Really, I am such a contrarian, anti-authoritarian, pain-in-it, yes I am. If I have any sense whatsoever that the design powers-that-be believe something is *hideous*, I will go out of my way to find a way to say that it is fantastic. Sometimes I think I can cloud my own vision. But not in the case of: Mirror tiles from the 1970s. My vision is not clouded, it is clear: These are so much fun. Life is short. Have A LOT of fun. And if you Go Too Far with Decorating — Heck, It’s Only Decorating. I recently went on the hunt for vintage mirror tile, and here is what I found, along with lots of artsy fartsy photos of two boxes of New Old Stock diamond coppertone mirror tiles that are now mine all mine *buwaha* or however you spell it evil laugh…
I got the idea to use mirror tiles when I began thinking about decorating ideas for my office/studio remodel. As regular readers know, I have become a bit obsessed with the 1970s. My office/studio will be My Hippy Place.
I don’t know exactly how mirror tiles entered my consciousness. For sure, I’ve seen quite a few of them, for example, in time capsule houses. Usually, they are discussed with derision. Definition of derision, from The Free Dictionary.
However, I thing that they are pretty darn cool. You can use as many or few as you like. They are DIY. They reflect light back into a room. They have texture. Why the heck not.
I originally went looking for gold vein mirror tile. The classique. However, I could not find any new. Well, correction: My glass guy here in Lenox, Carl at Lenox Glass, did find me some new. It was just what I was looking for, but OMG, it was $80 per tile. Yes: $80 per tile.
I also found some on craigslist — gold vein tiles, vintage, 44 pieces for $88 dollars, or something like that, in Cranston, Rhode Island. That’s a three-hour drive for me. I thought about it. But my tusch hurt just thinking about it. Update: They are still there, price is down to $1 a tile. That’s a great deal!
Antique mirror tile — 12 designs
I searched ebay and etsy. Etsy – Bingo! – I found the little motherlode that I was looking for: Several styles of New Old Stock mirror tiles from seller cosasraras. There was a big stash uncovered that is now being unloaded.
Cosasraras has faux bois woodgrain mirror tiles (above). These were very tempting.
Cosasraras has black vein mirror tile.
She has mirror tiles with little diamonds outlined in white. There are two “colors” of mirror in this design: plain mirror inside white-painted diamonds, and coppertone mirror inside the white diamonds. I took a chance and ordered the coppertone. It’s kind of pinkish copper — the photos up higher and thumbnailed on the right are pretty true. I like my tiles a lot. They are weird.
Antique mirror tile — with scenes
Oh, cosasraras has scenics, too — like the sailing ship, above. Note how it is framed with the faux bois.
There are even Miro-esque scenes. Miro Mirro mirror tiles, hahaha. The come-hither poses on these boxes: priceless. Mirror tiles must have been 70s codes for … swingers? Cover your eyes, under-18s!
Airplane tiles. Ukelele. You gotta love the 70s. You gotta.
Repita: New Old Stock 1976 Mirror tile from cosasraras on etsy, still a wee bit left.
nina462 says
Pam – a couple years ago there was a goofy tv show called “That 70’s house” on MTV. You can wikipedia it – good for a laugh.
TroySF says
Hi Pam! Groovy post, lovin’ mirror tiles. I looked for gold-vein mirror tiles when I bought the house (for behind the shelves of the built-in liquor cabinet) but couldn’t find them. Last year I found about 50 tiles at a reuse shop – have tiles, need project! 😉
pam kueber says
Phew, I’m glad I’m getting the TroySF seal of approval. You are one of my decorating gods, T.
petek says
Hi, the gold vein mirro tiles, are they on smoked mirror and would you part with 9 pieces?
tks, Pete
tammyCA says
Back in the 70s we had some gold-veined mirror tiles on the wall. It wasn’t a “happenin” house, must’ve just been an easy way to put a mirror up…peel & stick just like the peel & stick “carpet” squares in the bathroom.
I never thought I would like anything again from the 70s era, but I can’t help but feel “happy” when I see flower power decor and fun bright color combos like orange, pink and yellow…just did a retro 60s-70s birthday party for my daughter – very easy since peace signs & boho is so IN right now.
Kim says
Oh gracious. My father designed and built our 1972 split-level (sort of a “Mediterranean” ranch), and installed a wall of gold-vein, smoked-mirror tile on the wall behind the bed in the master bedroom. I still long for that house, though perhaps not that particular element. Sadly, it didn’t save my parents’ marriage! 😉
Michael says
A post on dotted Swiss curtains immediately followed by one about mirrored wall tiles? You know, “Sybil” came out in the 1970s too… 😉
pam kueber says
I love a lot of stuff from the 70s, but also, Michael, I’m just continuing to roll out things from all era that I haven’t covered before. In terms of designs, ideas, products — I think I have the immediate postwar era through the early 60s pretty well covered — in terms of what folks back in the day did, and how readers might replicate various looks today. Now, I’m continuing to move forward into the 60s and 70s. I also am scanning for earlier — 20s, 30s, early 40s — but I also have featured a variety of items from that period (which is less complex, from a home design standpoint, I think). Make sense?
Michael says
Absolutely! That was meant to be a little good natured teasing. 🙂
Jon Hunt says
Next: MIRRORED WALLPAPER, Pam. You know you wanna.
pam kueber says
of course i do all glowy! oh and flocked of course, too!
Jay says
Oh Boy! I can see where you are going with the redo of your office. Did you leave room for tye dyed items? Sounds like you are embracing the 70s head on.
Lynne says
I was at the Sherwin Williams today, and they have a wallpaper book with all foils. If this is the route you are taking Pam, you might want to give it a look-see.
pam kueber says
Will do!
TappanTrailerTami says
Well, I’m a day late on this….but while we are on mirrors (the diamond mirrors are FAB!)….here is the bedroom set to HAVE 🙂
The auction just ended, but no buyer….but I am seriously swooning over this one!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&_trksid=p4340.l2557&item=140730505957&nma=true&rt=nc&si=xq8rn3cKGeW1PhzucCpG3byGEHU%253D&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc
TappanTrailerTami says
Oh…be sure to scroll down to see the set…..
pam kueber says
WOW to those mirrors for sure!
jay says
When I was growing up in 60/70s, there used to be lots of advertising on TV and in the papers for companies that installed walls of mirrors in Philadelphia area homes. I would imagine there is still lots of it surviving to this day. Not quite mirror tile but i have the gigantic plate glass mirror over my couch that my parents had over theirs when they bought their house in 1951.
nina462 says
So – not my cup of tea. My dining room wall in my 70’s townhouse in Minneapolis, had 3 ceiling to floor mirrors – which at least were clean looking. Other neighbors had the gold veined smaller tiles. Little note: – if you have those and don’t like them – you can cover with wallpaper & then paint, as some of my neighbors did.
BlueJay says
I love mirror tile. My wife, however, does not share this love. If it were up to me, our house would be covered in groovy mirror. 😀
hannah50 says
Oh geez Pam – I’ve been looking for gold vein mirror tiles for years here in Maine. At least 8. They’re always on eBay and they always cost a fortune, and then just thinking about shipping fees….*yikes*
I’m not giving up though – I’m guessing they’ll come my way one day. I’ve never seen the ones like you purchased, but I like those VERY much – maybe more than the gold vein!