Changing Reflections

By bouncing light around, mirrors can increase the amount of daylight in a space, making it feel larger and reducing the need for artificial illumination, thereby playing a smart role in saving energy. With the return of 1970s glam to pop culture, today’s reflective surfaces are anything but austere rectangles. Instead designers are challenging the convention of what a mirror can be. For evidence, take a look at the Design Can’s playful Self-Portrait mirrors, which allow the viewer to interact with his or her reflection, and Carlos Salgado’s introspective Who Do You See mirrors, based on Rorschach test patterns. Not since the glamour of Art Deco have we seen such elaborately mirrored furnishings and accessories—signature pieces that will accentuate other surfaces, textures, and objects in any space.