Sunday, November 29, 2009

Mirror, mirror, on the wall......

When we lived in Florida a few years ago, it was all the rage in the beautiful open house show homes to have large mirrors. not hanging but just leaning against the wall. Upon moving back home to Ohio, we didn't think that would be very safe with grandchildren visiting frequently, so we hung our HUGE mirror vertically on the wall between the dining room and the great room.


Anyway, trust me, this mirror is even waaaay HEAVIER than it looks!



Below is photo, showing the mirror on the wall, all by itself.






I thought I wanted it there but I've never really been happy with it. I just hated to say anything to hubby since it was such a chore to get it hung in the first place.

Then along comes Susan at
Between Naps on the Porch, showing us her beautiful dining room with the Venetian mirror with the gorgeous wreath in front of it. Suddenly, I know exactly where I want my mirror!!

Hubby is NOT happy with me! We struggled together to get it down off the wall & although we were able to change the position of the wire hangers, there was no way the two of us could pick it back up & hang it over the buffet like I wanted.

Son-in-law to the rescue....thank you, E! With his strong arms & steady feet on a ladder, and the two of us helping, we were able to hang it on the bolts that hubby & I had screwed into the studs. (That fiasco could be an entirely different post but I doubt the language would be acceptable for publication).






This shows the two pictures that I had hanging before on the wall behind the buffet. I don't care for the frames at all & will be looking to switch them to something more ornate & French in appearance after the first of the year. I've moved them over onto the wall where the mirror used to hang and now.....


LOOK HOW PRETTY IT LOOKS!






You can see the reflection of the gazebo framed by the arched window! I'm really happy with the increased amount of light that it brings into the room, too.



Much better, don't you agree?

I'm not done with decorating the top but I wanted to join in Metamorphosis Monday, for the first time

at Susan's beautiful blog, Between Naps on the Porch.
Stop in to see lots of other wonderfully inspiring transformations.

After this mirror was finally hung & I took a few pictures, I noticed how glaringly white that cold air return grill looked, so I had hubby help me climb up on top of the buffet to try to remove it for painting. Stupid builders painted right over the screws & I could NOT get it off, so I had to paint it right where it was, standing on my toes the whole time. Then, of course, while we had the paint out, we did two other registers, which thankfully came off easily as well as touched up all the little marks on the walls throughout the house.

Oh and by the way, Susan, hubby says (jokingly) to tell you to "please go back to napping on that porch!" He says you're giving me too many ideas & projects for him!
Shhhh.....I haven't even mentioned yet the photos & mirrors I want hung along the stairway.







25 comments:

  1. Rett,
    The mirror looks just beautiful on the wall above the buffet! It adds so much to the dining room! Dee Dee

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  2. Your hubby is funny. I got a good laugh. I think your mirror is awesome. A great place for it.

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  3. Wow Rett - what a great mirror ! I bet that was heavy.. Love your story and I have a mirror on my list to go in my dining area too !
    Kammy

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  4. Your hubby sounds like my hubby, Rett! And Wow! on that mirror-it looks heavy but what an impact it makes over your buffet. Beautiful!

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  5. Rett...your mirror looks beautiful there! And the view it reflects is stunning! The whole room just glows with all the light it's reflecting...I love it there! Your hubby cracked me up! LOL :-)

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  6. You'll have to show your hubby all the compliments you're getting on the move! I think it looks great there ~ like it was meant to be. I could just see what went on to move it. My hubby would be telling me that it would not be moving again so I better be sure about this!

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  7. Perfect place for that mirror...♥ it!

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  8. "She should go back to napping on that porch"....what a hoot! I don't know what's better....your gorgeous pictures or your wonderful husband's sense of humor! (I'm still laughing!)

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  9. Hi, Rett,
    I'm glad you found the perfect place for your mirror.

    I have a big mirror, too. And it weighs a ton! I'm reluctance to hang it on my wall because of the weight. Any advice?

    D

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  10. Doesn't that Susan have wonderful ideas! Too bad for your husband! I liked those photos and mirrors going up the stairs too. Your mirror looks beautiful in the new location!

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  11. Beautiful mirror. Good thing your son came to help....I have a few jobs that need done...but you would think sometimes I am asking hubs to cut of his own leg! He tells me to stop looking at those blogs...I have enough ideas on my own!!

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  12. It looks great, Rett! I have one there too, it was my mom's..I was so glad to be able to use it in the dining room when we built this house!
    Have fun with your decorating!
    Did I tell you I went to college in Ohio..many moons ago??

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  13. Looks great with your curvy buffet, not to mention the light and the views. It's like having another window.

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  14. It looks beautiful! Don't you just love it when you can use something you have to create a new look? I know what you mean about a heavy mirror. We have an antique huge mirror. The edges are scalloped and it is framed in wide oak. I love it and we bought it to hang at the top of the stairs in our huge, historic home (2 houses ago). Now, we are in an 11 year old ranch. We had the perfect place for it, but in order for it to hit the stud and be supported enough to stay on the wall...it is slightly off center on the narrow wall. I have to keep a seasonal swag along one side to make it "look right"! I swear it would kill someone if it fell on them.

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  15. Rett-It is perfect there! I love the reflection of the gazebo too! I never did really get the mirror on the floor thing..this is great. Hope you will be back for Deck the Halls!

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  16. HI!!!
    Our 2nd daughter lives in Orlando and I did notice BIG mirrors when house hunting with her!!!!! I love where you put it and it looks lovely there!!! I have a large mirror over the sofa in the living room, now I want to swag a garland over mine!!!!! Cool idea!!!!Oh by the way, that is cool your sister lived/lives on John Mccain's street, that is a very nice area, they call that area Arcadia. I do think it finally sold though!!! Your sister could confirm that!!!!He now occupies an entire floor at the high rise Condo building by the AZ Biltmore, I still seem to think that it is nearly 7,000 -10,000 square feet, no land to take care of though!!!!!
    He does have his ranch up north as well.
    Happy Decorating!!!!
    hugs,
    jamie

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  17. Gorgeous mirror!! Beautiful house, can't wait to see the rest...

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  18. You made the right move. It looks wonderful in its new home. She scores!

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  19. Rett~ What a massively beautiful mirror! It makes such a grand statement in your lovely dinning room. I can't imagine trying to wrestle that down let alone lifting it back up to rehang. Hubbies are so funny...I don't know why they don't just give in at the get go. Cause they know eventually we'll make them cave with our (menopausal) womanly wiles,lol!

    Sweet Holiday Wishes,
    Sara

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  20. Rett, the mirror looks beautiful there! The entire room looks gorgeous. I loved looking at all the pictures and reading this story. You make me smile, my friend! Miss C looks adorable in the outfit you made her, too. I wish you still lived in Florida.

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  21. Love the humour in your post. Made me laugh. I can imagine the whole scene of moving the mirror and your hubs comments. We have a huge iron hook in our hallway that the previous owners used to hang a very large mirror. We've been here ten years now and the hook is still there, unused, because not even the builders wanted to take it out. It's that solid. We think it might be the pin to the whole house staying up! xx

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  22. Rett, I love the mirror! And I love your decorations, too. But most of all I love that little cutie pie who is posing for us. What a doll!

    I am dying laughing at the language not suitable for publication. LOL! Yep, I've had a few of those experiences when I was completely pushed to the wall. I call it speaking a foreign language! ;-)

    XO,

    Sheila :-)

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  23. Your little Caroline is a cutie pie...love the outfit that you made. That mirror is outstanding...the bigger the better! Hope you have a FUN day!

    Blessings,
    Linda

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  24. Beautiful! I love mirrors and this is a perfect place for it. Your husband will get over it. :-)
    Your home is gorgeous!

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Thank you so much for leaving a comment. I read them all & each one is so very special to me & I try really hard to return the visit!

fondly,
~Rett~