This update about contemporary mirrored furniture ought to have a second title. That subtitle should be this statement: “Everything old is new again.”
Back at the start of the 20th Century all fine homes had a vestibule or entrance way. Often guests would find in that area a rack on which they could hang their clothes. Quite frequently that rack was part of an interesting piece of furniture–a sort of indoor bench.
Now in the recent “Best Buys” catalog from Crate and Barrel, catalog readers can find a picture of just such a bench. It is part of the company’s Peterson Collection, and it has moldings and a style much like the bench that was found in homes of the early 20th Century. You can also find great examples at the Mirrored Furniture Gallery.
That cushioned bench has been described as a storage bench, because it has two cubbies under its cushioned seat. The picture shows a wicker basket in one cubby. The presence of that basket underscores the storage function of the bench. Obviously, items such as scarves the gloves could be placed in such a basket.
That bench does not sit on the floor; it had four short legs. That bench does not invite guests to sit on a hard wooden surface. A soft cotton cushion covers the entire length and width of that bench.
Behind that bench is a mirrored back panel. The mirror has been placed at the top of that wooden panel. Under the mirror, guests to a home can find and use any of six brushed nickel hooks. Below the hooks, coats and other items can hang against the painted wooden panel.
This writer recalls seeing a similar piece of furniture in a residence that dated back to the period before World War II. However, that older piece of furniture had a natural wood color. The updated version, the one found in the Crate and Barrel catalog has been covered in white paint.
Crate and Barrel have placed the white bench and panel against a brightly painted, blue wall. In sum, this mirrored item puts a different slant on that familiar saying, “Everything old is new again.”
