I’ve always believed a mirror can do more than reflect. It can shape the way a room feels.
When I began designing the Shard Mirror in 2018, I wasn’t interested in creating another freestanding mirror. At the time, most floor mirrors were either simple rectangular sheets leaning against a wall or large framed pieces that felt visually heavy within a room.
I wanted to design something different.
The ambition was to create a mirror that felt more like a piece of architecture than furniture—a sculptural object that sat lightly within a space while quietly becoming part of it.
Although the Shard is a generous full-length mirror, every design decision was made to reduce its visual weight and create a sense of calm and elegance.
Beginning with the Form
Every project begins with an idea, but bringing it to life requires countless refinements.
The first challenge was finding a form that didn’t feel rigid or expected. Rather than working with conventional geometry, I developed an organic silhouette that softens the scale of the mirror while giving it a timeless quality.
Once the full-sized glass was produced, I knew the proportions were right—but something was still missing.
Finding the Missing Detail
At first I considered applying a traditional bevel around the entire perimeter.
The more I looked at it, however, the more predictable it became.
Instead, I began experimenting with selectively hand-bevelling sections of the mirror.
Those random chamfers weren’t decorative for the sake of decoration. Their purpose was to catch and refract light differently throughout the day, giving the mirror a subtle jewel-like quality that changes as you move around it.
It became the unexpected detail the design had been searching for.
Making the Mirror Float
One of the biggest challenges was designing a support that almost disappeared.
Rather than placing the mirror inside a heavy timber frame, I wanted the glass to remain the hero.
After many iterations, the solution became a slender tripod structure crafted from solid American Walnut or Ebonised Oak.
The frame leans gently backwards, using carefully resolved compound angles to provide stability while creating a lighter visual presence.
From the front, the support almost disappears.
From the side, it reveals itself as an elegant architectural structure in its own right.
Making the Mirror Float
Every junction was carefully resolved to maintain the same refinement seen from the front of the mirror.
The compound mitres, slim timber sections and hand-finished detailing were all developed so that every angle of the mirror felt considered.
The rear structure wasn’t hidden because it was unimportant.
It was simplified because it deserved the same attention as every other part of the design.
The Evolution
As the Shard Mirror became established, it was clear that not every interior could accommodate a freestanding piece.
Rather than redesigning the concept, I evolved it.
The wall-mounted Shard retains the same organic silhouette and sculptural presence while using a concealed recessed mounting system that allows the mirror to be installed in four different orientations.
This flexibility transforms it from a dressing mirror into an architectural element.
Whether positioned in a bedroom, hallway, living room or above a console or fireplace, the mirror adapts to its surroundings while maintaining the same quiet elegance as the original freestanding design.
Architecture Through Reflection
One of the most rewarding aspects of the wall-mounted version is seeing how it interacts with architecture.
By floating slightly from the wall, the mirror creates depth and shadow while its organic form softens surrounding materials such as stone, concrete and timber.
It becomes more than a reflective surface.
It becomes part of the architecture itself.
Recognition
The Shard Mirror was recognised soon after its release.
In 2019 it was shortlisted in the IDEA Awards—Australia’s premier interior and product design awards—and was subsequently awarded Highly Commended in the Object – Furniture & Lighting (Rising) category.
It was also shortlisted in the VIVID Design Awards and exhibited during Melbourne Design Week as part of the Superficial exhibition.
While industry recognition is always appreciated, the greatest satisfaction comes from knowing the design continues to find a place in thoughtfully designed homes and architectural projects.
Recognition
Looking back, what began as a desire to rethink the humble freestanding mirror became one of the defining pieces in the Special Things collection.
Years later, I’m still drawn to its quiet presence, the way the hand-bevelled edges catch the light, and the way the structure almost disappears behind the glass.
For me, that’s the mark of enduring design.
Not because it follows a trend, but because it still feels as relevant today as it did when the first Shard Mirror left the workshop.
