Through the Looking Glass

Mirrors are a fabulous way to add light and depth to a room. We know this well at This D*mn House where space is at a premium.

But, the mother had been on a quest for nearly a week to find mirrors that would do the same thing but in a much larger space: two of the dining rooms at our family's new restaurant. She had something very specific in mind (as she always does) and nothing else would do.

We'd seen a few contenders that were close but there was always something: not the right shape, too much damage, or there was only one. It seemed we could not find that which she sought. That changed Sunday.

I lost her in a decor store. I spent about 15 minutes looking for her. I started out in the obvious sections: first, I went to the photos/frames section. I thought she might look there first since it was closer to the front of the store. No dice.

So I meandered around until I found a section of mirrors. I spied some very pretty 16x20 mirrors in some gorgeous antiquish frames and at an unbelievable price -- but I knew there were too small for what she wanted. (She ended up getting one of these anyway for something else.) Once I finally found her, awash in nick knacks, she'd already seen the other mirror and saw the same basket that I did to solve a long-standing storage need of ours.

We spent the next few minutes combing the mirror aisles together. She snagged one of the 16x20s and we continued to search. It all seemed in vain. But then, I saw it ...

I called to the mother and the second I saw the expression on her face, I knew the search could end right there but for two things: 1) Would I need a defibrillator to revive her once I saw how much it cost? and 2) Were there two of them?

No. And yes!

These mirrors are ginormous. (I think they're 30x34 or 32, some outrageous size like that. The 16x20 mirror FILLS the mirror portion perfectly if that gives you an idea.)

And the price? For a second, I thought I might be the one in need of reviving! Not because the price was too high, but because I couldn't believe how low it was: $30! Mind you, I've looked at no less than 100 different mirrors since our first visit to the restaurant on Monday. Mirrors this size (even the cheapest) are at minimum, twice that. And the second that I confirmed that there were indeed two exactly alike, the mother immediately burst into applause.

What was not so fun was getting them home. While Pearl can haul things, that was never the intention. The mirrors would NOT fit in the trunk and they almost wouldn't fit into the backseat. It took some careful maneuvering -- and the blanket that came with the cargo mat that now lines the trunk, a day after Thanksgiving find at Kohl's -- to get them in and not damage my seats. But I did it. And then had to repeat the performance in reverse to get them out and then into the basement.

And there they sit, for now. Along with a little collection of other goodies that the mother has been grabbing up like a kid in a candy store. I know that they're going to do the trick. Can't wait to see them in place!