The magic of mirrors

They shimmer, they glow, they sparkle, they gleam. In daytime, they can send light streaming into the darkest corners of a room. And after sundown, well, let's just say that if you've never spent an evening in a room lit by soft candles reflected in gilt-framed mirrors, you've been missing out.

Nothing lights up a room like mirrors, and you don't have to pay your local power company for the privilege. You also don't need an Old Master budget to hang gorgeous works of art on your walls. There are old mirrors out there that will knock your socks off. 

The mother of all mirrored rooms is the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles. A little over the top, 
but you get the idea.

Now that I've got that out of my system, we can enter the real world. May I suggest that instead of putting a big-screen TV over your mantel, you use a mirror? 

(The men are booing, I know.)

Miles Redd room via Elle Decor

Gorgeous moss-framed mirror in a Bunny-Williams decorated library

Thomas Jayne dining room -- with all that elaborate molding, he kept the mirror simple.

 Casual bedroom, luxurious bed, semi-formal trumeau propped against the wall. Unbeatable combination. Just don't look when you first get out of the bed in the morning!

Montauk bedroom by Vicente Wolf

This gorgeous mirror used as a headboard gives new meaning to the term "bedhead."

via Country Living

Mirrored closet doors make this corner come alive. One of these days, I'm going to mirror my old bedroom closets like this. When all the other projects are done. If I'm still in the house at that time, alive and breathing.  

Small mirror, big impact. You can see the dining room in its reflection.

Lisa's house (see previous posts)

A stunning dining room by Darryl Carter, with oversized twin mirrors flanking the doorway. How many people would just hang a couple of paintings in those spaces? The mirrors add so much depth to the room.

Isabel Lopez Quesada hung this elaborate Venetian mirror in a modern den. The rococo-shaped frame helps to soften the hard lines in the room. 

When was the last time you saw a bathroom remodel that looked like this? Talk about thinking out of the box! The mirror over the tub is pure genius. 

I used to think Federal style was kind of stodgy, until Thomas Jayne came along. Here, he uses a big mirror to make a big statement in a New York entry hall. I think a mirror like this costs about as much as an Old Master. But if you're ever hit by thieves, they won't think of taking it.

In a guest bedroom, a pretty little mirror tucked behind a bed.

 

Source: unknown

 For me, decorating doesn't get any better than this. Amelia Handegan's lovely living room has silk taffeta curtains, an antique sofa, and an oversized gilt mirror reflecting the airy, ethereal chandelier and mantel with its row of blossom-filled vases. The stuff that dreams are made of.

Helene Aumont put a large mirror over an Empire commode in this Paris apartment. Again, those silk curtains. Big sigh.

Candlelight and mirrors in Valentino's dining room. Don't you want to have dinner here tonight? And every night? Those servants are a nice touch, don't you think?

 Imelda Marcos had her shoes. For me, the one thing I can't resist buying more of is antique mirrors. I have a house full of them, and if I had any wall space left, I would buy more.

Just as earrings light up a face, mirrors light up a room. And...with mirrors everywhere, you always have a place to check your lipstick.

© 2013 by A Silken Swoon. All rights reserved.

Dallying with the deceased

It was a late Sunday afternoon. The dog wanted a walk, my weekend shopping and socializing were done, and I was in the mood for a change of scenery. Where to go? Why, the local cemetery, of course.

If this seems like a strange choice, you should know that I love cemeteries, especially old ones, with their gnarly trees, tipsy headstones, and rocky paths. They are filled with stories and secrets, and, very often, with surprises, which you'll see in just a minute.

Mountain View Cemetery is tucked away at the end of an otherwise busy avenue in Oakland. When I drove through the elegant, ebony iron gates, kissed with gold leaf...

 ...I turned the corner and found myself on a curving road lined with cherry trees in full bloom.

 Upon opening the car door, I stepped into a storm of tumbling cherry blossoms, a sweet and fragrant greeting that set the mood for the magical couple of hours that lay ahead. 

As I set off down the gravel path, my eyes rested on one beautiful vista after another.

 Stately cypresses encircle what looks to be...no kidding...a swimming pool. 

Really? In a cemetery? Perhaps those who ended up in the "other place" need a dip now and then to cool off? If you have other ideas, please let me know. 

 Huffing my way up the hill, I came upon a treasure trove of monuments. Many of these people were born almost 200 years ago. What would they think of our lives today, with our cell phones and streaming video, satellites and robot vehicles exploring Mars?

Mr. and Mrs. Drake chose to be silent on the matter. 

 

I noticed a number of intrepid travelers, like the Montgomerys here, came from Maine in the early to mid-1800s. What a journey! Were they drawn by the Gold Rush? 
So many men flocked here at that time, hoping to get rich.
 

 

Mr. Montgomery would have been just 20 years old when gold was discovered in the Sierra Nevada foothills in 1849. At that age, excitement beckons, and risks are shrugged aside. Judging by this large and expensive headstone, he did well.



In the meantime, how beautiful is this? Draped and tasseled, weeping with roses. Mr. Williams came here from England, probably as a young man, at a time when the journey could have taken the better part of a year. What was the big draw? Mr. Williams isn't talking, either.

 

I found this small headstone particularly poignant.

 After looking up the phrase "Woodman of the World," I discovered it was a fraternal order of woodworkers whose motto was "Dum Tacet Clamat." I looked that up, too. There are variable translations, but the one I liked best is "Though silent, he speaks." I wonder what the bird symbolizes. 

I stood in front of this headstone for probably five minutes, doing the math over and over again in my head. Was this woman really 20 years older than her husband? You rocked, Elizabeth!

 

 The further up the hill you go, the fancier the monuments get. 

This one reminded me of the Space Needle in Seattle. 
Although I doubt that's what they were striving for.

 

  

At the ridge of the hill were the permanent homes of the truly elite. And I have to say, they are impressive. All this one needs is the Nile river gliding lazily by in front.

 

And here we find that Oakland has its own Lincoln Monument. Move over, D.C.!

I call this "The Gardener's Cottage." (With apologies to the blog of the same name.)

A close-up of those gorgeous copper doors.

Do we think this is the man who invented the Coleman stove? The windows need repair, Mr. Coleman. Get in touch with your great-great-great grandchildren.

 And...Ray Bradbury?

I encountered a group of Goth teenagers up on the ridge,

looking as if they'd wandered in from a Tim Burton movie set. You can see one of them with his bicycle here. He saw me taking his photograph, and he smiled sweetly, and waved. This is a very friendly neighborhood.

Here at the top of the hill, the views are stunning, at least for the still living. There's a bit of fog, otherwise you'd be able to see the bay.

Walking back to the car, I found this charming figure nestled in a shade-dappled glade. 

Don't we all want an angel like this watching over us? With one foot tucked under like an innocent child? What a sweet expression for the sweet hereafter. 


Visit your local cemetery, and say hello to the inhabitants. They are quiet, tolerant, and undemanding. The perfect neighbors. With not a care in the world. 

© 2013 by A Silken Swoon. All rights reserved. All photos by Eileen of A Silken Swoon.  

Lisa's House, Part II

Ready for the second part of this wonderful house tour?

Lisa found a clever way to take advantage of her home's near-perfect layout. When you enter the front door, a colorful path of meandering Turkish rugs invites you through the foyer, past the central hall, and to the light-filled bedrooms and the garden beyond. Remember how this looked?

 

Now that we've dallied in the living room, dining room, and kitchen, awestruck by the seemingly endless and beautiful collections of crystal, china, candlesticks, pottery, fabrics, and whatnot, we can move on to the bedroom to the right. Which isn't, in fact, being used as a bedroom.

With garden greenery beckoning outside the windows, lovely old mirrors, books, sofas, and capacious desks, this is a space in which dreams are dreamed and artistic yearnings are transformed into whatever reality you choose...a place you could happily spend your entire day in and never feel the need to leave.

You could start by taking a mid-morning nap in this charming corner...

...with the tree outside possibly haunting your dreams (in a good way).

Then you would wake up and realize it's time to get something done! 

Good thing there are paints, brushes, and pots awaiting on the big desk...

 

 ...so you can create something beautiful to gaze upon for the rest of the day.

(The dragon will happily critique your work. That's what dragons do.)

Palm trees and monkeys are lurking right next to the window. 

The monkeys were quiet the day I shot this, but at other times, who knows?

There are more hints of the Caribbean right across the room. 

Love that vase of chili peppers! 

 If you are lucky enough to be a guest in this house, you 

will sleep in this ravishing space.

What interesting visions will await you here? I didn't see a gypsy--

she must have been hiding in the closet.

I told you we could spend all day in this room, but let's move on.

The "real" bedroom is darker and more mysterious...

 

 ...the bed casually draped with a deep persimmon spread. 

And interesting artifacts on the wall. 

I guess if you indulged in those chili peppers, you could use the fans to cool yourself down.

There is not one thing that "matches" anything else in this room. Just a happy hodgepodge of inherited antiques and flea-market finds. Amazing juxtaposition of colors and textures here--and it all works perfectly.

The shelves and corners overflow with personal treasures...

...and fragrant memories. 

Lisa's beautiful mother approves of her collections. (That's her in the photograph.) 

So do we.

Finally, there is the back garden. Where an old, weeping Chinese Elm greets you with open arms as you walk out the door.

Cherry blossoms overlook a secret gate. (I can't tell you where it goes. But it's neighborly.)

On summer afternoons, this is a divine place to dine...

...while gazing at the flower beds (that right now are not yet in full bloom).

I hope you've enjoyed this enchanting place as much I have enjoyed visiting over the many years that I've known Lisa. A true artist, a gracious hostess, and a wonderful friend. Thank you, Lisa, for sharing your magical home with us!

© 2013 by A Silken Swoon. All rights reserved. All photos by Eileen of A Silken Swoon.