In a previous post I mentioned Mariette Himes Gomez’s deft touch at choosing and hanging mirrors. I’ve been going back through her books for additional help with the dining room. (Which does not out-weigh my commenter-help, which is always, well, helpful.)
I agree that these mirrors don’t pair well with the pieces that were previously in this spot, so here they are alone. Alone together. You know what I mean.
What do you think of the bracket – like in Gomez’s image above – and…something? Candlestick, statue, Lego creation, something like that? Maybe I’m just not used to having a single thing on either side, but it looks off still. You can’t imagine how much Mr. Blandings is enjoying the shifting and the talking about the shifting. That’s really his favorite part. And the holding up. He always loves the holding up. And the holding up one more time. I bet he’s really excited that it’s Friday and we can mess with this all weekend. Yep, right now he’s probably thinking, “Too bad I’m here with all these grown-ups trying to support their families when I could be home helping Mrs. Blandings with the dining room.”
I bet that is just what he is thinking.
I’m always up late, and a real treat for me is take take a sneak peak at your post for the following day!
I adore your blog. Always informative,entertaining and I’m laughing when I’ve reached the end of your post.
The mirrors are beautiful.I think your painting should be hung below them. Per Maison21’s previous comment,the mirrors will cast a beautiful sparkle below to your paintings.
Can you move the chairs to make room for the paintings? Can your Italian starburst mirrors be hung below your sconces on the other wall?
Penny
Yes, no job is to small! Just look what you started, I mean those mirrors started. In my opinion, the fairest of all would be to sort of small shelves to hold a candle since historically candles would reflect and provide light. I love the mirrors. According to feng shui, round is good to keep the love flowing and they are always good in an entry ( but not facing the door or the energy bounces out. Ideally a mirror in front of or above a stove is good feng shui – Ha! Mr.Blandings will love that to stew over.
The plot thickens. I love this, it is like a mystery.
“Mrs.Blandings and the mirrors!”
i’m curious to read what others say. i just love the gilt-decorated black lacquer against your walls. again, great investment!
You are too funny. I love the part about the “holding up”!
Penny – I might leave the paintings below, the jury is still out. Mr. B really wants to move them to the other wall and it seems polite to let him have his way now and again. Thanks for stopping in, I know a few folks “read ahead” the night before. Blogger will delay publishing now if one post dates, but I work around it for the night owls.
Patricia – love the feng shui element – there is not limit to your expertise!
Courtney – thank you – as you likely know, this is part of the fun.
anon – thanks – I wonder if Mr. B agrees? About the funny and the holding up?
Okay, so I think they are fine just like that. Call me crazy (I know, yesterday I suggested more than one, possibly 3, but I was wrong). I think with the chairs (are they staying there beneath the mirrors?) you dont need the brackets. The brackets would need to be pretty big to not look dinky… which might put you on a wild-goose-chase.
The whole bit about “holding up”… I was laughing out loud. Having someone “hold something up” for me happens every single day in my life, and I never really thought about it til now. It’s really freakin’ hilarious. I had my husband hold up the wallpaper book in the pantry yesterday, then made him hold it on the other wall where “the light was a little different”… patient men we have, aye?
Keep us posted, but I do think the mirrors are beautiful, simple and elegant just as they are… you’d hate to distract from their beauty (they are prettier than Gomez’s mirrors, but don’t tell her I said so)… did that come from her book “Rooms”…? I have it and it is quite a good book, haven’t looked in a while, gotta pull ‘er off the shelf.
Okay, this is a novel.
TGIF!
erika
Is there a box we can tick somewhere to nominate Mr. Blandings for sainthood? He sounds like a terrific guy!
Erika – Holding the wallpaper up against the OTHER wall? That is totally something I would do – and Mr. B would oblige. That image is from Rooms – it’s a goodie.
Meg – sainthood is still not quite within his reach, but he’s a good egg for sure.
The chinoiserie mirros are gorgeous. How about the smaller gold mirrors above? While I like the mirror and bracket combo, a bracket of the the right scale for the mirrors will probably be too much with the chairs.
I agree with Erika; love the mirrors & chairs where they are. Going to out on a limb…how would the room change if you painted your china closets black lacquer? The contrast to the yellow would be beautiful and relate to the chinoiserie mirrors and draperies in the adjoining LR. Love the room as is….just thinking out loud.
I love this – sometimes you have to know when to just let well enough alone!!! this looks beautiful. NOW = listen though – Mrs. B – if you were NOT going to be getting two matching demi lunes across the room, I would say get the hanging shelves (Global Views makes a great one btw) – but since you will have two matching demi lunes, leave well enough alone. This looks so beautiful. A rule of thumb – it takes the eye 24 to 48 hours to adjust to something new in the house. Give it a few days before you change it.
Maybe some asymmetry? Since he’s into the holding up of assorted and sundry objects, maybe try the two mirrors one above the other( of course the chair would need a new home). On the other side some art or flowers or whatever for balance?
I love it with the mirrors and chairs as it is…with the two pictures on the side wall. It’s such a strong, dramatic and glamorous room! Beautiful!
Have you thought of the possibility of adding a candle -arm to the mirrors? Just a thought.
I love those mirrors! I am even more in love with Mr. Blandings. Do you loan him out?
Hang in there Mr. B.! The rewards of living in beautiful surroundings far outweigh the discomfort of decorating. That said, I wind up telling myself that it is sort of like a good triceps/delts work out…. whatever gets us through the night….
Great mirrors.
Simply smashing as is, Mrs. B. I love the idea of painting the corner units black… I also love the idea of Mr. Blandings for Hire!
messing with mirror placement all weekend long? sounds perfect! mr. blandings is one lucky guy!
this is definitely a case of great minds thinking alike- i printed that hines-gomez mirror/console shelf photo months ago (from someone’s blog- maybe yours?), and have it pinned above my desk, as it is EXACTLY what i’m envisioning on a small wall in my stair landing/hall. i’m willing it into my life!
that being said, i think your STUNNING mirrors are fine on their own (with the chairs beneath) and don’t need any accompaniment (though hobac’s suggestion of added candle arms is quite intriguing).
but the fun is in the process, so enjoy your “messing” (which is why i suspect none of our homes will ever be finished)!
The 1st blog I’ve ever posted is about my dining room walls and I still haven’t come up with an answer…so now I’m cheating and reading the suggestions on yours!
I love the mirrors – I think they’re great alone, or maybe with Mr. B standing there holding them up forever is the best of all choices LOL The brackets are swell – one day you might find the perfect pair – then you’d have to move the chairs – in the meantime, it looks perfect.
I’m voting for just mirrors above the chairs as shown. Visually there’s a lot going on in the corners with your cabinets and the mirrors mounted alone provide a nice relief.
The walls are just beautiful. Is that a paint treatment? I feel like something is lacking. And the suggestion of the candle arm sounds right with a taper in front of the mirror so the flame reflects in it when lit. I put the cursor under the mirror to visualize something rather small and close under the mirror so it would be a part of it and not a separated object, but still somewhat fill the void between the mirror and chair.
Mrs. Blandings, may I leave a note for David?
If you want more comments on your new site, please accept anon!
Thanks!
I can’t really add much to what your other readers have contributed, but reading this thread has been an enjoyable way to spend some time on a quiet Sunday afternoon!
Well, I do have a comment afterall. I really like what you originally had on the wall – the Italian mirrors (adorable) and the paintings. But, the new mirrors alone look so much cleaner and so much more modern.
On the husband front, my husband has declared that his back will not allow for any more moving of furniture, or lugging in things that are ‘on approval’, so every few months or so I hire some by the hour movers to help me rearrange! Luckily, he will still do the things that do not involve heavy lifting, such has holding up sconces to determine the correct height, changing out doorknobs, putting new numbers on the front door.
How about some really beautiful, really over-the-top, really light colored wallpaper within the picture molding? Room photographs kinda dark.
Hello — love reading the blog. Out of the 3 choices I like the mirrors alone. However (and it could just be the photo), feel something else is needed. For some reason (and I’m usually not a fan of this) I think it might be nice to lower the mirrors just a bit and have them hanging from a ribbon. Now, what type of ribbon — I’m just not sure. Anyway, just my 2 cents. I’m sure your choice will be wonderful — good luck!
love the mirrors, they look better than the paintings and small gold mirrors.
I think you shouldn’t hang ANYTHING else. But I do think you need a touch more of black to bring it together. New seat covers (I just did mens wool saville row on my dining room chairs) that have a touch of black? Not sure about my next suggestion, but what about a darker, shadowy color painted in the back of your built ins for drama and connecting the chinoiserie?
You are on your way…either way.
Sara