Posts Tagged ‘home office accessories’

Mirror Mosaics Make a Beautiful Statement in any Home

Tuesday, June 15th, 2010

mosaic_mirrorCenturies ago, mosaics were mostly found on walls, ceilings, and on the floors. Now, modern mosaics can be placed in different bases, even mirrors. Have you tried creating mirror mosaics? Here is a step-by-step approach to create a mirror mosaic for your home. A work of art you can proudly share with your visitors. And it will be a great conversation piece.

How to create a Mosaic Mirror for Your Home:

If you have a dull framed mirror, you can add some life to it by creating a mirror mosaic with the use of ceramic tiles. All you need is a framed mirror but just make sure that the glass is removable. Just in case your mirror doesn’t have a frame, you can use a fiberboard of medium-density and cut it to fit your mirror. Other materials for this mosaic project are tiles, ceramic plates, jewelry and accessories to adorn your mosaic; tile nipper, adhesive, 5 lb sanded grout (white) or tinted grouts, bucket, glove, spatula, soft cloth, and sponge. Once you have these materials, you can now start creating your mirror mosaic.

Place the materials on your working table. By the way, make sure that the mirror is sturdy so it can put up with the grout and ceramic’s weight. Choose an image or pattern for your mirror mosaic; choose something that is of great interest to you to keep yourself motivated to finish the work. 

Sketch the pattern or image on the frame of the mirror. A Wheeled nipper is better for cutting ceramic tiles; use it to cut the tiles into desired shapes and sizes. You can find the nipper at a local tile store or home improvement warehouse. The size of the tiles should be suitable to the details of your pattern or image. Wear protective gloves and goggles. 

When you’ve cut all the tile pieces, you can now arrange them over the sketched design. If you’re satisfied with the mosaic’s appearance, attach it to the frame using adhesive. Leave it to dry for a day. When the tiles are dry completely, mix the grout. Get your spatula and spread the batter-like grout over the frame. Use gloves so that you can push the grout to certain areas. Using a sponge with bit water, remove the excess grout. Do this right after applying the grout on the frame. Leave it for a couple of minutes and then polish it using a soft cloth.

Once the grout cures, you can now hang the mirror mosaic in your bedroom, living room, or even in your bathroom. Use the appropriate weight for hanging the mirror in your home office, living room or other part of the house where furniture accessories and works of art will enhance the space.

Other tips:

If you’re going to create mosaic frame for your mirror, you can use a fiberboard. Check out your local hardware store and ask the salesperson if they have a fiberboard. You can also have it cut to fit your mirror if you don’t have the right equipments at home. Bring your mirror to the store so that you can choose the right fiberboard size. Follow the same procedure as mentioned earlier when creating the mosaic. It would be best to choose a simple design especially if you’re not that good in mosaic. This is a time-consuming project and you need to be patient. Use a little of your imagination and creativity.

Mirror mosaics can add a unique touch to your home. Create one now and hand it anywhere in the house. You can even use the mirror mosaic in your office. You will be proud when someone appreciates your art work. Get the needed materials from the store and start working on your mosaic this weekend. 

Be sure to visit MyStyles2Go for affordable high-style furniture to go with your New Mosaic Mirror!  Mosaics work well with any decor, modern furniture, home office furniture and decor and fit in just about any room in your home.  Add one to your bedroom, bath, living room our to complement you new outdoor furniture!

Mosaics Can Bring a Room to Life

Wednesday, June 9th, 2010

… and Add a Creative Touch to Any Decor

mosaic Mosaics are creative images from the assemblage of stones, glass, and other small pieces of materials. It is also considered as a decorative art technique and an important facet of interior design. Mosaic arts can be of spiritual and cultural significance. Have you seen mosaics in the cathedrals? These are great examples of mosaics with spiritual significance. Pictures and patterns are created by using pottery fragments (also called tesserae/tessellae) and small tiles or colored/clear glass.

The pattern or picture created varies depending on the design of the artist. Most mosaic artists make use of china, shells, mirror, pebbles, ceramics, and glass. Each piece is called tessera while the spaces in between where grout is placed are called interstices. The flow or movement of the tesserae is called andamento. These are some of the terms that you should be familiar with if you’re working with mosaics. There are various ways of cutting the pieces used in mosaic and this is called ‘opus’ which means ‘work’. The following are the various cuts and positioning of the materials:

• The tesserae are laid out in regular brick-like straight lines (opus tessellatum)

• Horizontal and vertical lines in a regular grid (opus regulatum)

• Flowing/wriggling lines on the surface (opus vermiculatum)

• Vermiculatum with background and image (opus musivum) 

• Crazy-paving appearance because of the irregular shapes being used (opus palladianum)

There are three methods being used in mosaics. The first one is the direct method. As the word suggests, the pieces are directly placed or glued to the surface. This method is best used in vases and other transportable objects. The mosaic is visible enough to allow adjustments. There is a disadvantage in using this method because you need to work on the actual surface immediately. Sometimes, the surface becomes uneven. This method is not suitable for large projects.

The other method is the indirect and this is often used for large projects. The tiles are first placed on backing papers with the use of adhesive and later on, it is transferred to the craft projects, floors, or walls. This gives the artist to rework certain areas. The result is an even and smoother surface. Some examples of mosaics using the indirect method are tabletops, benches, and murals.

Look for the next post:  Mirror Mosaics Make a Beautiful Statement in any Home ~ Mosaics make a great additon to any home, home office our outdoor living space.  Check out MyStyles2Go for your home office furniture and furniture to accent any room in your home!