The Case For Hanging On To This 1970s Home Feature
Here are three fresh takes on the retro revival.
Published Dec 21, 2022 3:07 PM
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Just when we thought we were ready to embrace a 1980s revival, the ’70s are pulling us back into the era's groovy glory (again). A decade-defining feature has unexpectedly bubbled up in Zillow's recent 2023 trend forecast, and we’re into it. According to the real-estate site's research over the past year, mirrored walls and ceilings are now being touted 12 percent more often in listing descriptions. In other words, homeowners are hanging onto this once dated design element, and they want everyone to know.
Before your mind goes straight to images of cheesy motels, poorly lit elevators, or dated bachelor pads, remember that there's magic in these large-scale installations’ ability to make tight quarters feel exponentially more spacious. More important, today's versions are showing up with an antiqued finish or grid overlay that makes the feature feel fresh. Whether you already have a mirrored wall or ceiling in your home or not, here's how you can embrace the comeback in a modern way.
In this Toronto condo (built in the 1970s, naturally) the floor-to-ceiling "eyesore" was transformed into a worthy focal point. Designer Ashley Montgomery and artist Murray Duncan camouflaged the wall in treasured words and phrases, turning the shiny backdrop into an edgy work of art.
Jassy's New Orleans home is a master class in fully committing—the double shotgun is saturated with curated chaos, color, and custom creations. But the real lesson is actually for those not ready to go all the way with this trend. In the living room, he leaned an extra-large mirror against the wall (it's so big it looks like one with the house) and gave it a gridlike effect with Nickelodeon-orange tape. Should he ever tire of it, he can easily pick it up and move it.
When an unsightly load-bearing column presented a challenge for Elina Mussakulova's vision for this Kazakhstan apartment, the designer's response was to wrap the structure in mirrors. Instead of the kind you might find in an oversize chain restaurant, she covered it in long, rectangular strips to give it a sculptural element—a solution that deserves a moment of reflection.
mirrored walls and ceilings are now being touted 12 percent more often in listing descriptions