Spotted: Venetian-Style Mirrors
Originally crafted hundreds of years ago on the islands of Murano, Italy, Venetian mirrors represented the best in glass technique and decoration. The methods of master artisans on Murano were so prized that these glassmakers often hid their identities and took oaths to protect their glassmaking secrets.
Owning a Venetian mirror in the 16th and 17th centuries was a way to show not only wealth but also power; obtaining one would be like scoring a crocodile Birkin bag with diamond hardware with just one phone call today. Put another way, had he been alive back then, Kanye West probably would have been champing at the bit to get a Venetian mirror. If there was a peasant uprising, said mirrors were in grave danger of being smashed.
Luckily for us, Venetian-style mirrors are readily available today. While they may not boast the same secret formulas and handiwork as the originals from Venice, the ornate glory of their beveled edges, decorative cuttings and etched touches are much easier to procure today. Designers are scooping up these statement pieces for a wide variety of room styles.
The most striking thing about Venetian-style mirrors is that they are mirrors framed in mirrored frames. This example, the La Barge Mirror, is a popular choice that is just the right size over a bathroom sink.
La Barge Mirror LM1934, Good’s Home Furnishings
Here’s a close look at some of the details commonly seen on these mirrors, including etching, beveling and intricately cut pieces.
The style of this house in Woodstock, New York, is decidedly transitional, with a careful balance of clean, contemporary elements and nods to traditional. In this powder room, the ornately detailed antique Venetian mirror adds enough traditional style for the entire space.
While the space in this bathroom is tight, there was enough room to install a spectacular mirror.
Mirror: Frame Emporium; hardware: 1900 Classic in satin nickel, Lefroy Brooks
The designers of this modestly sized master bath remodel planned the design around this large mirror. The door was even moved so it could be seen from the bedroom.
Mirror: Neiman Marcus
In this traditional home, a theme of interesting glass runs through the bathroom. The leaded glass window and Venetian mirror play off each other, with the former letting in the natural light and the latter reflecting it around the space. Meanwhile, a milk glass fixture provides light overhead. By the way, milk glass was another formula the glassmakers in Murano experimented with and perfected.
In this elegant bathroom, designer Kendall Wilkinson channeled her inner French royalty and went all out with the mirrors, converting an antique dresser into a vanity, adding antique sconces and hanging the piece de resistance, an antique Venetian mirror.
Wall color: Hint of Violet, 2114-60, Benjamin Moore
Venetian-style mirrors aren’t always about glamour; in this bathroom, colorful oversized floral wallpaper and a small heart-shaped mirror make a sweet and eclectic combination.
Wallpaper: Rosabella by Suzy Hoodless for Osborne & Little; mirror: Appletons, Dublin, Ireland
Here’s the thing about Venetian-style mirrors: People who are into them usually can’t have too many mirrors in a room. The wall behind this sink and mirror was covered in another layer of etched mirror.
A scored antiqued mirrored wall is an appropriate backdrop for Venetian-style mirrors and mirrored vanities.
This mirror and the reflective steel tub make a wonderful pair and break up all of the white marble in this elegant bathroom.
Of course, just because they’re often spotted in bathrooms doesn’t mean Venetian and Venetian-style mirrors are relegated there; those are simply the rooms where mirrors are most prevalent. This style of mirror works all over the house, from the entry to the living room to the bedroom.
In this contemporary dining room, a theme of intricate mirrors and glass light fixtures ties the home together. A stunning Venetian mirror draws the eye up over the contemporary fireplace, standing up to the high ceilings in the space. The piece reflects the shapely glass pendants and bounces the light around the room.
Similarly, the large Venetian-style mirror adds to the glamour of this Texas home office. The homeowner already had the mirrored desk, so it’s hard to believe talking her into a beautiful Venetian mirror over the fireplace would have been difficult.
Tell us: Do you have a Venetian-style mirror in your home? If so, please share a photo with us in the Comments.
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