What A Busy Week! Plus see our latest video...

It's all go here at Exclusive Mirrors and we wouldn't have it any other way!

After an extremely busy, bank holiday weekend sale, the bosses only went and decided to extend the sale until the end of August! Great news for customers and it's always good to be busy at work I guess :0)

Here's a depressing thought for you (as it is pouring with rain outside), the dark nights are drawing in, summer is nearly over and the next bank holiday is not until Christmas! But on a positive note - the kids go back to school next week, at least we have jobs and hey Christmas is fun and what's better than being 5 years old again and jumping in muddy puddles.

To help get me motivated at work i am also attending a trade show at the weekend. I'm quite excited to see what new interior design trends will be on show and will certainly share my findings on return.

In the mean time, why not take a few moments to view my latest creation - a video of our Black Glass Mirrors. What's more, all of the mirrors featured are in our 'Extended Bank Holiday Sale' and can be brought for £150 or less!!

http://www.exclusivemirrors.co.uk/black-glass-mirrors



As always thoughts and opinions in the comment box below please.

Thanks for reading.

Jo x

Easy Renovations Anyone can do

I have had a few requests now for some home improvement tips for beginners, so here's an interesting post for you novice DIYers, written by Guest Author Kole McRae.

Easy Renovations Anyone can do

There’s a lot of allure to doing renovations. It is an inexpensive way to freshen up your house, raise its value and of course, get a great feeling of accomplishment. But it can also be frightening. The changes you make tend to be permanent and any mistakes you make can last a life time.

That’s why most people recommend you start small, take on relatively simple projects that you can warm up on before you take on the big projects.

New carpets

A new carpet can really change the feel of a room. Not only that, if it’s a high quality one it can raise the value of your house. Luckily, it is also relatively easy to do, especially if you are simply covering something that is already there. Though, ripping out a carpet isn’t too bad if you follow instructions easily found online.

In terms of time required, a carpet can usually be replaced within a day or two. Some can do it in a few hours. The amount of damage possible is very minor since you are mostly using staples.

Install track lighting

Track lighting started mostly in lofts and smaller places as a way to brighten a room while using less space. It is a very modern look that offers a lot of freedom about how much light you want in a room and where it is pointed.

The best feature of track lighting though is how easy it is to install. All it takes is a few screws and a little patience and you can completely change your room from old-school to modern.

Mirrors

Not necessarily a renovation as such, but the result of installing large wallmirrors are just as phenomenal. Make sure you hang your mirror correctly; using the ‘D’ shaped hooks that are on the back and the correct type of fixings for your wall type. Never use string or wire as over time the weight of your mirror will pull the screws from the wall and/or bow the mirror and possibly cause it to crack.

Rock walkway

Most of these renovations are for the indoors but you can’t just leave your backyard alone. One of the easiest ways to spruce up the old garden is with a rock pathway running through it. All you need for that is some quality rocks, some space and good old fashioned elbow grease.

New doors

Doors are a part of a house that can really pop and stand out. They can take a house from boring to incredibly interesting. They are also easy to install. All you need is a hammer and someone to help you. A door can usually be replaced within a few minutes. The hardest part is picking just what door you want.

This is just a short list of some of the easy projects you can get started with. There are literally hundreds of others things you can try safely as a newbie. Be careful though, you might get addicted and won’t be able to stop all your renovating.

Author Bio:
All content within this article are the opinions and thoughts of the author, Kole McRae from Ideal Surfacing.

Video Post: Art Deco At It's Best

Check out my latest video: Art Deco At It's Best.

I've even attempted to add a voice over, it's horrible hearing your own voice!

Any advise on using the microphone element of i-movie on a mac is most appreciated - lol.






On a serious note, these stunning Art Deco mirrors are available at great prices on my website!

Thanks for your time

Jo x

The Role of Mirrors In Feng Shui

I recently researched and wrote and article about the role of mirrors in Feng Shui and was amazed at what I found.

Did you know that you are not supposed to have mirrors in your bedroom as the active energy can disrupt sleep?

If positioned correctly, mirrors can deflect negative energy and draw in positive. They are even known as the 'aspirin' of Feng Shui, with their ability to cure negative spaces.

This article really is captivating and I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it!

http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Role-of-Mirrors-In-Feng-Shui&id=7205182

Please feel free to let me know your thoughts by leaving a comment!

Thanks
Jo

A Guide to Mirrors for Letting Agents

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Letting agents are always looking for tricks to help get a home off of the market as soon as possible. Like a hotel room, any property that’s available is one that isn’t making money for either the owner or the agent. From sample furnishings to artwork, there are several tactics that a letting agent can use to take advantage of appealing to the human eye outside of the general lay of the property. Mirrors aren’t just a decorative piece for a home, but a way to create an optical illusion to any potential tenant that may be looking at a specific piece of property.

Hallways

Hallways are usually a dreary piece of the property that are hard to decorate. Placing a mirror at the end of a hallway is going to make it look twice as big as it actually is. While the average person will realize it’s only a mirror, the mind insists that the hallway is longer.

Fireplaces

The area over a fireplace is often one of heated argument. The days of placing a family or individual portrait over a fireplace are long gone, and the style could even be considered a decorating faux pas. Giving your room the look it deserves with a decorative mirror is going to have multiple effects. When the fire is actually going, the glow that’s emitted and reflected onto the mirror from furnishings actually helps give the room more color.

Bedrooms

While you might think a powder mirror isn’t going to do much, a decorative mirror of adequate size in the bedroom actually makes it look bigger. The human eye looks for walls when it walks into an unfamiliar room. The mirror tells us that the wall isn’t actually there and the room is larger than one might think. Again, the average person understands this, but takes more appeal to a property because of the way it “looked”.

Bathrooms

Before installing that bulky medicine cabinet, it’s important to realize that a medicine cabinet can easily subtract as much as 20 cubic feet from a room. By installing cabinets under your sink, and adding in a decorative mirror above the sink, you’ll not only make your bathroom look bigger with the mirror effect, but you’ll actually have a bigger bathroom. Use the extra space you’ve made yourself in the bathroom and enjoy your mornings before and after your shower.

There are many ways that buy to let rates can be increased; high quality mirrors are just one simple way to enhance your investment property.

Here Comes The Sun...

Introducing "The Sunburst Collection"

 

ollowing three months of miserable weather blamed on a stuck jet stream that has given us nothing but rain, at last reports are promising some better weather over the next few weeks.

We are not wanting to tempt fate, but thought this was a great time to showcase our own little ray of sunshine with the stunning SUNBURST COLLECTION.

HOT OFFER: 10% OFF

(for a limited time only)

So, grab your decorative wall mirrors inspired by the sun and add some warmth into your rooms today!

www.exclusivemirrors.co.uk

Bringing The Outside In Needn't Cost The Earth

When we consider the concept of bringing the outside in, we have been conditioned by the media to assume that this now means grand conservatories, skylights, vast expanses of sliding doors and huge renovation projects, all of which cost a fortune. Whilst these aspirations are fantastic if you can afford them, the benefit of bringing the outdoors into your home or work place can also be gained in a much less dramatic fashion and without making such a dent on your wallet.

With the great British summertime being a total washout so far, there has never been a better time to try to replicate the feeling of well being that being outside can create. We all know the feeling that those long summer evenings spent outdoors can generate and if only for a few months of the year, many of us look forward to them and feel a surprising burst of energy and motivation in comparison to the winter evenings. It's like as human beings we almost come alive; just as a flower reacts to the sunshine, so do we.

We mustn't forget however that we can also experience a sense of well being during the winter months, when snuggled up safe and warm in front of a fire for example. Human beings have an internal desire for nature, a calmness that makes us feel at one with the earth, especially in the hustle and bustle of the man-made world in which we live.

Bringing the outdoors in is not therefore just about designing a space inspired by the outdoors. Likewise, recreating this fulfilled emotion is not as simple as being surrounded by flowers and plants. Although these can help somewhat, to get it all, you actually need to engage as many of the senses as possible.

1. Hearing:

A sense that is often overlooked when considering interiors design, but sound plays a vital part in our overall presence. Much like a strategically chosen piece of music, the sounds in your room can create an atmosphere that will affect your mood and the way you feel. The crackle of an open fire, the trickle of a water feature or even opening a window can bring the sounds of nature in. Interior design is personal and so where the sound of the outdoors for one person may be the rush of a river running close by, the sound of rain or the chirp of birds nesting in a tree, this can be someone else's description of annoying and their preferred sound of the outdoors is the rustle of the nearby traffic or urban hums. It really does not matter, creating an atmosphere that is reflective of your personality it what counts.

2. Smell:

Much like hearing, our sense of smell can determine our mood and scents can generate an atmospheric perception. Again this is extremely personal; what may smell pleasant to one person may have a completely different effect on another and so experiment with fragrances that work for you. Whether it is through brought fragrances or more natural forms, always try to emulate a smell that reminds you of being outside.
For more organic smells and a true sense of nature, use flowers or cooking ingredients to create gentle scents e.g. roses or cinnamon sticks, a smell that expresses the mood you are trying to evoke.

3. Taste:

Probably the least obvious sense of all to consider when designing your décor, but not one to be forgotten all together. Many of us associate tastes with the great outdoors and where it may be difficult to emulate the emotions provoked by a BBQ in your rooms, adding fresh, natural, organic foods to your interior can in fact stimulate your taste buds. Think about an exotic bowl for fruit for example, not only are the vibrant colours and smells stimulating to the senses, but the act or even thought of eating them can bring back feelings from holidays abroad, beaches and various other outdoor spaces.

Link this thought process with the sense of smell, be creative and you'll be surprised how even with these less apparent senses, you can indeed bring the outdoors into your decor without spending a fortune.

4. Sight:

The largest contributor to interior design from all the senses has to be that of sight, although it is foolish to think it can be used in isolation. To stimulate our sight with inspiration taken from the outdoors there is so much we can do. Using natural materials such as wood and wool automatically gives the sense of outdoor living and when coupled with natural colour pallets, patterns and artwork all inspired by the world around us, we start to bring the outside in.

As well as the decoration of our décor, we can in fact also bring nature in. Using natural ornaments such as sea-shells, pretty rocks and stones, plants and flowers. In addition, maximizing the amount of natural light into a space, utilizing windows and maximizing the amount of light coming through them is an extremely effect way of bring nature in and can be really affordable.

As well as concentrating on the fabrics you dress your window with; a strategically placed mirror can assist you with this ploy. The natural light does not have to come directly into your room, look at the walls and observe how the light and shadows fall around your room throughout the course of a day and choose a space and a large mirror that can really take advantage of this. As well as reflecting the light, think about the image your mirror is reflecting, this is artwork in your room. Does it reflect the outdoors? A natural colour pallet? Again bring the outside into your home, and what is great about mirrors is that there are so many designs out there that you are sure to find one to suit your tastes and décor. Bring the outdoors in does not mean you have to adopt a modern or contemporary style.

Think also about the lighting in your room, are you trying to create a light and airy feel or a warm and cosy surrounding? Even without windows, with creative lighting you can still adopt a feeling of outside within a space, even if you can't see it. Think about the position of your lights, lamps, up-lighters, candles and the colours they emit, do they emulate the feelings you wish to provoke?

5. Touch:

When considering the décor of your space, as well as the colours and patterns of the items you include, think also about the textures within the space. Adding texture can create depth, almost like a perspective on the horizon, and injects personality into your room. When combined with natural materials, the way things feel can really remind us of the outdoors, whether it be a rough surface or a luxuriously soft blanket, touch is a vital sense that can sometimes be taken for granted within a design platform.

As well as the physical objects that we can pick up and touch and feel, don't discount those you can't see. Opening a window for example is a cost free way of bringing the outside in. Feeling a gentle breeze or the freshness of a snowy gust, breathing in the fresh air or even feeling the warmth from a fire are all elements that stimulate our touch sense and contribute to this concept of 360 degree well being generated by the outdoors. It is a natural instinct to want to feel these things and we sometimes do it without even thinking; you must recall a moment when you've opened all the windows in a space to create an airflow, whether it is to cool an area down, relieve a stuffy space or just to feel fresh and clean.

It is becoming increasingly popular to invest a lot of time and money into developing our outside spaces such as our gardens, balconies, terraces and so forth and whilst developing an indoor space that emulates this cannot compete with the real thing, it can create a sense of well being, an escape and calm from real life.

This article has shown that to accomplish a sense of well being within your home or work place, as inspired by the outdoors, you do not have to spend a fortune. Simply design your room taking into consideration the atmosphere you are trying to create by considering all 5 senses; sight, hearing, touch, smell, taste and combine them with our natural elements of earth, fire, water and air, and you can bring the outside in, for less.

Exclusive Mirrors is a specialist online shop that sells just mirrors. With over ten years experience they consider themselves to be experts in the mirrors industry.

The Exclusive Mirrors price promise means you will get the best mirrors at the best prices. Simply call 01709 709257 or visit the website www.exclusivemirrors.co.uk