Gold Mirrors

Which gold are you actually buying?

Gold finishes split three ways and they do not mix well. Brushed gold is matt with a fine grain and reads soft. Polished gold is reflective and reads formal, closer to jewellery than to hardware. Antique gold is darkened in the recesses so the raised edges catch light, which suits carved or beaded frames. Pick one and repeat it, rather than putting all three on one wall.

What does gold sit against?

Warm gold works against warm walls: cream, clay, olive, deep green and warm white. Against a cool grey or a blue-white it can read brassy and yellow, because the wall pushes the finish toward its warm end. If your walls are cool, choose brushed rather than polished, since the matt surface reflects less of the surrounding colour back at you.

How do you tone down a gold frame?

Wax or glaze rather than paint. A dark antiquing wax rubbed into the frame and buffed off the high points knocks back the shine and leaves the metal reading as aged rather than covered. Test on the back edge first. Paint is the heavier option and once a gold frame is painted the finish is gone for good.

Can you paint a gold frame?

Yes, and the preparation matters more than the paint. Clean the frame, scuff the surface lightly so the primer has something to grip, then use a bonding or metal primer before the topcoat. Skipping primer on a polished metal finish gives paint that chips off in sheets at the first knock, usually within weeks rather than months.

Are gold mirrors still in style?

Gold has held through several cycles because it behaves like a neutral rather than a colour: it sits beside wood, black, white and greenery without competing. What moves is the finish, not the metal. The current preference runs to brushed and antique over high polish, which is what most of this collection reflects.

What is in this collection?

Round, arched and rectangular mirrors from 16 to 40 inches wide and up to 73 inches tall, in a gold finish across metal, aluminum and composite frames. Frame construction varies by piece and is stated on each listing. The taller pieces are full length; the smaller round ones suit a vanity or a hallway.

Hanging and placement

Centre the glass 57 to 60 inches from the floor for a standard wall mirror, and use two fixings rather than one so a round frame cannot rotate. Gold shows fingerprints on a polished finish, so avoid hanging one at hand height beside a doorway where people will steady themselves on it as they pass.