Who’s the Fairest of the Them All? A Closer Look at Transitional Mirrors

If you’ve ever seen an episode of the runaway Netflix drama “House of Cards,” you’re sure to have noticed the highly stylized atmosphere. For those not in the know, the series follows Frank Underwood (masterfully played by Kevin Spacey) as he begins his devious ascent to the White House, leaving plenty of carnage in
his wake.

The show utilizes several tools to build up drama. Stark mood lighting bathes the main characters in a wash of shadows and dark blues, grays and blacks. Well-tailored clothing in neutral tones give viewers a sense of rigidity and hardness within the Underwoods. And, of course, the White House décor boasts clean lines that appear nearly as cold as the show’s characters were it not for the trim of a warm gold frame, the gentle curve of a chair, the pattern of a rug.

Gabby’s Yardley Mirror

As it happens, in one pivotal bedroom scene at the Underwood White House, viewers get a glimpse of Gabby’s Yardley Mirror affixed to a white paneled wall, hanging just above a dresser. Flanked by a pair of lamps, the mirror’s white and neutral shagreen finish perfectly exemplifies transitional design with its scalloped corners. (Catch our mirror on Netflix in season 3, episode 9.)

It’s no secret mirrors carry a long history of symbolism; they appear in mythology, art, literature and folklore often drawing metaphorical conclusions about the way we see ourselves and that which is reflected back to us.

But taken at face value, mirrors used in a home or space complement surrounding furniture while helping define it.

Gabby’s Burton Mirror, for instance, offers a sophisticated transitional look with its pattern of overlapping eglomise squares, which adorn the round mirror surface, framed in a segmented antique gold band.

There’s beauty in the simplicity of the faux bone hexagonal design which surrounds a protruding thin gold band on the Russell Mirror.

And a scalloped, hair-on-hide frame gives the Springer Mirror a unique touch with unexpected material. Whereas we framed the Fritz Mirror with a tightly woven thin seagrass, which we then whitewashed and coated in shiny clear resin outlined in a brushed brass frame.

The tall, thin silhouette of the Barry Mirror, finished in vellum-clad frame evokes a window-like hanging that is both masculine in finish and feminine in its curves.

Barry Mirror

And as with what they reflect, there’s more to these mirrors than meets the eye. Add any of these to a room—whether it’s an home entryway, a powder room, bedroom or above a fireplace. They can stand alone, in a group among a gallery of other mirrors or wall hangings, or they may lean against a wall. The reflective surface maximizes a room’s light and appearance of space while the frame’s finish adds both character and atmosphere to any space while complementing the surrounding furniture and helping define it.

“After all, we are nothing more or less than what we choose to reveal,” drawls fictional President Frank Underwood in “House of Cards.”

… So what do your mirrors reveal about your style?