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jamaraz_gw

My mirror is too small!! Please help salvage the wall.

jamaraz
12 years ago

Hi. We purchased a mirror that is too small for my living room. We customized the mirror so it can't be returned. I don't hate the mirror over the table but now the whole wall has to be decorated in order to make the mirror work.

I was thinking maybe adding more mirrors around the table or large artwork on either side of the mirror. I"m not very good at grouping items so any suggestions would be appreciated!

Comments (11)

  • teacats
    12 years ago

    O.K. -- place the chairs against the wall (to hide the wall sockets) and add two matching artworks (hung vertically) over each chair. So you'll need to find a set of four medium-sized artworks.

    Add a pair of tall thin buffet lamps on the table -- always nice for lighting options!

    Clear the rest of the table.

    Open the red vase in the middle and add silk greenery (like small leaf ivy) spilling over the sides.

    Use nice photos and pretty candlesticks elsewhere in the room or house.

  • xyzzy834
    12 years ago

    This is a living room? Does the pool table stay?

    If not, I'd suggest pulling the chairs 5 or 6 feet forward away from the wall and closer together at the edge of a nice rug. They would form part of a seating arrangement suitable for conversation. As they are in the corners of the room, they serve more as decoration than useful places for people to sit (unless someone is waiting their turn to shoot pool, I guess). As decoration, they're too small to balance the size of the console table and mirror. I don't see anything wrong with the size of the mirror itself if the end of the room had objects of height and prominence on either side of it.

    If you pull the chairs forward, you can now decorate both sides of the table along the wall with something that has height and weight. Think nice bookcases, lamps, floor-standing sculptures, or things like that. Don't feel obligated to create matching bookends of large items on either side of the table, but the objects should complement each other in size, weight and "presence."

  • graywings123
    12 years ago

    Photos can be deceiving, but I don't think the mirror is too small. The two candles on the left are just tall enough to help fill in some space. I think you are good to go just like it is.

  • caminnc
    12 years ago

    I think teacats pretty much nailed it. Definitely use some tall lamps and do everything else she said.

  • jamaraz
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    xyzzy834, the pool table is staying. The room looks tiny in the picture but it's a long rectangle. The pool table takes up the entire middle of the room and the only place to put furniture is up against the walls.

    The room is maybe 14x20 and the center table is 5 feet. The mirror is a little small for the table but it is way too small to be a focal point on the wall. I like teacups suggestions of the pictures. Do they need to match? In terms of frame or theme? Also, I'm concerned about seeing the cords to the buffet lamps. Do they make lights that don't have to be plugged in?

  • judiegal6
    12 years ago

    I'm thinking maybe candle wall sconces on sides of the mirror. Just type "candle wall sconces" and click images for lots of ideas. It may balance out the mirror.

  • graywings123
    12 years ago

    For the buffet lamp cords, you can paint them using leftover wall paint, then run them along the back and down the side behind the buffet, securing with twist ties.

  • lynxe
    12 years ago

    Sorry graywings, but I think painting lamp cords is not a good idea. The paint may affect the insulation material.

    You can find lamps with clear or white lampcords and then tape or run the cords against the table's legs or sides. Please - whatever you do, do not paint them, and do not paint the outlet cover either.

    I like teacats's general suggestions. Alternatively, you could remove the pictures and the candlesticks and replace each with a large plant, each of which horizontally fills the space of those items, and each of which is roughly the height of the shortest candle. The plants could be artificial; I don't think there's anything wrong with silk.

    Like xyzzy834 says, too, tall things behind the chairs. Perhaps two large plants if you don't want furniture or art.

    Regardless of the way you go, I would keep anything new relatively simple since both mirror and table are so ornate

  • User
    12 years ago

    Create an accent behind mirror/console to make it more important.

    BTW - I would formalize the arrangement by putting the chairs next the console and adding art above.

  • tergar
    12 years ago

    I would consider a picture over each chair that is regtangle and horizontal.

  • blfenton
    12 years ago

    We have exactly the same problem as you do with a too small mirror over the buffet in the DR. I had an interior stylist in this morning for a number of finishing touches on our reno'ed home and she has suggested putting a variety of smaller mirrors around the bigger mirror. I haven't seen this suggestion yet and she is going to mock something up for me so I'll see what I think of it then.