This is a wonderful, if simplified version of a particular type of mirrored frame. These particular mirrored frames used to be made, exclusively, in Venice. At the Toronto Interior Design Show of about four years ago, a vendor proudly declared to me that his company always has their Venetian-inspired mirrored frames made in China. I must admit that I felt disappointed to hear that news. Venetian glass, you see, has always carried a certain cache that the Chinese manufactured product has not yet achieved.  No doubt the Chinese can create this type of mirrored frame much more cheaply than the Venetians, but part of the Venetian appeal was its expense and therefore its relative rarity in anyone's home apart from those who were fortunate enough to have inherited an example.

Here is another example of a mirrored frame, framing a mirror. It is situated, as is often the custom, over the fireplace acting as an exclamation point over the other countrified elements of the room. It's even slightly glamorous. It lifts the non-beveled mirror out of being just an ordinary thing. Fireplaces are often focal points in a room. In this picture, the fireplace is fighting for visual space, visual recognition even, with that tall scenic screen.  It is never a good idea to have the fireplace, alone, stand out too much. It must work with the rest of the furniture and decorative collections to create a unified whole. A complete vignette, therefore, has been created so that the mirror, the glass and brass on the mantle and even that wastepaper basket all visually hold together and hold their own in the generally countrified yet sophisticated atmosphere of the larger room. Therefore, there is no visual fight between all the decorative furniture elements within the room. All of the furniture works together to achieve a unified effect, namely Suggestively Sophisticated Country.

Here is an example of the most modern type of mirrored frame: polished chromium (usually known as 'chrome' - like that on automobiles).
In this example, a regular marble-topped vanity has been given a decidedly urbane and sophisticated edge just by using this old industrial process, polished chrome.

In order of appearence:
Perfect English. Ryland Peters & Small. 2007. photography by Chris Tubbs.
Hunt Country Style. Rizzoli, New York. 2008. photography by Paul Rocheleau.
American Modern. Abrams, New York. 2010. photography by Laura Resen.