Subtle Finish

ANTIQUE MIRROR GLASS

Antique mirror glass is finding its way into interiors a lot these days and in in many interesting forms. Not just the traditional way of a mirror or frame but as entire feature walls, kitchen splash backs, used in cabinentry, bedrooms and all types of furniture. It is a great design element and a provides reflective benefits and is an easy to clean surface. In the Subtle Finish workshop we have a spray booth where  we re-silver and make our own antique mirror.

Our antique mirror glass is available in sheets or customised tiles and panels and in in different antique distressed finishes. Antique mirror glass looks fabulous bevelled and another great decorative element are pateraes that are made form antique moulds are are placed over the joining corners of the panels.

Subtle Finish have designed and made quite a few antiqued mirror glass panelled feature walls for homes and boutique shops, kitchen splashbacks and of course for mirrors and furniture. An easy way to incorporate a bit of antique glass glamour to your home is an antiqued mirror glass table top (toughened glass) or in kitchen or bathrooms cabinents. We recommend using toughened glass for high usuage areas in the home such as kitchen and bathroom.

It is very satisfying for us at Subtle Finish to be able to offer clients a  complete mirror framing and antique glass design service, it all goes hand in hand and that is how we started out. We found it so difficult sourcing original antique mirror glass for our mirrors we decided to start making our own. Check out our Antique Mirror Glass board on Pinterest, where we've found some seriously inspiring antique mirror glass ideas in beautiful homes from all around the world.

One particular antiqued mirror glass feature wall we designed for a private residence in Byron Bay found its way into the summer edition of Vogue Living 2013. Below is the snap shot from Vogue Living plus some other snaps of an armoire turned drinks cabinent we were commissioned to do where the back panels are lined with antique mirror glass. We think the results are pretty good.

GOLD LEAF BALANCING ON THE SQUIRELL TIP!

  GILDING & GOLD LEAF

Gold seems to be on trend at the moment. It is what we do so we thought we would fill you in on a few interesting facts.

Gild - gilded or gilt / gilding is to cover with or as if with a thin layer of gold. Gold leaf is hammered into extremely thin sheets and is often used in gilding. Gold leaf is available in a wide variety of  karats and shades and the general size of the leaf is 80mm square with 25 leaves in a book. At Subtle Finish we generally use 22 karat gold leaf which is yellow in appearance and the 23 karat is a warmer red tone. White gold has a warm silver appearance and contains 12 karats of gold. The Egyptians and Romans gilded wood and metals and used ornamental gilding extensively. In this day and age gold leaf and architectural gilding is commonly found in palaces and temples all over the world and in framing, furniture, decorative objects and culinary uses. Water gilding is a very traditional skill in that it is still done by hand like it once was.

There are some imitation gold appearances which are either gold paint or metal leaf. Neither contain any real gold. There are also different methods of applying gold leaf onto frames and furniture; water gilding and oil gilding. Watergilding is the most difficult and highly regarded and can be burnished or polished with an agate stone tool. It is applied with a gilding tip which is a flat brush made out of squirrel hair. The book of gold leaf sits in the gilding cushion or pad covered in pig or calf skin and surrounded in parchment or raw hide which protects and acts as a wind shield as the gold leaf is about a micron thick. Oil gilding is done by applying an oil size to a prepared surface, left to dry and then leaf is applied. This technique is commonly used for architectural gilding.

At Subtle Finish when doing the finishing stage of mirror frames, picture frames or furniture we mostly watergild but contrasts can be achieved by including oil gilding on areas that need to be a more matte finish. Stunning results appear when using different coloured clays called bole underneath the gold leaf and when antiqued, reveal depths and patination of colour and shimmering gold. These effects require true artistic and expertise ability.

One of our most popular finishes in the Subtle Finish range of mirrors are frames finished in white gold. They appear silver and contemporary but have a warmth that silver doesn't. Silver can also oxidise so we prefer to use white gold on mirrors and frames that are going into bathrooms or where there will be moisture. A lot of our mirrors are parcel gilt which is highlights of gold leaf along side gesso or an off white appearance. It really works with frames that have interesting profiles with scoops and beading.

TOOLS OF THE TRADE

Antique mirrors in modern homes

As we all know there are no rules when it comes to decorating and styling your home. In our humble opinion antique mirrors and antique style mirrors look great mixed in with with contemporary, industrial, classic, beachy and even retro. Our favourite of all time is the French 19th Century Louis Philippe style mirror as it works so well in all manner of interiors. It all comes down to the finish on the frame; distressed aged gilt portrays a story, highly burnished gold leaf oozes glamour, white gold or silver fits in seamlessly with modern and limed, gessoed or white is fresh and is often used to blend in with the white colour of the wall. 

Here are some great Louis Philippe mirrors in modern homes.

A FREE HANGING ANTIQUE FRENCH 19TH C ETCHED GILTWOOD

LOUIS PHILIPPE MIRROR.

  ORIGINAL SILVER GILT WOOD 19TH C FRENCH ANTIQUE LOUIS PHILIPPE MIRROR WITH

INNER BEADING.

  EMBOSSED ORIGINAL CONDITION OIL GILDED FRENCH 19TH C LOUIS PHILIPPE MIRROR.

  ANTIQUE FRENCH SILVER GILT LOUIS PHILIPPE PIER MIRROR RESTING ON MANTLE.

  FRENCH LOUIS PHILIPPE STYLE OVERMANTLE MIRROR IN A WHITE PAINT FINISH.

  ORIGINAL SILVER GILT FRENCH ANTIQUE 19TH C ETCHED LOUIS PHILIPPE MIRROR.

  FRENCH ANTIQUE ORIGINAL SILVER GILT 19TH C LOUIS PHILIPPE MIRROR.

IDEAS, INSPIRATION and INFLUENCE

Ideas, inspiration and influence are varied and many. The French styles of the 18th and 19th Centuries are the major influence on the Subtle Finish range of mirrors and furniture. A style predominant in our collection is the Louis Philippe and one of our favourites due to its simplicity in form and its versatility. It can be placed in all manners of interiors as it can be finished with different etching which can make it traditional, feminine or contemporary. Antique mirrors were most commonly gilded in gold or silver leaf but they look fabulous in gesso (ivory white), black (ebonised) or parcel gilt (gesso with gold/silver) highlights.

One of our most popular etched mirrors is our frangipani which was inspired by all the lovely fragrant frangipani trees surrounding us here in Byron Bay. The design is hand drawn onto the frame and then etched into it. We use different coloured clays called bole for the pinks, greens and yellows of the flowers, with a beautiful white gold leaf layer so the colours shimmer through.

Shells on the beach that we collect quite a bit, having two small children influences our colour palette and decorative ideas. We created a shell mirror for our beach collection made out of recycled timber and shells which were cast from beach shells and then used as decorative elements, replacing the traditional urn, swags and cartouches.

Subtle Finish is a real mix of antique integrity with its traditional finishes and craftsmanship and modern influences from society and our environment.

MEET THE MAKER....

Gilder, restorer, frame-maker, antique mirror specialist, designer, father of two girls, hubby and enthusiastic veteran football player for the Byron Bay Rams and lifelong committed Fulham Football Club fan – Pete Link.

Born in London, now aged 46, worked in London and France in the antiques trade for 25 years buying, selling, restoring, gilding, specialising in antique mirrors.

A lifestyle change to Australia was an opportunity and an ambition to not just restore broken mirror frames but to design, create and make an entire object, which occurred in an organic self taught process. This led to the Subtle Finish range of mirrors in antique styles made and finished just as the French, English and European craftsman of the 18th / 19th Century did.

The nature of our handmade mirrors is that they can be made to measure in the style and finish that is desired, unlike antique mirrors whereby the size, style and finish can take years to search for.

“ I love creating with my hands and try to keep challenging myself by constantly learning new skills and researching recipes and methods. There is a real art to the finishing and getting the right highlights, lowlights and clay colours coming through, sometimes it takes a while to get it right before I'm happy with it but its so worthwhile when the clients express their appreciation”.

WELCOME TO THE SUBTLE FINISH BLOG

We are Subtle Finish, a creative small business based at Byron Bay, dedicated to making & designing hand finished mirror frames in French Antique Styles as well as restoration of antiques, antiquing of mirror glass and hand finished picture framing.

Via our new Subtle Finish blog we will share, explore and update you on the fascinating process involved in making a mirror from the raw timber to the endless options and detail of the finishing on frames and furniture, often gold or silver leaf.

There will be before and after shots of furniture we've restored or glammed up with a new finish and we'll keep you posted on new products and projects such as antique mirror glass panelled walls, which featured in a beautiful Byron Bay home in the summer 2013 edition of Vogue Australia.

You will have the opportunity to learn about the ancient recipes of water and oil gilding (and the difference) with lots of great images. Being in the business of making antique style mirrors, we love to see antique mirrors and furniture mixed with all types of interiors and will post any inspiring images we find to fuel your creativity (and ours).