the best ornate mirrors to shop right now + tips on searching for them
Pretty much ever since we moved to Brooklyn 5 years ago, I’ve been enamored with the interior architecture of historic Brownstones and townhomes here. In our own apartment, I’ve tried to decorate with that architecture in mind, and bring in elements that I felt would only enhance the Parisian decorating style that I love so much. These elements include a mantel and most recently, a Pier Mirror. Now that we have our mantel, I want to bring in an overmantel mirror to layer into our already styled mantel. I have found SO many gems on my search, and I’m excited to share the keywords I use to search, the websites they’re most often found on, and of course, links to some of the best ones on the market right now.
My go-to resources for finding mirrors include Rubylane, Chairish, Liveauctioneers, Etsy, eBay, Anthropologie, Wayfair, and good ol’ Google Shopping.
When it comes to searching, you want to use a combination of the following terms —
gilded
giltwood
ornate
French
Parisian
overmantel mirror
mantel mirror
buffet mirror
antique gold mirror
Victorian mirror
Something to keep in mind as you search, especially if you find one that you love but it’s not in the finish you want, is you can always paint, spray paint, or use Rub n Buff to get the gilded look. I wouldn’t recommend doing this on an antique piece unless the original finish is in bad shape. However, so many new styles that are more affordable would great candidates!
The mirrors linked below are a mixture of antique, vintage and new. They’re all gilded gold, but many also come in silver, and the shapes and sizes vary. I tried to add in a mix of price ranges, so there’s something for every budget.
