Naked Mirror No More

One of my favorite parts of my job is that with every project I work on I seem to discover a tid bit here and there that will make someone's life (my own included) easier in the future. Trial and error, you know...Anyways, I'm in the process of finishing up another face lift project and through this renovation I discovered a jewel of a company I just had to share. The company is called MirrorMate.

Let's start from the beginning...

This particular project involved two bathrooms that were in need of an update; the master bath and a guest bathroom. The plan of attack for both spaces was to keep the existing cabinetry but install new countertops, sinks, faucets, lighting, mirrors and shower door. So, we went to work selecting all of the components that would bring the space to life. Decision after decision was made, but one main selection still lingered - the mirrors.

The current mirrors were plate glass and spanned from wall to wall.How many of you are familiar with, or actually live in a space with plate glass mirrors over the vanity? Plain, vast, boring mirrors like this:

Or this...

This look is pretty common, but really offers nothing in terms of style to the space.  It was decided that the plate glass mirrors would be removed and we would find framed decorative mirrors to replace them. Problem was, the space was big, and framed decorative mirrors can be expensive.

I wish I could take credit for what happened next, but I can't. It was the homeowners who discovered MirrorMate while perusing the web looking for mirror options for their space. They were excited to tell me they had found a company online that made mirror frames based on the dimensions of one's current plate glass mirror. All you have to do is pick out which mirror frame style and finish you want and give them the information about your existing mirror and they would send you the mirror frame pieces that can be easily installed. Easy as that... Plus, you can order samples of frames you are interested in for free! (All you have to pay is shipping.) They were excited....I was skeptical.... It sounded WAY to good to be true, but the prices were good, so we decided to go ahead and order the samples and go from there.

 The samples came in and the styles and finishes were nice, in fact there were so many good ones it was actually a little challenging to pick just two. It looked like we were going to give MirrorMate a whirl and hope for the best. I was nervous to begin the process of ordering the frames on-line; I was affraid this would be challenging and technical, but I was wrong. It was SOOO easy!  The website literally spelled out exactly what information was needed and how to obtain it. Plus, the week we planned to place our order we received a coupon via e-mail for 20% off the purchase. Sweeet! I ordered the frames on a Monday and they were delivered the following Saturday - lighting fast! AND the installation was a breeze too, just like they advertised. But, the big question still remained: HOW DID THEY LOOK? Well, let's just say I was literally blown away!

Master Bath. Doesn't the chunky, detailed frame add so much to the space?

Close up view of the frame. Look at the detail! Isn't it beautiful?

Here is the Guest Bath. We went with a sleeker, slimmer frame in this space, but the added dimension around the mirror really makes a difference.

Here's a close up of the Guest Bath Frame.

From the beginning of this mirror buying process I admittedly felt like I was always waiting for the other shoe to fall, but it NEVER did. In fact quite the opposite happened, they impressed us more and more with each step of the process. I visit a lot of homes with the plate glass mirrors and I know what kind of difference a frame can make. So, I'm happy to have found a company that can not only deliver a great product but one at a reasonable price. MirrorMate was definitely a great find and a company I will utilize and recommend from now on.