One of the features that drew me to our home was the original marble mantels. You see these in townhouses all over older US cities like Boston and NYC, especially ones built in the mid-19th century.
A lovely specimen at one of my favorite local spots for salvaged house parts, Restoration Resources.
I KNOW. Here's what ours looks like in our parlor. A little less ornate, but still delicious.
Don't mind the little cutie pie in front. Rug, vintage from Brimfield; velvet tub chair, Joss & Main; bronze leather Moroccan pouf, Wayfair; accent pillow, Joss & Main; lamp, Wayfair; bowls,Wayfair .
Fun fact: Many of the mantels you see in homes in my area never housed fireplaces. They accommodated an early type of central heating, in which warm air would enter the room via the pretty, heavily ornamented iron grates.
These mantels look particularly amazing when topped with a grand mirror—specifically a Louis Philippe.
Case in point:
Source: Domino
Here's another stunning marble mantel + Louis Philippe combo, from a feature in Boston Home.
Source: Boston Home; photo by Eric Roth
How amazing is that mirror's silhouette? Long lines, a few curves, and a French soul. The flat base makes this style ideal for placing over an entry table or mantel. I'm smitten. And since Louis Philippe-style mirrors were made popular during the 1830s and 1840s, and our Second Empire (read: French)-style townhouse was built in 1860, I think it's a perfect fit.
For years I've been passively hunting for one of these amazing mirrors, hoping to stumble on my Louis at the Brimfield antiques show or to buy one for $100 from some unsuspecting renovator on Craigslist. No dice. Luckily, options abound: antique and new, gilded and distressed. Let's shop.
1. Antique gilt mirror, $3,995, Jayson Home. 2. Eloquence Louis Phillipe mirror in worn black, $2,645, Layla Grace. 3. Cooper Classics Sepik mirror, $298, Wayfair. 4. Louis Philippe 116" Gilt Mirror, $1,595, Restoration Hardware. 5. Silver Louis Philippe mirror, $2,500, Postcard from Paris. 6. French wall mirror, $2,175, Chairish.
What do you think? Are most of these prices absolutely bonkers? Or is this the piece that'll make the room?