Vintage French Mirrors

Originating in Egypt thousands of years ago as religious ceremonial devices, mirrors are now used primarily for grooming, but also as interior design elements to make a room appear larger, add more reflective light to a space or simply to add a touch of sophisticated elegance to a room. France’s King Louis XIV can be credited with elevating the popularity of mirrors by creating the Hall of Mirrors at The Palace of Versailles, and voila, a new enduring trend was born. Eventually, mirrors became a status symbol of class and refinement indicating its owner had impeccable breeding.

Antiqued glass need not be perfect. Silvering is often worn and small chips may be present to give a vintage look to a room. Large gold mirrors have classic styling that is both simple and elegant. A mirror can also be a more decorative than functional piece that will add light and style to a room.

Trumeau mirrors are French wall mirrors originally manufactured in the 18th century. The word Trumeau describes the space between windows where the French would like to add a decorative element and reflect more light. They were rectangular in shape with a decorative element on top and the mirror below that. Often made from wood, they could have detailed carvings and an old world feel.

Sometimes when a room lacks elaborate architectural elements, a decorative mirror can compensate, instantly adding a sophisticated focal point to the room. To add elegance to any decor, architectural mirrors cappear to have been plucked from the facade of a historic building and brought into your home to admire. Lovely!

Art and function all in one! Imagine a collection of these gorgeous mirrors placed together to create a sparkling display as in our main photo at the top of the page.