From the first sketch to the workshop — the thinking and making behind our designer mirrors in Melbourne.
I’ve always thought mirrors deserved a little more consideration than they’re often given.
Most people understand what a mirror does. It reflects what’s in front of it, and perhaps that’s why we don’t always stop to consider what else it could be.
But I’ve never really looked at mirrors as simply something functional.
For me, designing a mirror is much like designing a piece of furniture. There’s the shape, the proportions, the materials and the construction, but there’s also the opportunity to do something a little unexpected.
And sometimes that means questioning how a mirror should look in the first place.
At Special Things, our designer mirrors begin with an idea, but there’s quite a journey between that first thought and the finished piece hanging in someone’s home.
It’s a process I’ve developed through more than thirty years of furniture design and making, and one that continues to interest me because no two designs present quite the same challenges.
So I thought it might be interesting to take you through how some of our mirrors actually come together.
It doesn’t always start with a mirror
One of the interesting things about designing is that inspiration can come from something that has absolutely nothing to do with the object you’re creating.
It might be an architectural detail, a particular shape, an extrusion, or the way two components connect.
Sometimes it’s something quite ordinary that catches my attention.
Our Corset mirror, for instance, takes its inspiration from the crisscrossing ties of a corset. The Dress Code collection explores ideas associated with clothing, particularly the lines and pleats created by fabric.
Neither began with the thought of simply making another conventional mirror.
It’s more a case of seeing something and wondering how that idea might translate into another form.
That’s usually when the sketching begins.
I might already have a particular shape in mind. Perhaps something rectangular with softened corners, an unusual oval, or a mirror divided into separate sections.
Other times, the shape develops as I explore the original idea.
And that’s important, because the shape needs to work with the design element rather than simply being something decorative around it.
You can have a wonderful idea for a detail, but if the proportions of the mirror don’t support it, the whole thing can feel wrong.
So there’s quite a bit of drawing, changing and occasionally putting an idea aside before I arrive at something worth developing further.
When a drawing becomes full size
Once I’m happy with the general direction, one of the most important steps is taking the design from a small sketch to a full-size drawing.
I generally work at one-to-one scale, often using a sheet of thin MDF to mark out the mirror.
This is where things start to become particularly interesting.
Something that looks perfectly balanced on paper can suddenly appear quite different when you’re standing in front of it at its actual size.
Perhaps the shape feels a little awkward, or a particular section is too wide. Sometimes it’s only a matter of ten or twenty millimetres, but that small adjustment can make an enormous difference.
I might stand the drawing upright, step back and look at it for a while.
And occasionally, even though everything seems technically correct, something just doesn’t feel right.
That’s when you start questioning the proportions.
Does it need to be taller? Should the clear section be smaller? Would the design work better at 800 millimetres rather than 600?
There have been times when I’ve decided a particular mirror simply doesn’t work at the smaller size I’d originally considered.
And then there are those lovely occasions when you stand back, look at the drawing and think, yes, that’s it.
There’s no point changing something simply for the sake of changing it.
But getting to that point is an important part of designing original mirrors.
What you don’t see behind the glass
When you look at a finished designer mirror, you’re naturally drawn to the shape, the glass and the overall appearance.
What you don’t necessarily see is the amount of consideration that goes into the back of it.
How will the mirror be supported? Where will the hanging system sit? How will the weight be distributed? And how far should the mirror project from the wall?
These decisions can have quite an influence on the design itself.
Some of our mirrors have a relatively shallow construction, allowing them to appear as though they’re floating just away from the wall.
Others might sit 75 or even 100 millimetres forward, depending on the structure and the effect I’m trying to achieve.
Sometimes I want the supporting frame to disappear completely. Other times, a structural element might become a deliberate part of the design.
And when you’re working with two or three separate sections of mirror, things become more complicated.
You might want to remove part of the reflective backing to create a clear section, but that decision affects how much surface remains available for supporting and fixing the glass.
Suddenly, the visual design and the construction are having a conversation with each other.
You might need to adjust a proportion, change the position of a connection or reconsider how the supporting frame is made.
This is where my furniture-making background becomes particularly useful.
Working with timber, making frames, understanding construction and knowing how components need to connect are all familiar territory.
It’s simply a matter of applying that knowledge to a different material and a different purpose.
And it’s one of the reasons I enjoy designing and making our designer mirrors here in Melbourne, rather than simply choosing an existing design from a catalogue.
I can work through those decisions as the piece develops.
Glass has a mind of its own
If there’s one thing you learn fairly quickly when working with mirrors, it’s that glass can be very unforgiving.
Timber and glass behave quite differently.
With timber, you can often make adjustments, rework a component or repair a small imperfection. Glass doesn’t always give you that luxury.
A slight knock can chip an edge, and something as simple as moving a large mirror around the workshop requires care.
I certainly had a few learning experiences when I first started developing the Retro mirror range.
Over time, I’ve changed the way I handle and protect the glass, and those little mishaps have become very rare.
The mirror shapes themselves are generally cut and prepared by specialist glass processors, sometimes using CNC machinery, before coming into the workshop.
From there, I work with the individual pieces, preparing and manipulating the areas that form part of the design.
Some mirrors require sections of the reflective backing to be removed, creating clear areas that reveal other materials or become part of the overall composition.
Much of this work is done by hand.
And because you’re working with glass, you need to be particularly mindful of how you’re handling it and what products you’re using.
One of the things I discovered early on was that not every adhesive is suitable for attaching components to the back of a mirror.
Some products can react with the reflective backing, eventually creating marks that become visible through the glass.
I learned that lesson through a little trial and error.
These days, I use specialist products selected for their compatibility with mirror glass, the strength of the bond and the particular construction involved.
It’s one of those details that someone looking at the finished mirror would probably never consider.
But it’s an important part of making something properly.
The details that develop through experience
Another process I’ve introduced over the years is applying an additional protective coating to the back of the mirror.
Depending on the design, I might use a particular colour, although black is generally my preference.
It creates a neutral finish behind the glass and helps maintain the darker shadowing that suits many of our designs.
More importantly, the additional coating helps protect the mirror backing and reduce the risk of moisture-related deterioration and oxidation.
It’s a relatively simple step, but one that has become part of my approach to making designer mirrors.
And that’s something I’ve found throughout my working life.
You develop a design, you make it, you discover something that could be improved, and you carry that knowledge into the next piece.
Sometimes it’s a change in materials. Sometimes it’s a different way of constructing a component.
Other times, it’s simply learning what not to do.
Those lessons might not be particularly glamorous, but they’re valuable.
And over the years, they become part of the knowledge you bring to every new design.
Making sure everything stays where it should
Some mirrors are relatively straightforward to assemble.
Our Retro mirror, for example, has a supporting frame at the back, with a particular process for positioning and fixing it.
But other designs can involve several individual components that need to be assembled in stages.
And that’s where things can become a little more involved.
Imagine having three or four separate sections that need to connect precisely with one another.
One section might need to be fixed and allowed to cure before the next can be positioned. Each component has to remain correctly aligned, sometimes for quite a considerable period.
And even a movement of five millimetres can create a problem.
I learned that fairly early on.
There were a few occasions when something appeared to be sitting perfectly, only to discover that a component had moved slightly while the adhesive was curing.
Not ideal when you’ve spent so much time getting everything into position.
So I began making more jigs and patterns specifically for assembling certain mirror designs.
These might be simple MDF templates or more involved arrangements that hold individual components in place while they’re being fixed.
Sometimes they allow sections to be gently clamped, keeping everything aligned until the bond has properly cured.
Even the temperature in the workshop can influence the process, with some products taking longer to cure on cooler days.
It’s the sort of thing you become very conscious of when you’re making a piece with several connected elements.
And while those jigs and patterns never become part of the finished mirror, they’re often essential to making it accurately.
For me, this is where design and making really come together.
You’re not simply following a drawing. You’re working out the best way to bring that drawing into reality.
Knowing when something is right
I think one of the most valuable things that comes with experience is developing an understanding of proportion.
It’s something I’ve worked with throughout my furniture-making career, whether designing a chair, a table, a console or a mirror.
You can measure everything carefully and still find that something doesn’t look quite right.
Sometimes it’s obvious. Other times, it’s more of an instinct.
You stand back, look at the piece and realise that a particular detail needs adjusting.
Perhaps the relationship between the height and width isn’t quite balanced, or a feature needs to be slightly larger to have the presence you intended.
And occasionally, you need to put the work aside, reconsider a decision and approach it from another direction.
I’ve had moments when a design seemed completely resolved, only for something to become more complicated during the making of the first prototype.
It can slow things down, but that’s part of developing something new.
The important thing is being prepared to make the adjustment rather than simply accepting something you’re not entirely happy with.
Of course, sometimes everything comes together exactly as you’d hoped.
And when that happens, you know to leave it alone.
The final stages
Once a mirror has been assembled and the various components have been finished, there’s still the final checking to do.
Glass needs to be examined carefully for marks, scratches or chips. The different sections need to be properly aligned, the finishes checked and the hanging arrangements ready for installation.
Then comes the cleaning.
It’s a fairly quiet part of the process, but an important one. You want to see the mirror as it should be, without fingerprints, dust or anything distracting from the finished design.
And because glass is fragile, preparing the mirror for delivery requires just as much care.
For local Melbourne installations, I can wrap and transport the mirror directly to the client’s home.
For interstate deliveries, I make protective packaging suited to the particular mirror, ensuring the corners, edges and surfaces are properly secured and that the piece cannot move around during transport.
After spending so much time developing and making something, the last thing you want is for it to be damaged on its way to its new home.
It’s all part of the process, from the first drawing to the final delivery.
When the mirror finally finds its place
There’s always something satisfying about seeing a finished mirror installed in someone’s home.
By that stage, I’ve spent quite a bit of time thinking about the design, working through its construction and bringing the different elements together.
But the client is seeing something else.
They’re seeing how the mirror actually belongs in their home.
And that’s where all those decisions made in the workshop begin to make sense.
A mirror might have been designed with a particular shape, material or construction detail in mind, but once it’s installed, it takes on another dimension.
It becomes part of the architecture, the furniture and the character of the space.
And even when two people choose exactly the same mirror, the result can be quite different because the surroundings and reflections are never the same.
I think that’s one of the things clients appreciate most.
They can see the effect of the mirror as a piece of design, rather than simply an object hanging on a wall.
And for me, that’s a wonderful outcome.
Why I continue to design mirrors differently
After more than thirty years working with furniture and design, I still enjoy the challenge of developing something new.
Sometimes the idea comes together quite quickly. Other times, it takes a considerable amount of sketching, experimenting and refining before everything feels right.
And even with experience, there can still be the occasional stumbling block.
But that’s part of what makes designing and making interesting.
Our collection of Australian-made designer mirrors at Special Things continues to develop because I believe there’s always another possibility worth exploring.
Another shape, another material, another way of connecting components or approaching something familiar from a different direction.
And behind every finished mirror, there’s a process of thinking, questioning, drawing and making that you might never see.
But I hope that when someone chooses one of our mirrors for their home, they experience the result of all that work.
Because I don’t think a mirror should only reflect what’s in front of it. It should also have something to contribute to the room around it.
If you’d like to see where this process leads, explore our designer mirrors, or start your project with us – we’d love to hear what you have in mind.