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Saturday, 4 July 2015

My Barbola mirrors...

I've spent one and a half days re painting the hallway wall and hanging my Barbola mirrors. They're very pretty and would be perfect in a bedroom but sadly I don't have the wall space so my hallway is getting a bit of a girlie feel.

There's no point having lovely things and not using them. Mirrors are no good in a box. And I do like to see collections displayed.


None of my Barbolas have cost very much. Even the large one was under a tenner. I had to remove some stands from the backs as they are often designed to sit atop a dressing table. When you take them apart you can sometimes find dates inside.

Look at the original colours inside this one...




Much more vivid than they are now but the muted colours are what I love about them.






This one above is dated 1946 inside. I believe they can date from the twenties to the forties and they're English.





They're often cracked or damaged. That's good. It means they're original.




I'll show you the before picture of the hallway...




This is before we replaced the floor. The large monks chest is now in my bedroom and has been swapped for my funky table which used to live behind the sofa...

I liked the old mirrors but the big one is a bit grand. We are not grand. Our ceiling height doesn't allow for grandness. If we had high ceilings we would be as grand as grand can be. Oh yeah.






Obviously it's not like this in real life. The table is a dumping ground for keys and post. Under the table are a stack of boxes for ebay posting. School bags litter the floor. But this is how life could be if I really tidied up. Or had a porch.

Speaking of tidying, I haven't 'styled' the living room yet so no sofa pictures to share.

But as promised, here's the taxidermy our neighbours left out on the drive for anyone to take.





 I'm not entirely sure where we'll put him. The lady said it had been in her family for 100 years and it had lived in her Grandads hallway. I don't know how she could part with him.

I'm working on a dining table for my friend so I'll pop back soonish with that. Stay cool in this heat!



Linking with Coastal Charm Show and Share




Photobucket/
Elizabeth and Co.
at

29 comments:

  1. Vickie @ Ranger 9114 July 2015 at 15:30

    Your mirror gallery wall is gorgeous!!!

    Your new pet is quite handsome, too.

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  2. Pattypan4 July 2015 at 16:58

    Looks Lovely

    I too like Barbola mirrors - where I have seen them on line they cost an arm and a leg. You have a lovely display there and the bonus is you have picked them all up as bargains. Very pretty and classy. I have lots of collections in boxes at the moment for the house we haven't quite got - but I have everything to put into it. Wrong way round but when we initially moved in together we were going to save for a couple of years, then the kids moved in, then job losses, then grandparents and parents. We nearly bought once but OH worked permanent nights and then just as we were about to exchange he was put on permanent days from permanent nights which meant a loss of over £300 per month shift premium. A lot of money to lose when you have children in the house so we did not go through. Then two weeks after they put him back on permanent nights! I do love your projects very inspiring am itching to have a go but don't have a garage or a shed where I could play. One day as my Dad used to say. I love the Gazelle - what about placing in the stair well at the top of the stairs - usually a perfect display space. Look forward to your further reveals.

    Tricia

    x

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    Replies
    1. Emma Kate at Paint and Style4 July 2015 at 21:15

      Thank you Tricia. I've been there with saving things for our forever house! I hope you get your dream house eventually.
      I have a shed and a garage but I can't work in either of them as they are full so any work I do takes over the dining room and causes mayhem. We live in constant chaos, I just try and tidy up for photos and visitors. xx

      Delete
  3. beadhen5 July 2015 at 01:45

    I, very much like your Barbola mirrors. I have never seen one before your post.

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    Replies
    1. Emma Kate at Paint and Style5 July 2015 at 09:23

      Thank you Beadhen. You'll probably see them everywhere now! xx

      Delete
  4. Meg5 July 2015 at 02:01

    O.M.G gorgeous !!!!!!!!!!! I have put my bevelled edged mirror collection on my bathroom wall but you can see me taking the shot ......eeekkkkk! ( although this week's post you can see teeny tiny twin me's in a shot)
    You on the other hand look GREAT Em xxxxxxx

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    Replies
    1. Emma Kate at Paint and Style5 July 2015 at 09:26

      Thanks Meg. Photographing mirrors is a nightmare. It's either my own reflection or some pile of junk in the corner that's reflected back. I'd love to see yours! Wear a cunning disguise if you're shy! xx

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  5. Unknown5 July 2015 at 10:45

    the mirrors are a lovely collection. The dead head is goulish and should go to ebayland !

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    Replies
    1. Emma Kate at Paint and Style5 July 2015 at 11:03

      Thanks Teri. Is that the vegetarian in you speaking? My daughter loves him so I think he has to stay! xx

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    2. Unknown6 July 2015 at 00:29

      yes, but as a kid I had a wonderous sheeps skull with horns and a donkey's leg bone I'd found on the beach in Scotland in my bedroom. My mum binned them when I moved to my first bedsit. Nowadays I only collect fossils which probably died naturally. I wouldn't like my head to be taxidermed and on a wall after death ... still an amazing find for you!

      Delete
  6. Fiona5 July 2015 at 12:37

    Love your new mirrored wall EK. I have seen them about but did not know they were called Barbola, I think they are rather lovely. I wouldn't have been able to part with that gazelle with all that family history....has he been named yet?
    x

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    Replies
    1. Emma Kate at Paint and Style5 July 2015 at 12:58

      Thanks Fiona. I have no idea how Barbola is pronounced so I can write about them but not talk about them.
      I think I shall name him Steve. I wanted to call our new goldfish Steve but my daughter insisted it was a girl called May. I never get to name any pets so I shall choose the name for this one! xx

      Delete
  7. Laura Lynn5 July 2015 at 15:36

    Love your mirrors! I like the taxidermy too. I'd never part with him.

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    Replies
    1. Emma Kate at Paint and Style5 July 2015 at 16:34

      Thank you Laura. I don't think my daughter will let me either! xx

      Delete
  8. Linda at French Hollow6 July 2015 at 01:26

    Those mirrors are gorgeous! I looked back at your kitchen makeover post as well - wow, beautiful! Your kitchen is fabulous!

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  9. Sarah6 July 2015 at 10:00

    So pretty - I love that you tidy for photos - I do that too and there are usually piles of junk just out of shot! I liked the hallway very much before but I LOVE it now. xx

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    Replies
    1. Emma Kate at Paint and Style6 July 2015 at 12:14

      Oh yes, isn't that the art of photography? Just focussing on the good and avoiding the crapola. xx

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    2. Mila9 July 2015 at 13:50

      Haha oh my, of course THAT is the real art of photography!;) And I thought that I was the

      only 'artist' out there ;) I also love both :before and after ! What a lovely space you have

      :)Also, I would like to invite you to share your decor with our party Idea Box:
      http://milaslittlethings.com/2015/07/idea-box-thursday-link-party-18.html
      xx
      Mila

      Delete
  10. Vix6 July 2015 at 12:53

    I love a wall of mirrors, great way of lighting up a dark room (like our bathroom!) The top photo with you reflected in the mirror is lovely.
    I've never heard of those mirrors before. Fancy you having so many.
    Love the taxidermy. Just as well we don't live on the same street, there would have been a scrap! xxx

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  11. Vintage Jane8 July 2015 at 13:26

    Looks brilliant. I love the mirrors and the great old typewriter! M x

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  12. Lizzie Cole9 July 2015 at 21:38

    Those are so wonderful - I love the little bits of decoration at the top.

    Lizzie Dripping

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  13. Curtise9 July 2015 at 21:55

    Don't those mirrors look amazing all grouped together? Love the reflection of you too!
    I must be the only blogger out there who isn't that keen on taxidermy. It'd be a boring old world if we all liked the same stuff though, right?! xxx

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  14. Unknown15 July 2015 at 07:55

    Your mirrors look gorgeous all grouped together a real work of art there so pretty and I love the table and the type writer below them. I am not a fan of taxidermy I find it creepy to be honest but I can understand the appeal for some. Have a lovely week, dee x

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  15. Hook, Line and Sink Her24 July 2015 at 19:50

    OH MY GOD!! I wish my neighbours left out freebies like that!! Is it wrong that my first thought was "that thing would totally rock a tiara"? The mirrors and table look lovely xxx

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    Replies
    1. Hook, Line and Sink Her31 July 2015 at 23:07

      P.S. Just saw a trailer for MIC LA - starts 10 August! EEEP xxx

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    2. Emma Kate at Paint and Style1 August 2015 at 07:49

      Oooh... they get about don't they?! Excellent news! xxx

      Delete

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