...I'm thinking a woven wood shade in a dark tone like the island cabinet. I love the light kitchen, but I really like to ground it with some dark pieces. Heres a closer up...
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flseadog
14 years ago
The mirrors are wonderful but I agree with your impression that they don't just work with your other choices. On my monitor your granite seems to have silvery gray highlights, is this an accurate reading? In any event, you might want to pick up the highlights of the granite in the mirror frame. It might also be helpful to see the permanent lighting installed. Would an oval mirror work as a counterpoint to the very square shapes you have overall or are you committed to a rectilinear mirror?
User
Original Author
14 years ago
New try at pictures:

Frame detail:

Granite:

Flooring

And lastly this is an inspiration photo of what I wanted to build. It belongs to someones bathroom in the bathroom gallery, but I don't remember who.
remodelfla
14 years ago
Though lovely, I'm not "feelin" the mirrors in your setting. Your granite is STUNNING BTW! I'd pick up on the silvery colors in your flooring and granite if you can't match the wood. Maybe something in a pewtery color. Also, for some reason the patterning in the mirror's frame does not remind me of your inspiration pic at all. The mirrors there almost seem more Craftsmanlike. Maybe something with a wider flatter profile.
User
Original Author
14 years ago
flseadog - Thanks for your input, yes, I now that you mention it, the granite does have some gray influence in it. Good eye! Here's the lighting fixtures, do you think they'd be too big for a round mirror?
User
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks remodelfla! I'm really happy with how the slate turned out, the shower turned out really pretty too. Yeah, the store mirrors are very different from what I'm interested in building. If I build them, I want to build something like what's in the inspiration pictures, but with a different styled casing. Something that is more rustic or will work with the slate better. Something like this in the same stain as the cabinets, but according to my GC for it to look right, I need to find maple to do it.

{{!gwi}}
stu2900
14 years ago
Those floors and granite are gorgeous! I'd wait until the granite is in. I think it's going to change the whole look of the room. I'm thinking you might want something more simple with all that's going on with the granite. Also, what paint color are you using? What is in my mind for the mirrors is more of a brushed nickle look to go with your lights and the silvery gray in the granite. There are some beautiful metallic looking frames and you could have a mirror cut to fit one.

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