Gorgeous Mirror-Themed Décor

There's something about decorating with reflective surfaces that makes a room look instantly more glamorous, large, and appealing than it did before.  Besides, they go with everything, and they're really fun to place a cat in front of so that he goes insane trying to play with the kitty in the glass.

So, I've got to share this with you:  it's the most beautiful light I've ever seen in my entire life, and the second I saw it in Macon, GA's Lemongrass Thai Bistro (picture on the right; isn't the restaurant gorgeous?)  I knew I had to at least know where to get it in case I ever made enough money to splurge on it.  So, away at graduate school and unable to wander in and just ask the owners (like a sensible person), I Google Imaged (yes, that's now a verb) until I finally, finally found the unforgettable Pistillino light.

Yes, it's expensive.  Unfortunately.  The small one, pictured top left (which throws the amazing light on the Lemongrass wall) is marked down to $299 from $399, and there's also a larger one, the Pistillo (pictured bottom left), which would run you $599 (apparently marked down from $1250).  Still, the Pistillino is so beautiful and throws such a breathtaking array of shadows and glowing light that it's all I can imagine wanting.  They were both designed by Studio Tetrarch in Italy in 1969, and you know it's got to be a beautiful product that gives you your money's worth if they're still producing and selling it.  The whole effect is actually made by just one 100W lightbulb with the top half of the bulb covered in a chrome mirror, which has the double effect of making the center look just like the chrome arms around the outside and reflecting light back to bounce off of the wall and arms and create those awesome shadows.  It's a masterpiece of lighting design, and there's a place for it in every home with a little modern touch.




Of course, I'm a total sucker for anything involving mirrors.  Speaking of which, CB2's Perspective Mirror is another one of my favorites, marked to buy whenever I get paid to do more than teach undergraduates.  $149 apiece, but look at how gorgeous those four look together.  The miniature mirrors are all slightly tilted to create a "funhouse perception"; what I see is a jumble of reflected light that adds immediate interest and focus to the room.

So what do you think?  Have you got any stylish mirrored favorites?  What's your favorite way to decorate?