How to Choose an Accent Mirror

Like accent tables, accent chests and accent chairs, accent mirrors add that little extra something to the rooms of your home. Because everyone uses them regardless of which room they are in, an accent mirror is also an easy way to increase the room's functionality. But as with other pieces of accent furniture, in order for accent mirrors to have the desired effect and create maximum impact, it helps if you know what to look for.

Size

When choosing an accent mirror for a specific room or area such as a second floor hallway or a foyer, location will play a big role in the shape and size that you select. Naturally, you will want it to fit the intended space so that it looks "right;" not too big or too small, so scale is important.

Shape

While we might not give it a second thought, the shape of an accent mirror definitely makes a statement, defining the room it is in and lending an air of sophistication that would otherwise be missing. A rectangular decorative mirror draws attention to the height of the wall and by default, the ceiling. Round accent mirrors tend to make the mirror itself the center of attention. Whereas oval decorative mirrors put the focus on the frame and the spaces between the other elements in the rooomthat surround the mirror.

Style

Traditional style accent mirrors have an impressive look and feel that is typically formal or stately. A traditional decorative mirror is often very ornate, with metal scrollwork or wood carvings.

A contemporary style decorative mirror has a clean, streamlined appearance that is both inviting and stylish. A smart contemporary accent mirror may have a round or elegant oval shape with a textured frame.

Transitional accent mirrors merge the best of traditional and contemporary décor elements together. Corners are rounded; lines flow; and traditional decorative accents are softened and not as elaborate.

- E.L.

Redecorating the House for Halloween

Last year, the night before Halloween, you bought several bags of candy, which you poured into a huge orange bowl with black witches and white ghosties on the sides approximately ten minutes before the door bell rang for the first time on Halloween night. This bowl was judiciously placed on the edge of the coffee table. This meant trotting back and forth between the living room and the front door every time trick or treaters showed up.

But this year, you are determined to be prepared and better organized.

You move a small accent table from the living room into the hallway, near the front door. It’s the perfect size for the orange bowl, but the table looks a little lonely standing all by itself. So, you drag the accent table back into the living room; move the lamps, the remote and yesterday’s comics section from the end tables and haul them out into the hallway.

Now it’s perfect; there’s a table on either side of the door, one for candy, one for spare change should any UNICEF boxes make an appearance. Pleased with the preparations you’ve made, you walk into the living room to take a break with your favorite soap, only to discover the lamps on the floor and the other displaced items piled on the coffee table and scattered across the seating area of the sofa.

However, you have the perfect solution to this dilemma. You will buy a new table for the front hallway. You go over to the computer and pull up the Cymax Stores website. There are so many to choose from, but you are perfectly happy scrolling through the list.

That’s when you discover console tables. Having one table in the hallway, one that could be used year round would be ideal. You really like the Linon Anna Console Table. Then you make another amazing discovery: the matching end and coffee tables also includes drawers and shelves. You don’t even need to turn around to be reminded of the mess; you cheerfully add one coffee table and two end tables to your shopping cart.

You realize, while it’s only the first week of October, you will need to give the manufacturer some time to send your items to you. There should be plenty of time. Hmmmm…maybe it’s not too early to place an order for some more dining chairs, an ottoman, and heck why not a comfy arm chair, just in time for a house full of people at Thanksgiving.

From Occupation to Fascination

My grandfather worked for the British Diplomatic Service for many years and in many different locales. His first posting was in Iraq starting in 1935, and my father still gets a kick out of the look on people's faces when he tells them he was born in Baghdad. In 1955, after stops in Turkey and Spain, Gramps took a final posting in the Paris Embassy at the urging of his French-born second wife. He would stay there until retirement, but only a short time after he began working in Paris he decided he wanted to get away from the city.

He and my step-grandmother purchased a house in Les Andelys, a very old-world village town on the River Seine and walking distance from the ruins of King Richard the Lion Heart's Chateau Gaillard. The house was massive, a former seat of the local aristocracy when it was built in the mid-to-late 19th century and perfectly located at the front of the rue with the river running right next to it. When I first visited at eleven years of age, the size and old character of the place was like nothing I'd seen before and it made quite an impression on me. That impression was doubled when my grandfather told me of his abode's past; more specifically, that it had been the local Nazi stronghouse during the occupation of WWII.

Sometime during the year 1940, after the Maginot line experiment had failed hopelessly and the Germans had waltzed into France with ease, the Nazis took steps to fortify their hold on the country by establishing strongpoints throughout rural areas. As Les Andelys was only an hour or so from Paris, it was likely one of the first to be chosen as such as it is the largest and most central town of several that dot the lower Seine valley. Why my grandfather's home was chosen as their command center wasn't entirely clear, but the fact that it was large, slightly more elevated than the others and at the front of the village likely made strategic sense.

My father has always been a war-buff and it was starting to wear off on me even at such a young age. When I visited the house again 5 years later, I was WWII savvy and the intrigue of the place was as intoxicating to me the same way it was for my father. The old log wood dining table was apparently the same that had been in the home since its beginning, and I couldn't help but imagine uniformed Nazi officers sitting there with me with the iron-eagle pinned caps, swastika armbands and Luger handguns resting on the table. When I was upstairs in my room I would think of an enlisted soldier on watch in his grey fatigues and that unique rear-flap helmet staring out into the cobblestone street below, single carbine at the ready.

Whenever I see richly-detailed, opulent old world home furnishings I am immediately reminded of that house and think of the strains of Edith Piaf on a gramophone while military men discuss strategy over cigarettes and brandy. Largely-scaled and with a density of form that suggests real permanence, these fixtures always speak of a time that was long before mine but, because of the war, has a fascinating quality for me.

Nowadays, those individuals that have the space and taste to incorporate such furnishings into their homes are truly fortunate. More than a few individuals, and not necessarily older folk, are in fact drawn to this vintage traditional style that was so perfectly embodied in my gramp's famous, or infamous, house in the country.

To these persons, I strongly recommend a visit to Cymax Stores to peruse their selection of Pulaski Accent Chests and other Pulaski home furnishings. These furniture pieces are simply radiant with all the charms and inherent upscale sophistication of days long since past and truthfully every time I see them I think of Les Andelys and the smell of my grandfather's cigars. The Powell Masterpiece Series Accent Chests are blessed with that same degree of rich early 20th century grandeur, and will lend that same presence to the common area of any home that can legitimately incorporate such stateliness.

I freely admit that if I could, in the future, find myself with larger and more character-laden accommodations, I would consider re-creating my take on the Les Andelys home. If I could even work but a few of these splendid pieces into the home, it would have immeasurable nostalgic value for me.

Who knows? The trip down memory lane may be so influential on me I'll grow a moustache and begin wearing a fedora every time I step out of doors.

Accents that are Right up your Alley... or Hallway

When decorating the rooms of our homes, often the hallways and entryways are overlooked and they can end up as "dead" space. But first impressions are important, and especially if floor space is at a premium, hallways are the perfect place to add accent furniture pieces that will increase your storage options and make your home a more comfortable place to be. Using accent pieces in a foyer or hallway will also give your decor more character and style.

Console tables can define a hallway, adding functionality as well as a focal point. Also known as sofa tables, they typically stand against a wall or when used in a living room, can rest against the back of a sofa. A console table is typically rectangular, oval or half-moon in shape. A half-moon console table is sometimes referred to by its French name demilune. A hallway console table is a perfect place to put keys, the mail, a lamp or a vase of flowers.

A bench is not only a practical piece of furniture to have in a hall or foyer, but it creates a good impression by making the space appear warm and inviting. In a variety of styles, colors, finishes and designs, benches range from ones with plush upholstery and decorative arms to benches constructed of wood with flip tops. A family with children might especially appreciate a storage bench in an entryway or hallway, as a great place to tidy away items in a hurry and make the space clutter-free for unexpected guests.

A coat rack, sometimes called a hall tree, is a convenient place to hang clothing and accessories. Used to make a statement or simply fill a utilitarian role, they can be dressed up or played down. If you want your entranceway to be noticed, select a freestanding hall tree that creates visual interest. Ones made of brass, wrought iron, rattan or polished wood will add flair and sophistication to your decor. Coat racks can include special features such as a revolving section to make access to clothes easier, an umbrella compartment or a set of lower hooks designed especially for children.

Having plants in a hallway or entryway adds charm to your home, improves air quality and gives it a welcoming and lived-in appearance. Plant stands are an ideal way to display several at once or showcase just one. They come in all shapes, sizes and kinds, from pedestal to formal to novelty. To create visual interest in a corner of an entranceway or hallway, use pedestal-style plant stands of varying heights.

Decorative chests elegantly combine style with function. A perfect place to set down items, keep an emergency flashlight and store small household items, an accent chest usually has drawers but can have a door instead or a combination of both. There are countless styles, finishes and shapes to choose from. Aside from its practical aspect, the distinguishing characteristic of the accent chest is its beautiful and detailed design that will give your hallway or entrance way a unique, decorative touch.

Wardrobe armoires are typically used in the bedroom, but can be the ideal solution for a hallway or entryway that doesn't have a built-in closet. A wardrobe armoire allows you to hang coats, store seasonal clothing and keep the area clutter-free. Often wardrobe armoires will come with a mirror, which will make it both a stylish and practical addition to your hallway or entrance.

These are just a few types of accent furniture pieces that are ideal for transforming your hallway or entryway into a more practical yet welcoming place. With a wide selection of accent furnishings to choose from, you are sure to find the ones that will perfectly express your personality.