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| Bronze faux bois chairs are by Bernhardt and covered in Kravet velvet. The rug is by Paul Smith from the Rug Company. The sofa is by Lee Collection, and covered in outdoor fabric. Custom screens and table. |
"It was a dark space, and when you get a dark space with dark finishes and mirrors in there, the amount of glare is intense. It was a challenge—how do you show mirrors elegantly?—because it can get garish quickly," says McGaha. "My goal was not to make it obvious they were a mirror and glass showroom, but to show how mirror might be used in a custom way." The 35-year-old company, which has been in the Trinity Lofts ground floor for 5 years, had been displaying their glass and mirrors like any other showroom would display its wares, with everything in full view. But when it comes to showcasing highly reflective surfaces (such as mirror) McGhaha says it's better to understate the obvious.
She designed a long bank of storage with drawers to hold mirror and glass samples that served multiple purposes. With the many samples organized and out of the way, "it really allows the designer to edit with a client," she adds. "A wall full of mirrors can be overwhelming." Custom lighting, created from the showroom's glass samples, are also a way of subtly showing the customer what's available, without creating visual noise.
The redesign also makes the showroom—known for decades mainly as a resource for builders— "a lot more welcoming to clients and designers, from the minute they come in," says McGaha. The black and white combo was carefully thought out, so that the showroom would not date. "What's more timeless than black and white?" she asks. "It was also the jumping off point for me. I'd kept a file of images of black and white rooms I always wanted to use in a showroom." One of her favorite elements is the high gloss black stripe painted down the center of the showroom, which draws you inside. It's repeated in the sofa stripe, but reversed—a white stripe on a black background.
Fashion Glass & Mirror will also showcase McGaha's first furniture and lighting line, due out sometime next year, she says. And of course, it will incorporate a lot of glamorous glass and mirror, she says.
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| Custom made and cerused cabinetry by Justin Andrews. The light pendants were designed to showcase the showroom's mirror designs. |
A display wall made of ebonized wood (so the grain shows) holds cast glass for showers.
The custom ottomans, in a black and white ikat fabric, act as extra seating.
