Silver is the New Black

When I think of chic and eclectic design, I first think of using different surfaces, textures, and kinds of design. One of my favorite ways to do this, is through mirrored furniture. It not only looks beautiful, but it reflects the surfaces around it to add even more texture to a room. Pieces like these are to die for:

These pieces are the perfect addition to any type of room.

While it is BEAUTIFUL, mirrored furniture can be pretty pricey. So, in searching for my own way to incorporate it into my own projects, I came across silver leaf. It is a cheaper alternative to mirrored furniture. However, it was still out of my price range so I kept searching.

I came across this blog post:

http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2009/12/silver-leaf-dressers.html.

It is an awesome tutorial on how to silver leaf furniture. I am still searching for the perfect piece to try my skills at. Try it and let me know how it goes!

An even cheaper alternative to silver leaf, and a way to get that silver piece in your favorite room is - spray paint! Sounds crazy, I know, but a good can of metallic silver spray paint can give a great, chic look to any piece.

Over the summer, I have been helping my mother redo her bedroom. It has been a fun project. She had this old table from my grandma:

She wanted it to pop a little more between here dark brown chairs - so we tried out the spray paint method. Here are the results:

I think it turned out great, considering we spent $7.00 on the whole project.

Spray paint gives a little different look than silver leaf. You can see the wood-grain through the paint, which actually gave the table a really awesome, crackling paint look.

Here are some tips when you try this at home:

* Sand your piece first! Even just a good sanding with sandpaper will get rid of flaws or dirt.

* Buy METALLIC spray paint. A can of plain silver spray-paint won't give the same sheen as metallic will.

* Make sure you spray outside! Spray-paint gets everywhere!

* Spray every side of your piece. While you may think you will never see the bottom, or inside of your drawers, spraying the entire piece gives it a more finished and professional feel.

* If you don't have a piece already, head to the local D.I. (for all you Utahns) or Good Will and find a cheap, unique piece. It will turn the drab, outdated piece into something beautiful!

Lastly, if mirrored or silver-leaf furniture it too much mirror for you - try incorporating some small accent pieces. They have the same effect as mirrored furniture - they make your space look bigger and reflect all the surfaces of the room! I LOVE these boxes we got for my mother's bedroom.

($20 HomeGoods)