Low to High: Sunburst Mirrors

Sunburst mirrors are showing up all over the place lately. (Are they part of Becky's "Trendy Objects Drinking Game" over on Hatch? If not, they should be.) And for good reason -- they add instant drama, a touch of sophisticated swank, and undeniable fabulousness to your space.

But like many pieces of popular decor, there are literally dozens of variations available at a startling array of price points: everything from relatively small and spare versions that you can find at your local mall store to substantial, pristine antiques that will set you back several thousand dollars.

Let's take a look at the options and weigh their relative merits:

West Elm Convex Star Mirror, $49: This is definitely affordable and has a clean, modern sensibility -- but it seems a bit small (it's not quite two feet across), spindly, and sad compared to the others here.

Solare Mirror from Ballard Designs, $119: A nice size (three feet in diameter) at a great price.

Z Gallerie Prague Mirror, $139: A simplified contemporary take on the sunburst shape, this is well-priced and has presence -- but also strikes me as a bit generic.

Starburst Mirror from Crate & Barrel, $199: This 30-inch model alludes to the metal wall sculptures that were popular in the Sixties and Seventies, and I like the combo of brass and steel.

Cyrus Mirror from Horchow, $220: Another contemporary variation on the classic sunburst shape; it's a bit too childlike for my taste, though -- something about it makes me want to draw a happy face in the middle, like a child's sketch of the sun.

Linen Source Sunburst Mirror, $229: Great size (it's more than three feet in diameter) with a glam style that nods to the vintage versions; the mottled faux finish worries me a bit, though.

Vega Mirror from Ballard Designs, $229: In my opinion, this is the modern sunburst that comes closest to emulating the gilded antique models; plus, at nearly four feet in diameter, it's a good deal for the size.

Gold Sunburst Mirror from eBay Store Highgatehome, $234: Compare this to the strikingly similar (but much more expensive) mirror from Biggs Powell, below; personally, though, I'm not quite ready for the return of gold decor.

Kenneth Wingard Sunburst Mirror from CSN Lighting, $349: Aside from West Elm's, this sparkling model is probably the best fit for a really modern room; I like how it mimics the form of midcentury teak sunburst clocks, too.

Howard Elliot Rio de Janeiro Mirror, $420: The shape of this mirror is a close match for the vintage originals, but that bright bronze finish kind of scares me (there is, after all, a very fine line between fabulous and tacky).

French 1950s Brass Convex Sunburst Mirror from Biggs Powell, $1,300: Wonderful form and sterling provenance, but the cheapskate in me would probably opt instead for the Highgatehome knock-off, above, for about a fifth the price.

Circa-1930 French Gilded Mirror from Lebreton-Laurence, $2,700: Super-swanky, to be sure -- but ouch, that price; at 26 inches, it's a little on the small side, too.

French 1940s Gilded Sunburst Mirror from Barley Twist, $2,800: You can't get more glam than Forties French decor, and I love how the sun's rays alternate between long and short; still, that price is more than I bring home in a month.

Circa-1970 Mexican Sunburst Mirror from Douglas Rosin, $8,000: Yowza -- if I ever win the lottery, this five-foot-plus baby is all mine.

Which is your favorite?

(Photo at top from British Homes & Gardens magazine.)

Low to High: Capiz Shell Chandeliers

So I was clicking around on the amazing Emmerson Troop site the other day, drooling at all the gorgeousness that I will never, ever be able to afford.

Then I spotted the capiz shell chandelier above. "Oh," I thought, "that's just like the one from West Elm that we hung over the staircase." Then I looked at the price: $3,360. (Yes, you read that right: Three thousand three hundred and sixty dollars.)

Now, I'm sure that Emmerson Troop's chandelier is handmade by skilled artisans over the course of three years in an endangered rain forest in the South Pacific and that each delicate, iridescent shell is backed in solid gold or something. But $3,360? The West Elm version is $99.

Then I did a little Googling, and quickly found five other variations of this pretty light. Turns out that West Elm's isn't even the cheapest, and there are a few versions that cost a few hundred bucks apiece.

Lets take a look at them all side-by-side, shall we?

Top left to right: Gwen Carlton Hydromedusa #4 Pendant, $3,360, at Emmerson Troop; Tiered Capiz Chandelier, $645, from BeachDwelling; middle left to right: Ballard Designs' Capiz Shell Pendant, $349; Capiz Shell Chandelier, $318, at The Well Appointed House; Capiz Chandelier, $128, from SeaCrest Trading Company; bottom left to right: West Elm Capiz Circles Pendant Lamp, $99; Capiz Hanging Pendant, $70, at Cost Plus World Market

Granted, the Emmerson Troop-version has a designer name attached -- plus, it's triple-tiered, larger, and clearly has a lot more shells than the others. But is that worth the $3K price difference?

You decide.

Low to High: Egg Chairs

I've been noticing a lot of furniture "inspired by" the classics lately -- everything from subtle homages to straight-up ripoffs -- as well as some very similar styles in non-trademarked designs that are available at a startlingly wide range of price points.

So I'm trying out a new blog feature called "Low to High" that will compare the high-end designs and the knockoffs side-by-side. (Please feel free to alert me to other examples, and to share your thoughts on buying high vs. low -- and the quality and aesthetic compromises that entails.)

Here, we have Arne Jacobsen's iconic 1958 Egg Chair. Well-preserved originals and authorized reproductions, which are made from the original plans and often by the same manufacturer at the same factory as the real deal, command several thousand dollars. Unauthorized reproductions are a bit less, but probably don't quite measure up in terms of quality of construction and materials, as well as investment value. Finally, there are the pieces that are clearly modeled on the original, but that sell for a fraction of the cost -- and often offer a fraction of the quality and long-term value.

To wit:

Top to bottom and left to right: IKEA Karstad Swivel Chair, about $490; Commander Swivel Chair, $499, from EQ3; "Bolero" Egg Chair Reproduction, $1,150, from Modern Furniture Classics; Egg Chair in wool, $4,892, from Hive Modern; Egg Chair in leather, $10,680, from Design Within Reach

Clearly, DWR's authorized leather Egg is the best-looking of the bunch, and will likely retain its value in the long run. But is it $10K worth of better looking? I guess that depends on your standards -- and your bank balance. Hive Modern's wool version -- which is also manufactured in Denmark by Fritz Hansen, the maker of the original Egg -- is equally swanky. The Bolero looks OK, but I don't think I'd spend more than a grand on a chair whose provenance and authenticity was a little murky. EQ3's polyester-covered Commander just looks a bit saggy, sad, and shabby in comparison to the others.

Personally, I think the IKEA Karlstad is a fine-looking chair at a reasonable price, and it's upholstered in real wool. (This chair is currently available only in the United Kingdom, but I'm hoping it hits these shores soon.) Of course, being from IKEA, I know that it will probably fall apart in a few years. Maybe someday I'll be in more of a position to choose "investment pieces." But for now, that's my pick.

What's yours?