Hello, friends!! I hope you are all having a fabulous Summer!
A little bit ago, while on one of my infamous jaunts through antiquity and curiosity via locality, I came upon a wonderful gilded mirror.
I was immediately attracted by its ornate detail and impressive heft. It was definitely a statement piece.
So gorgeous!!
ALAS...
There was but one wee problem.
I am typically not a huge fan of gilded gold. I usually prefer the understated elegance and calm of cool silver, and when I want something exuding warmth, it is usually a beautiful oil-rubbed bronze.
Our little casita is a Spanish Colonial Revival, or at least that is how we have styled it; yet the aesthetic inside is what I like to refer to as European Hodgepodge. There are Spanish, French, Italian, and English Country elements, all of which lend to a home that is comfortable and cozy with a sort of old world charm.
A while ago I shared in this post how to add fabric to your walls using starch.
Well, while I was on hiatus last year, I repeated the process in another powder room, which is the guest powder room. This time, I decided to go with a warm damask which incorporated all of the colors in the home. Here is a look at the fabric. Isn't it fab!? I had 'interviewed' several, and none of them spoke to me until this one.
When the walls were barren, Mr. Parsimonious picked up a mirror. While the color was fine, this mirror looked much more African Safari or British Colonial than Old World. It wouldn't work with the new damask fabric. Quel dommage!!
When I started blogging, I shared in this post how I made over another thrifted mirror.
Utilizing the same process, I stained the new mirror, but this time, I used an oil rubbed bronze antiquing glaze by Valspar sold by Lowe's.
I decided I didn't want to deplete all of the gold completely, but have it act as an accent of the piece. Therefore, I didn't cover the mirror in an opaque fashion as I had done previously, and I used a much lighter hand.
I made sure to apply glaze into the little crevices, and on the higher points, I wiped the glaze back off.
Here is a side-by-side comparison. This mirror now is much more to my liking. It doesn't shout, "HELLLLLOOOO, NOTICE ME!!! I'M GOOOOOLLLLLD!!!" Now, it is much more elegant and less gaudy; it doesn't look like inexpensive faux plastic, and the gold is instead a fine detail of what now looks like something much older.
Doesn't this look like it has always belonged in this powder room!!?
Alongside dainty dancers,
the beautiful damask,
an antique stone toothbrush receptacle, a (DARLING!) monogrammed towel, and lavender;
it is now also much more complimentary to the stone architectural elements,
oil rubbed lighting, sink,
and other elements of the powder room. It becomes a perfect melding of Old World rustic charm and pretty.
What is your style aesthetic?
Until next we meet...
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