As a little girl my room was all
decked out in French Provincial furniture and décor elements and I never
appreciated it for the beauty that they were. I wanted bright colors and wild
patterns. By the time I was 13, my matchy-matchy bureau and desk were
overpowered by an electric blue comforter with fluorescent leaves of pink,
green and yellow and a shag pink rug (that had been in the house since the
eighties). The eighties passed and somewhere in the 2000s I grew up and my
tastes subdued – somewhat – and I’ve traded in my child-like love of neon
bright furnsihings for a little more grown up taste of glitz and glamour by
pairing jewel toned colors with ornate gold accessories. I still have my French Provincial set and have
come to love and really appreciate its beauty; but being true to the “electric
fluorescent” within me, I love to mix different colors and styles with
the matchy-matchy furnishings that exist within my apartment.
My favorite details are those that
were expressed in Europe in the 1800s that showcased beautiful patterns of
damask, toile in rich materials like satin, brocade and velvet. The furniture
they sat in looked so elegant and refined; in creams and muted
blues and greens that were made to look even more stunning by the sparkle of
floor to ceiling mirrors with the most ornate scrolling details in gold that
curved around the edges of an ivory mirror. I do the best to make my apartment
mirror the gorgeous styles of yesteryear while maintaining all the modern
necessities and conveniences of today. I’ve hung rich plum purple curtains from
my ceiling to section off my apartment’s closet/office from the living room/bed
area. I love the juxtaposition of the curvaceous lines of my Louis XV end table
and Queen Anne Victorian side chair mixed with the fluted legs of my Louis XVI
style sofa. And I’ve hung several ornate
gold mirrors throughout my apartment to reflect the light and to trick the eye
into thinking the rooms are larger.
One of my mirrors could easily have
been part of my original French Provincial set, with its gold on ivory colors,
curvaceous bottom legs and fluted decorative railing on top; but in the spirit
of mixing (rather than matching), I really want to transform this mirror into a
more ornate Louis XVI inspired find like those pictured below. How would you do
it? Is it even possible? What ideas do you have that I could add or take away
from the current construction of this mirror to make to more fitting with my décor?
Check out the Louis XVI inspired home
décor goods in my Etsy store. From Mirrors to clocks, wallpaper, fabric and
more. Do you have a favorite decorating style? Are you drawn to any particular
artifacts when you’re out treasure hunting? Share it with me here.
Happy decorating and happy thrifting!
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