Almost all of MirrorMate’s frames are made of Medium Density Fiberboard, aka MDF.  It’s a composite wood product, made from wood pieces, particles or fibers bonded together with a resin.

Venetian Silver Wave frame made of MDF

We love it because it is strong, moisture-resistant and an eco-friendly choice.  No trees are cut down to make this material.  It is made from sawdust and undersized-forest harvest and re-purposed into MDF.  Isn’t it great when you can use something that would otherwise be waste and turn it into something so useful!  Most of the MDF is shipped less than 500 miles, within the USA, and then cut to size in our own manufacturing facility just outside of Charlotte, North Carolina…making your beautiful frames!

A customer makeover using Venetian Silver Wave

Almost all of MirrorMate’s frames qualify for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) green building points both based on the way they’re constructed and the fact that the frames allow users to refurbish and beautify their old mirrors instead of disposing of them with construction waste. It’s a process achieved with as little waste as possible and delivers the customer with a superior product.

It’s a product and process we’re very proud of, and we want you to feel the same about your frame.  Framing your mirror instead of taking it down and disposing of it is an act of green!

]]> http://www.mirrormate.com/blog/design-and-decor/a-look-inside-some-celebrity-bathrooms/feed/ 0 http://www.mirrormate.com/blog/design-and-decor/sherwin-williams-top-bathroom-paint-colors/ http://www.mirrormate.com/blog/design-and-decor/sherwin-williams-top-bathroom-paint-colors/#comments Tue, 23 Apr 2013 17:53:04 +0000 mirrormate http://www.mirrormate.com/blog/?p=940 Continue reading →]]> It’s National Painting Week and to celebrate, we asked Sherwin-Williams what their most popular paint colors are for the bathroom.  Here are their top four hues – all very light and airy, just perfect for a bathroom.

1) Sea Salt

2) Tradewind3) Recycled Glass

4) Fashionable Gray

To see more of these paint colors used in rooms, visit our Pinterest board!

“Attention to detail throughout the home can make the difference between a house that sells and one that sits on the market,” explains Kate Hart, one of America’s top home stagers and owner of Hart & Associates Staging & Design.  “In particular, improvements to the kitchen and bath – the two rooms that sell a home – will always help bring in the buyers.”

Below, Kate Hart shares some easy and effective home improvements that homeowners can do to make a big change without breaking the bank.

Curb Appeal: First impressions are everything, and this has never been truer than in today’s market. To leave a positive impression on buyers, take care of any exterior maintenance issues before buyers arrive, such as power washing walkways and patios, cleaning your gutters, touching up peeling paint, replacing broken light bulbs, edging and mulching beds, and adding fresh annuals. Some free things you can do include polishing your front door hardware and sweeping away pesky cobwebs.

Kitchen: Give your kitchen a mini facelift on a budget by repainting your cabinets instead of replacing them.  For a more contemporary look, consider a semi-gloss espresso brown.  For a more traditional look, opt for a semi-gloss creamy white. Complete the makeover by adding new hardware.  Considering professional help?  Ask your local painter if they can spray a lacquer finish on your cabinets. This treatment is more expensive than painting the cabinets yourself but the result looks like a factory finish.

Bathroom: Give an outdated bath a pick-me-up by replacing your existing lighting, faucets and hardware with updated styles and framing your plate glass mirror with a MirrorMate® frame. Easy to install, these frames come in many different finishes and give your bathroom a custom, designer look in minutes.

Bedrooms: Take your bedroom from lived-in to luxurious by creating a headboard that gives your room a more complete look. Measure the width of your bed and determine the height you prefer. Purchase a ¼ inch piece of plywood fitting these dimensions (ask the store to cut if for you) and cover it with 2 inch foam that fits the dimensions you selected. Wrap the foam and plywood with batting that can be purchased from a craft store. Finally staple gun a fabric of your choice around the headboard you’ve created. You can then hang the headboard behind the bed on the wall as if you were hanging a piece or art using “D” rings and hooks or attach it to your bed frame using bolts and washers.

Family Room: Make your fireplace or great view the selling feature, not your entertainment center. Chances are your family room is currently centered around the things you do everyday, such as watch TV.  Before showing, rearrange your room to showcase the architectural focal point of your family room.

Dining Room: Keep this room de-cluttered and streamlined so buyers can imagine how they can enjoy this space with their families. Before showing, make sure to remove any knick-knacks and extraneous items from your china cabinet or sideboard.  A rule to follow:  pack up any items that are smaller than a softball such as salt and pepper shakers, wedding cake toppers, and small figurines.

Living Room: Make sure you are selling your space, not your stuff. Before showing, again, remove any family photos from the mantle, end tables and bookcases. Give this space a less cluttered look by keeping no more than three items per surface. For example, go with a piece of art and a pair of candle sticks on the mantle instead of your favorite collection.

“It’s important to complete all your improvements before your home goes on the market because as the saying goes…you never have a second chance to make a first impression,” continues Hart.  “And once the sign goes up, you need to keep up the clean, de-cluttered look because you never know when you’ll have a showing.  It just takes one buyer to sell your home.”

About Kate Hart

Kate Hart is a pioneer in the staging field, having helped hundreds of families and realtors prepare homes for sale through her Philadelphia-area company, Hart & Associates Staging & Design. Her design work has been featured in numerous books and national publications, as well as on The Fine Living Network, HGTV Radio and CNN Headline News.  Hart was also recently recognized by the Real Estate Staging Association as “Staging Professional of the Year.”

Master Bathroom Vanity

Master Bathroom

Guest Bathroom

Guest Bathroom Vanity

Powder Room

Powder Room Vanity

Thick white frames are featured around the mirror in both the master and guest bathrooms.  A look that could be achieved with the addition of a chunky white frame like Pemaquid Porcelain White or Pacifica White Cap. The powder room’s mirror is accented with a two-toned frame, similar to MirrorMate’s Mediterra Glazed Earth. The bathrooms are both beautiful and inspiring – as is the entire home. For a full tour visit the HGTV site here.

#1 Pemaquid Slim Line in Old World Silver

#2 Acadia Oiled Bronze

#3 Pemaquid Slim Line in Dark Bronze

#4 Grandezza Aged Silver

#5 Chelsea Pewter Bronze

#6 Providence Oiled Bronze

#7 Grandezza Bronze

#8 Venetian Silver Wave

#9 Venetian Bronze Wave

#10 Pemaquid Old World Silver

Bronze continued to be hot in 2012, again taking 6 of the 10 spots in the top 10.  Three newcomers to the top 10 include Chelsea Pewter Bronze and both Venetian Silver and Bronze Wave. Below are some of these frames featured in bathrooms.

These are just 10 of the over 60 styles there are to choose from, so there is certainly one to match any decor and style.  Lexington and Waterside were just recently introduced and are already finding their place in many bathroom makeovers. We’ll soon share photos of makeovers using these new styles!

I’ve been spotting clothes in this hue – emerald tops and emerald earrings – for a few months now and it’s sure to make it’s way into home decor as well.  It can add a nice, cheery pop of color as an accessory in the home.

To give us a little inspiration as we head into 2013, we created a board dedicated to the color on Pinterest! Enjoy…and happy 2013 to all!