Sorry folks, we've had a power cut in the office which has taken out our phones and internet. Hopefully we'll be back up and running soon! 

Domonic is attempting to raise £5000 for prostate cancer with this heartwarming short - created on a zero budget. With the help of friends, family and a couple of famous faces he happened to know (James Payton from Harry Potter and Emma Samms from Dynasty), Domonic has a produced a remarkably stylish, funny and  poignant short film with a belting sound track. 

We're always in awe of individuals who are motivated to such efforts for charititable causes, and Domonic is no exception. A truly monumentous achievement, and a very worthy cause.

If you like what you see, please check out http://daddancing.wordpress.com/ where you can easily donate through Just Giving.com 

Who Lives in a House Like This?

Lots of us apparently!

According to the institue of British Architects, Britain's new homes are far too small. If you are one of many people (including myself) who live in a pretty shoebox,  we have some ingenious space saving furniture. Read on!

Hettie Bedside Tables

Check out our "Hettie" Mirrored bedside table, which fits into the tiniest of gaps at a measly 35cm wide. It's slender legs and mirrored finish really make the most of your limited space.

Skinny Giselle Mirror

Our super skinny Giselle mirror not only fits into tight spaces, it maximises the visual space AND actually makes you look thinner. Bonus!

Pendant Chandeliers

If you crave the luxury of a crystal chandelier but only have a tiny ceiling, check out our numerous pendant chandeliers. They are an absolute steal and are all the perfect size for most modern shoeboxes. 

Mini French Chests

The "Demi" turquoise chest of drawers is a firm favourite here at Out There Interiors, and she's also perfect for your compact bedroom. Most French chests like this are twice the size! Also see Josephine and Princess.

Arabella Vanity Table

A dressing table is something so many people wish they had space for. Well perhaps "Arabella" will work for you? She's delightfully delicate and at only 80cm wide she will fit into unlikely spaces.

 Mirrored Tables at Magaschoni

We received this photograph from one of our lovely customers today. It shows two of our mirrored tables in a shop window in Knightsbridge. We think the they are perfect for this display; so simple and elegant.

These tables are Siobhan and Suzanna.

We're forever stumbling upon our furniture in TV and film, adverts and stylish window displays, but today we found a piece in a wedding photograph by Sam Hayword of samhaywordphotography.com. This gorgeous picture depicts a bride sitting at our "Racquel" white French dressing table, getting ready for her big day. We think both the bride and the dresser look stunning, not to mention the cornflower panelling.

Thanks Sam.

Introducing Harper-Seven!

We couldn't resist naming a new product Harper-Seven today in celebration of the Beckham's new daughter. And what better product than this awesome silver and white throne armchair from our French Furniture collection.  This large and highly decorative throne chair has a gloss white frame and shiny silver, crocodile print upholstery. The ultimate statement piece. We love ostentatious furniture like this, so go on, splash out on Harper-Seven today. You won't regret it!

We stumbled across this image earlier today and fell in love with the relaxed feel of this modern interior. It's the perfect example of how a modern (almost stark) interior can be uplifted and revived by the use of period wall mirrors. Placing two gold mirrors either side of a doorway and one in the centre of the adjacent room creates a feeling of space and light whatever the size of your space, and it doesn't matter whether the mirrors match; in fact the individuality of the mirrors adds to the eclectic style of the room. 

If you like this image as much as we do, check out our Mirrors category. We have several similar mirrors, and lots of others to get your imagination flowing. The image above proves you can do almost anything with these pieces and create something spectactular.  Happy browsing!

Image courtesy of: blackwhiteyellow.blogspot.com

When buying mirrored furniture customers always ask us "Can we change the handles?"

To date all mirrored furniture retailers have always said no. However with a bit of creativity and persistence Out There Interiors have finally managed to say "Yes."

View our selection of coloured glass handles here.

We’ve managed to source a variety of colours and styles which can simply be ordered along with your beloved new purchase and take seconds to attach.

So matching handles to your decor, or simply making your stunning piece of furniture stand out more than it would naturally is no longer a problem.

Give us a call if you like to know more.

The BBC reported today that the 17th of January is the most depressing day of the year. This conclusion is drawn from the 5 factors below. If you really can't see past the death of the Christmas tree and the lack of sunshine, here's the Out There Interiors guide to combating the January Blues:  

 Weather :  

If you don't like the weather in January, just avoid going out. Internet shopping has made home an easy place to hibernate, so stay inside and order all your shopping online.  We're great believers in retail therapy, so why not buy some nice sparkly things online. It'll give you something exciting to look forward to.   Invest in some mirrored furniture or a big Venetian mirror, or maybe some spotlight chandeliers to bounce light around your bedroom.

Debt : 

Ok, debt is rubbish, but in hard times the most fun thing to do is chop and change your lifestyle to be able to afford the stuff you want. So instead of thinking 'I can't go out as I have to pay off my credit card' why not think 'I'll forgo my Pret A Mange this month and have a nice meal out at the weekend!' We are great believers in justifying your spending by lifestyle shifts. We'll be writing a post on this soon so watch this space. You'll be amazed what you can afford.

Time since Christmas: 

Oh boohoo, Santa's gone back to Lapland and the snow has melted. Come on, you're not 12. The January Blues isn't usually about Christmas being over, but more the lack of stuff to look forward to, after all the summer does feel a long way off. Combat this by planning something -  a weekend away or a 'January Blues' dinner party.

Time since failing our New Year's resolutions: 

Yeah well, we all know that New Year's Resolutions are hard to stick to. Don't beat yourself up over this. You can make the changes any time of year and feel the benefit, New Year is ridiculously over hyped! The 'treat yourself' option is better than trying to start a fresh in the new year. Read our Incentives post for a new take on quitting the ciggies.

Low motivational levels

When its cold and miserable outside and there's nothing left to plan for it's understandable that you will have low motivation to go to work, the gym or even outside. At this time satisfy your need to be productive by making the most of your interior space so you get the full benefit of curling up on the sofa watching rubbish. Why not change your furniture around for a different perspective? Change works wonders for the mind, so get creative and pull yourself together! :-)

Ladies! How does your personality affect your furniture taste? 

Take our quiz to see how your character traits effect your interior style... and vice-versa!

(Ok, so it's just a bit of fun, but you know you want to do it)!

Question 1: You're having some friends round for the evening. What do you have planned?

a) Hearty home-cooked food and good conversation.

e) Your own unique tapas, cocktails and games.

c) A chinese takeaway, spirits and mixers, cool music.

b) Prawn linguine, Chardonnay, dancing.

d) Confit de canard, good red wine, art house cinema.

Question 2: You're going out for the evening. What are you wearing? 

b) Jeans, sparkly bangles, stiletto heels.

d) A fabulous couture dress.

a) A pretty cotton top, skinny jeans, ugg boots.

c) Pencil skirt, knee-high boots, tailored jacket.

e) A baby-doll dress, trainers and a cowboy hat.

Question 3: Your ideal man is?

d) Sexy, mysterious and older than you.

c) Attractive, successful, intelligent.

e) Easy going, off-beat and fun.

b) A popular guy, and a bit of a bloke.

a) Reliable, dependable, your best friend.

Question 4: Your ideal job would be?

a) working at home, looking after children and keeping your house beautiful. 

e) working with animals.

b) a stylish job in fashion or media with lots of travel and perks.

d) A famous actress or dancer with an exotic lifestyle.

c) Promoted to top dog in your current company.

Question 5: Your invited to a party what time do you turn up?

a) five minutes early.

b) 30 mins late.

d) Fashionably late - at least an hour.

c) Bang on time.

e) You get distracted on the way and end up in a drum and bass rave.

Which one of these rooms appeals to you the most?

d) turquoise rag rolled walls, marble topped console table, ornate mirror.

c) Printed wallpaper, high gloss furniture, statement mirror.

a) Off-white walls, country french furniture and pastel textiles.

e) Grafitti wall, crystal chandelier, Louis sofa.

b) Bright white walls, venetian mirror and a silver chaise longue.

Mostly A = Lady chic 

You love your home and your family, and are guilty of trying to be a bit too perfect. You favour 'safe' furniture styles but aren't satisfied with boring high street furniture. Your home is bright, freindly and very aesthetically pleasing. You love to entertain and (even though its not your ambition) you'd make the perfect house wife!

Furniture most suited to you: Savannah, Nicola, Sinead, Amelia

Mostly B = Glam princess 

Still very young at heart, you will never grow tired of gorgeous, sparkly stuff. You love to shop and admit to being a bit of an impulse buyer. Men despair of your flighty feminine ways but this is also your appeal. Your home (although not huge) is a glamorous party pad with big mirrors, pretty chandeliers and shiny reflective surfaces.

Furniture most suited to you: Victoria, Erin, Anabelle, Mercedes

Mostly C = Ice queen 

You're cool, calm and collected and your sense of style reflects this. You've gone for a stylish interior which is bang on trend. Your friends admire you for your togetherness, and you often listen to their problems rather than divulging your own.  You have common-sense a-plenty but may be lacking a little care-free creativity. Don't be afraid to let your hair down.

Furniture most suited to you: Lyndsey, Cady, Bellamy, Tanya,

Mostly D = Boudoir Mistress

You love the high life, opulent surroundings and spoiling yourself rotten.  Your interior style reflects your larger than life personality:  French reproduction antiques combined with theatrical flourishes and textiles. You're an exciting person to be around with acquired tastes and interesting opinions, just be careful not to alienate more down-to-earth personalities. 

Furniture most suited to you: La reina, hermia, Kara, Adora

Mostly E = Duchess Eclectic

Your impulsive, fearless and not afraid to stand out from the crowd. Anything goes in your home, as you believe your surroundings should reflect your personality. You love to mix and match furniture combining kitsch vintage pieces with genuine antiques and modern must-haves. You're not exactly focused, but great fun to be around.

Furntiure most suited to you: Edith, Demi, Malika, Jenny

Top 10 reasons to avoid high street furniture stores this January. 

 A new year, a new you, a new home. Many of us get this feeling in January, and with the prospect of all the 'high-street give-aways' out there, run out into the cold in search of that bargain bedroom furniture buying into the hype that we have been force fed since Boxing Day.  But it's unnecessary, uncomfortable and expensive. Here's why.

Reason 1: High-street shopping is horrible.

Furniture shopping itself is horrible on the high-street. Busy, cold, uncomfortable, trying to control or amuse your kids, driving around from store to store in search of a suitable chest of drawers (note the word 'suitable' not 'ideal'). Why would anyone want to endure high-street furniture shopping, when they can sit at home in front of the TV with a cup of tea, and see 10 times more variety?

Reason 2:  Opening times 

Ideally you'd put the kids to bed, leave your telephone number with the babysitter and wonder around DFS with a glass of wine. But usually the only time you can visit the high-street store is on your precious work-free Saturday afternoon.  And obviously you're not alone. When you insist on visiting the high-street store you have to play by the rules of the store, which involves subjecting yourself to a potential nightmare.

Reason 3: Limited choice

Not only is high-street furniture shopping hellish, its also very limiting. Very often you only see what's available in the showroom even though the retailer displays a ton more choice on-line.  We understand the sanity-check part of furniture shopping (You see something online and want to see it in the 'flesh' before purchasing) which is why we have a showroom here at Out There Interiors, however venturing out in search of something before you've done any online research is a sure-fire way to limit your choices. Not to mention very old fashioned.

Reason 4: Mass produced nasties

A lot of high street furniture is very cheap and nasty. The fluorescent lights of the showroom may give that veneer TV stand a shine, but after a month or so of use in your home, it soon shows itself as a cheaply manufactured chipboard nasty. We're not suggesting that there isn't plenty of shoddy furniture online, but there is no denying that there is more choice and more information available (seen reason 8). Also, as mentioned previously, if the shop only has a certain amount of showroom space you may well be steered towards dead stock the retailer wants to push.

Reason 5: High street furniture is often miserable

Limited choice is one thing, but the fact is that if you were to put the majority of high street furniture stores under one roof, the choice would still be limited in terms of style. When you think of high street furniture what springs to mind? High back leather dining chairs and oak effect tables? Wood effect TV units and glass coffee tables with chrome brackets? Divan beds and pine chests of drawers? Ooh delightful.  Avoid the high street and get yourself to Out There Interiors for some interior inspiration. 

Reason 6: Price comparison impossible

Very often products aren't exclusive to the high street furniture shops you visit. Many items are manufactured by suppliers who distribute to retailers. Often the retailer can set whatever price they like on that product, so by visiting just one or two high-street shops you may be massively over paying. It's impossible to know what other retailers are offering the same product by visiting high-street stores, you'll be driving around all year. Online all you need to do is find a product code or name and go searching for the best price.

Reason 7: Annoying shop assistants 

We all like to think we are not sold to, however shop assistants (especially those on commission) can be very persuasive. After all the hassle of searching for that 'suitable' chest of drawers you often only need a little push to just get it over and done with. A small discount just because its Saturday, the promise of a money back guarantee or free (impossible to claim for) damage cover and your sold. Even though you're not convinced. You go home worried that you've made the wrong choice.

Reason 8: Customer reviews not available 

One of the most important aspects of buying online is impartial customer reviews which are impossible to get in high street furniture stores. There you are buying that shiny coffee table unaware that the two-hundred customers to have previously bought it all found that the finish scratched badly within the first year.  Online customer reviews are readily available. Here at Out There we go a step further and ask customers for testimonials on our products so we can put them on the product pages for you to see. 

Reason 9: Doing your own delivery

Buying on the high-street often involves taking the furniture home yourself. Many impulsive shoppers make the mistake of insisting on this, but it's often a mistake. Squeezing a piece of furniture into the back of a car, carefully lifting it out again, manoeuvring a cumbersome item through your hall and up your stairs. Not to mention all the packaging to dispose of. Remember if you damage the furniture in transit you are accountable.  Do yourself a favour and opt for delivery. Let drivers who are used to carrying the furniture do the hard work for you.  Here at Out There we have a two-man service as standard, so you won't have to lift a finger.

Reason 10. Don't throw away your well-earned money

It's a well known fact that products are cheaper online. Online stores don't have to employ hundreds of staff or pay astronomical high street rent. With cheaper overheads online furniture stores can sell much more competitively than the high-street, and yet many people still feel nervous about buying furniture online. To avoid getting stung look for a furniture store with a simple returns policy such as our 'return on arrival' policy which allows you to send the furniture directly back if you don't like it.  

It's all very well thinking about how much you would SAVE but the fact is that saving is boring! And therefore its not the greatest incentive for quitting a habit you enjoy.

We all know that spending is much more fun, so instead of thinking how much you would save, we're going to show you what you can buy! Below is just a snap shot of what those pricey ciggies are worth.  In just four weeks quitting a 20 a day smoking habit you could have this lot delivered. And technically it won't have cost you a penny!

WEEK 1:

String and crystal droplet chandelier in Teal. This lovely turquoise beauty can be yours for sacrificing just 7 packs of cigarettes. The chances are that after quitting for a week you'll feel better and more determined to continue. This sparkly symbol of your achievement is also available in different colours if turquoise isn't your thing.

WEEK 2:

The ultimate Venetian mirror! Yours for just 14 packs of Malborough Lights, This pink glass beauty is hand painted with oriental flowers and makes a fabulously girly statement. Look at your glowing, smoke-free self in style.

WEEK 3:

Arguably the best incentive, this fabulous leopard print armchair marks the impressive week three achievement. It's amazing that this gold Louis chair can be yours for just 28 packs of cigarettes. By week three you've kicked the nicotine-cravings, now you just need a little push to lose the habit forever. 

WEEK 4:

Just a taste of what can be afforded by week four, this exceptional Art Deco mirrored coffee table represents four weeks of cigarettes.  By week four you are more or less home and dry. Maybe it's time to start saving that cash, or maybe you're happy to be healthy and enjoying the spending! If this is you, and you fancy our gold french bed it can be yours in week 24!

Our mirrored furniture is the first to get a revamp, being the most difficult range of furniture to capture in photographs. The few products we started with have dramatically changed the look of the website. The new images are cleaner, brighter and much easier to view. We should have done this years ago!

We have a lot of products to get through so the website will look a bit inconsistent for a few months, but soon all products in our signature range will get this treatment. We can't wait!

Check out our fabulous Malika Lanterns either side of the the lovely Kim Cattrall.

These images were taken for the recent production of Antony and Cleopatra at the Liverpool Playhouse. 

Out There Interiors supplied a total of ten Malika Moroccan lanterns to the Playhouse which were suspended on wires and pullied up and and down creating the different sets throughout the production. 

If we like your room enough we will link your pictures to the actual item description on the main site so potential buyers can see your room. We will happily give you the credit for the design and even include a picture of yourself if you wish!

We love what Jenny from London has done with her compact flat...

Ornate mirror propped against white wall in a                    Sienna venetian mirror on white bathroom

bedroom. Eleanor mirrored chest visible in reflection.         wall. Melanie Venetian mirror visible in reflection.

Demi french chest used as a bedside                             Melanie Venetian mirror on wall above pink

table. Monique pewter lamp on top.                               Toilet cystern.

 Hermia ornate gold mirror in narrow hallway. 

 Overmantel Venetian mirror on wall of kitchen.

Monique pewter table lamp on Demi french chest of drawers.
    

Zelda replica Arco lamp in retro front room.

So what’s with the outdoor images?

Well, for a start off it’s in our name.  If you start something you’ve gotta finish, right? Well when we started out we didn’t have anywhere sensible to photograph our mirrored furniture, so we took the first bits and pieces out into the garden where it didn’t reflect our somewhat questionable interior surroundings.  If you look closely at the images you will see some of our original products – the mirrored chest and bedsides pictured in front of a green fence, with sheds, bird feeders and goodness knows what in the back ground. When we moved into sensible premises we decided it was best to continue to photograph outside for the reasons outlined below. Before we knew it we were getting more adventurous with our pictures, hanging chandeliers from trees, setting ornate beds up in the snow and thinking of a permanent company name...

We’ve seen it, we’ve touched it.

One reason for sticking with the outdoor images is that they indicate something important.  You may see a lot of furniture stores using white-background images that you will see scattered all over the internet. These white-background shots are more often than not supplier’s or manufacturer’s images, which are taken and distributed when a new product comes onto the market. This means that if you own an interiors company you can advertise a whole catalogue of inventory without ever having seen any of the products! At Out There we like to make a little more effort than this. How are our sales people supposed to instruct you with your purchases if they have never seen, felt or experienced the products?  At Out There we choose the best items to buy, photograph and hold in stock; so we know exactly what it looks like, feels like and matches with.

Ever seen a pretty dress on an ugly person?

...Or an ugly dress on a pretty person? We have! Well that’s the way we feel about some of these “serving suggestion” interior design shots you will see dotted around the internet.  Now don’t get us wrong, some of them are lovely, but a lot of them can give you the wrong idea about the furniture. Take our antique gold bed and chairs for example. We think that these pieces work best with plain white walls, mirrored furniture and quirky lamps, but we’ve seen them put together with dark walls, burgundy tapestries and cushions on the wrong side of chintz (yes we believe there is a right side too).  The bottom line is that we hope our outdoor images allow you to see the furniture in a neutral setting so you can imagine your other possessions around them.  It also eliminates that annoying (and often mistaken) notion that you need to buy everything in the image to ‘complete the look’.

To avoid orange streaks

Ladies, ever done your make-up in artificial light, then stepped outside and looked at your reflection in horror? By photographing outside we avoid the furniture equivalent of orange foundation streaks. Studio lights can do crazy things to the colour of anything.  Check out these two white-background pieces of our chunky wood furniture below.  Both studio shots, and both exactly the same colour in the flesh! This is unbelievably misleading, one looks beech; the other mahogany, how is it possible? The true colour is reflected in our outdoor image on the left, the natural light not only shows the true colour, it also brings out the beautiful grain of the acacia wood, which is completely lost in the studio shots.

The whole secret garden thing

We know it’s weird, but there’s just something about picturing glittery stuff in the dirt that we absolutely love. We have some beautiful mature gardens, and it’s exciting to find different little spots to picture the products and watch how the images change through the seasons.  The locations provide their own uses, what better way to display a crystal chandelier than hanging it from the branches of a mature apple tree, photographing a mirrored chest reflecting vivid flowers, or lying a Venetian mirror on the grass so it reflects a cloudless sky? It’s a silly romantic thing but we are hooked! And we hope you are too.

Venetian mirrored furniture

The Venetian mirrored furniture style that is so popular today dates from  the 18th and 19th century. The elaborate ,ornate style that we associate with venetian mirrored furniture has a baroque influence. It is opulent and luxurious making venetian mirrored furniture a striking choice. Whenever a style is revisited a new modern twist is added and Venetian mirrored furniture is no exception. As well as the ornate rococco styles found in the Venetian mirror designs, modern taste also dictates more sleek clean lines (these are evident in our cabinets and console tables)  The combination of these 2 opposing styles is one of the most striking and appealing elements of contemporary interior design.

Venetian mirrored furniture in a contemporary setting

Often people introduce one or two pieces of mirrored furniture into their bedroom initially. Soon however they are so seduced by the spectacular effect of the venetian mirrored furniture that they return to add not only more items of mirrored bedroom furniture. (it is worth noting here that many of our most popular lines of Venetian Mirrored furniture come in matching sets) but also they often  wish to incorporate the mirrored furniture look in the rest of the house.  There cannot be any room which will not benefit from one of our stunning Venetian mirrors. We have even seen Venetian mirrors used to admirable effect in the kitchen. Some of the mirrored console tables are perfect in todays stream-lined interiors and the venetian mirrored coffee tables add a glamour which is constantly in view. Our Venetian furniture items combine beauty and practicality  for every contemporary interior.

Care of Venetian mirrored furniture

Of course Venetian mirrored furniture is fragile.  From long experience we know that Venetian glass must be treated with respect. All our venetian furniture is  delivered by our own courrier who is extremely experienced with mirrored furniture. Once your furniture has arrived in your home however a few simple points should be noted.

If your Venetian furniture needs some assembly, do think about where you do this and how you will get the mirrored furniture into position. I know it is easy to get carried away but a little thought and care now will ensure that you enjoy your Venetian mirrored furniture for many years to come. You may need to use screws to assemble drawers on a mirrored chest of drawers or to secure the doors on a mirrored cupboard. Always use the screws and washers provided and never over tighten the screws or you will smash the glass.
Once assembled and in situ your Venetian mirrored furniture will give endless pleasure. A quick wipeover with a disposable glass wipe will keep all items of mirrored furniture in pristine condition. You will be amazed at how many favourable comments  you will receive
At outthereinteriors.com we stock a large range of Venetian mirrored furniture. We are constantly on the lookout for new designs and many of our most popular products are exclusive to outthereinteriors.com as they have been commissioned from our own unique designs. If after browsing through all our products you do not see exactly what you are looking for please contact us. We will be happy to use our years of experience to advise you how to achieve the “look” you desire.

An article on the history of Venetian glass furniture

If you happen to be as obsessed with glass furniture as we are, you may be interested in the following article. We explore how glass came about, how it was shaped and refined to fulfil different uses, and finally how the Venetian glass furniture you see today evolved throughout the ages. It is fascinating to find out how the decorative glass furniture, with which we adorn our homes today, has its origins in the mists of time.

How glass began

A form of glass, created by volcanic action on certain types of rock has existed since the beginnings of time itself. It is believed that some Stone Age tribes made use of this naturally occurring glass, to make tools and other objects. (Believe it or not they weren’t making glass furniture at this stage, although we like to think there was the odd Gay Stone Age couple boasting a cave full of mirrored furniture). In the more modern world it is the Phoenicians who have been credited with the discovery of glass. The Roman historian Pliny (ad 23 -79) tells of how Phoenician merchants in the area of Syria rested cooking pots on blocks of nitrate close to the fire, around 5000BC. After time the heat of the fire caused the blocks to melt and mix with sand on the beach forming a liquid, the earliest form of glass. (What an amazing discovery. Phoenicians we salute you, and thank you for our amazing glass furniture)!

Earliest glass production

The earliest manmade objects are non-transparent glass beads, which have been found in Egypt and are thought to date back as far as 3500BC. Glass furniture was still a long way off at this stage! The first evidence of hollow glass manufacture dates from the 16 century BC with remains of glass vases found in Mesopotamia. But glass-making techniques were also developing simultaneously in Greece and China. (We love that China got involved in glass production. Most of our glass furniture is manufactured in China today).

The evolution of glass making techniques

It is not until around the last century BC that Syrians discovered the art of glass blowing. The Roman Empire with its domination of the Western World soon ensured that glassworks began to spring up all over Europe. Mirrored glass Furniture was not even a glimmer in the eye of a glassmaker at this stage. We hadn’t even invented the mirror! The importance of Venice In The Middle Ages Venice occupied a strategic position. The Venetian fleet ruled the Mediterranean. This gave the city access to the techniques of the Syrians and also allowed them to be influenced by Islamic design. The Venetian glassmakers became such an important part of the prosperity of the city that foreign craftsmen were forbidden from working there. But the Venetian’s didn’t want to keep the glass manufacturing in Venice. Why? Because at the time Venice was constructed almost entirely of wood, and glass production involves (amongst other stuff) FIRE. So in the 13th Century the panicked Venetians moved the glass industry to the now world famous Island of Murano (which was also made of wood)!

Murano

Moving the industry to Murano had the double benefit of removing a fire hazard from the city while at the same time making it easier to ensure that glassmaking skills and recipes were not allowed to escape overseas. The natives were so worried about the leaking of information that glassmakers who were suspected of breaking the secrecy were sentenced to death! The statement “he was eaten by a salamander" was the term used to describe what happened to these poor individuals found stabbed and floating in the canals. (Here at Out There Interiors we too are very protective of our glass furniture designs, although we feel like Venetian response is a tad over the top). The craftsmen of Murano started using quartz sand and potash made from local sea plants to produce very pure crystal of the highest quality and it is this that has led to their reputation for producing some of the finest glass in the world.

The invention of the mirror.

And it was near Syria again that another development of the uses of glass occurred. It was here that the mirror was invented. How did we cope without the mirror? (Never mind mirrored furniture...) Early mirrors were curved and must have produced a bizarre reflection, but by the 11th century flat mirrors were manufactured and the advantages of the item became more apparent (yes, yes, yes! Mirrored glass FURNITURE). The city of Venice came to the fore in the 13th century producing transparent mirrors in a crystalline style that was unrivalled. Venetian glass was not just used for the production of mirrors but was developed into glass chandeliers and other items of highly decorative glass furniture. All these items of glass furniture are extremely popular today.

Authentic Venetian Glass furniture

Venetian glass furniture has always been considered as the ultimate luxury product and indeed authentic antique glass furniture, which is extremely rare, is sold for amazingly high prices today. It is true that even reproductions made in Italy command a price, which is beyond the reach of most pockets. Buying original glass furniture is not without other problems as well. However good the quality of a Venetian glass mirror, centuries of use understandably take their toll and much of the antique glass furniture available is often in a poor condition and would not grace a modern home. If, of course, the glass furniture is in excellent condition, doubts as to its authenticity inevitably creep in.

Contemporary glass furniture Production

The decline in glass production in Venice from the 17th to the early 19th century was largely because Chinese merchants began to use the same trade routes the Europeans used and bring their cheaper glass to Europe. Ironically the re-emergence of the Venetian mirrored furniture style today, is largely due to Far Eastern manufacture. In the case of coloured glass furniture, costs are cut today by painting colour on the reverse of plain glass rather than creating coloured glass from scratch. This creates a product of excellent quality which is well within the aspirations of the modern homemaker. For a fraction of the price of the originals one can experience the striking effect of living with glass furniture. Even the addition of one item of Venetian glass furniture will make a grand statement in your home. Although the origins of glass furniture are undoubtedly Venetian many other styles have been found to lend themselves to this beautiful look. Glass furniture is produced in opulent French and Italian styles but looks just as effective when crafted into art deco, art nouveau or post modernist pieces. At Out There we specialise in many different styles of glass furniture. Whether you prefer the highly ornate, opulence of the etched glass furniture, or whether you go for a more minimalist look with sharp angles and clean lines or whether you just wish to introduce a funky art deco style piece as a talking point, we have plenty of glass furniture of all styles for you to choose from.

When you read our astonishing delivery charges you may have been thinking “yeah, but I don’t live in London!”  And then, when you read that it applied to the north of England too, maybe you thought “Yeah, but I don’t live in England!”

If you live in Scotland and want some mirrored furniture delivered (or any luxury furniture for that matter) then you may have previously found yourself in a situation where you saved up for weeks and months to buy that perfect mirrored chest of drawers, only to place it in your virtual basket and find that the delivery charge costs half the price of the chest itself.

Can other companies justify the extra cost?

The Welsh don’t usually suffer from ridiculous delivery charges. Maybe they get the odd £20 surcharge due to the Seven Bridge Toll, but generally it’s the diesel costs up to Aberdeen or Inverness which put off most small delivery companies; or those which specialise in mirrored furniture transportation.  And it’s NOT an unjustified feeling. The journey from London (where most mirrored furniture companies are located) up to Scotland is a tough one, especially when planning a route up the right-hand side of the country. With no-motorway linking Newcastle and Edinburgh this is not only an arduous drive; the length of time a driver spends on the road has to justify itself for the logistics company.

Luxury, unusual, glass and mirrored furniture are not mainstream furniture products. They appeal to those with an eye for modern interior design only, and those who care deeply about the look, feel and atmosphere of a living space.  For those of us who have this feeling ingrained it is hard to believe that the majority of people have vastly different tastes, or are satisfied with mediocre (non-mirrored) furniture :)

So if you’re really bored today you could consider the following problem...

A typical mirrored-furniture-Scottish-delivery-dilemma

So imagine (if you can) that you’re the owner of a London based mirrored furniture delivery company, and you’re considering a Scotland delivery run. Your customers pay £29 for their delivery, and you know you have to reach a customer in Inverness who’s ordered a full set of mirrored bedroom furniture.  After a bit of thought you realise that to just breakeven you will have to deliver enough mirrored furniture to cover the cost of the diesel, the time, and the wages for your driver; not to mention the basic running costs of your van (maintenance, tax, insurance).

That’s a lot of mirrored chests!

After pondering over the figures for a few minutes you start to realise that this is not an easy task. You know that your mirrored furniture is not a mainstream product, and it will take you about 6 months to build up enough mirrored furniture deliveries (not to mention the purchase of a huge articulated lorry) before your company can afford to do the run. But your customers expect their deliveries within 2 weeks of their purchase date, so how are you going to manage???

Solution?

Easy. You put your prices up. By charging £50 - £250 per delivery for each mirrored furniture order you can make smaller, more frequent deliveries.  Your customers get their mirrored furniture on time, your drivers are sensibly paid (so do a better job for you) and you have also made some profit (we all have to make a living, even courier companies)! So you’ve sold the problem! Or so you think...

The above situation sounds great, but it’s not so good for the mirrored furniture loving Scots! It is also a real dilemma for furniture companies like us who want to reach the Scottish market. If specialist delivery companies can’t do it, then how is a company that specialises in mirrored furniture supposed to solve this problem?
Well most companies can’t, for the reasons explained above. And the purpose of this article is not to point the finger at our competition, but to point out that mirrored furniture deliveries are not only fraught with problems when it comes to fragility, they are also very difficult to make profitable with regards to distance and time.

How have we solved the Scotland delivery dilemma?

We at Out There have solved the mirrored-furniture-Scottish-delivery-dilemma. We do not penalise customers for living in remote locations. You can have a whole set of mirrored bedroom furniture delivered to Inverness for £29, and you can have it within 2 weeks (stock permitting of course).  How have we done it? Well, sorry to do this to you folks... but that would be telling wouldn’t it

Below are some testimonials from our happy mirrored-furniture loving Scottish customers: