Maitland-Smith

Wall Sconces Blend Light with Design

Don't you just love sitting down with your favorite beverage and flipping through your fashion and home fashion magazines each month?  It is so easy to get absorbed in looking at the latest trends as well as the the classics in both fashion and home decor.   
  
  The March issue of Veranda caught my eye with this article, "The World of Sconces."  It says the following:

"There are modest sconces that discreetly go about their jobs -- and then there are eye-catching statement pieces that transcend lighting to become wall art.  Whether bold and graphic or subtle and fine, a well-chosen fixture can be the triumphant finishing touch in any room of the house and transform difficult-to-illuminate spots like dim corners and long hallways.  Often they look so lovely it's easy to forget they're working so hard." 

Well said.  Be sure to check out the Veranda article as it showcases some beautiful and unusual wall lighting.  Of course, for me, this brings to mind the many Maitland-Smith artisan-crafted wall sconces that I just have to share. 

  You must agree that these sconces are definitely eye-catching statements and certainly art.  The antique patina finished brass bird has glowing inlaid penshell tail feathers and can keep watch alone on a narrow wall. As a pair, the diffused light makes a subtle statement, perhaps while flanking a mirror above a mantlepiece. 

Butterflies and birds are both good feng shui.  If you prefer butterflies to birds, this sconce may catch your eye.  It has inlaid yellow and white mother of pearl as well as touches of penshell and brass. 

The details are what make these sconces stand out from the crowd. 

 Remember, accessories in the home, including lighting, express your personality and are like the icing on the cake -- they add the finishing touch. 

Add the finishing touches to your room with lighting that is also art.   Illuminate your life with a sconce or maybe two. 

Elegant and distinctive pieces for your home today,with quality and style to last a lifetime...Do you have a Maitland-Smith treasure?  www.maitland-smith.com

 

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall...

Who is the fairest of them all? We know this question from the fairy tale, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.   Subconsciously we ask a similar question every day as we look into a mirror ..  "Do I look okay?" 

How many times a day do we sneak a look at our reflection, whether in a store window we pass or in a piece of shining brass or metal?    "How is my hair?" "Is my tie straight?"  We are constantly using mirrors and they're everywhere.  Mirrors are found in our hallways and in our bedrooms. They are in our foyers and dining rooms.  In fact, there is no room in the home where a mirror is not a welcome addition. 

Besides being practical, mirrors add beauty and interest to a wall or floor space as well as a sense of your style based on the size, shape and color of the frame.   Mirrors can open up a room making it appear larger, and we enjoy the reflected light from the outdoors, particularly in winter time.  Also, nothing is more romantic than candlelight reflected in a mirror.

The earliest mirror was probably just a reflection in a pool of water.  Mirrors during the European Middle Ages were slightly convex disks of metal that reflected light off their highly polished surfaces.   During the 16th century, a method of backing a plate of flat glass with a thin sheet of reflecting metal came into production in Venice.  The chemical process of coating a glass surface with metallic silver was discovered in 1835, advancing the modern techniques of mirror making. 

The earliest mirrors were hand mirrors and larger mirrors did not appear until the first century AD.  From the late 17th century onward, mirrors and their frames played an inportant part in the decoration of rooms. (Taken from Encyclopedia Brittanica.)

We enjoy mirrors in all shapes and sizes from a small purse mirror, to a floor-standing or large wall-mounted mirror.  Styles range from rustic to chic metropolitan, to classic traditional to regal elegance.  Mirrors can be found for every taste and style.

Following are a few examples of the beautiful mirrors found at La Barge.

 
Hand carved, this is a classic style with an antique gold metal leaf finish.

 
Grand describes this La Barge mirror that is completely hand carved. Inspired by a small Florentine portrait frame,  it has a taupe finish with a gold wash and is 53" wide by 76" high. 
 
This overscaled Baroque mirror has a Grecian crackled gold finish with rub through and is perfect over a classically styled sideboard. 

 
A completely different look is seen in this crisp geometric patterned frame with its aubergine finish and silver accents. 

La Barge has a wide range of mirrors using a variety of materials including shells, brass, leather, iron and rich walnut burl.   Visit the La Barge website, www.labargeinc.com,  to see the full line of beautiful mirrors, tables and accent pieces.

La Barge... a reflection of all that you are.