Doing A Design Double Take

I was perusing the online catalog Anthro emailed to me today and happened upon this mirror:

 

Anthropologie calls it the Weathered Curlicue Mirror and it includes this discription:

As if plucked from a 19th century farmhouse, this remilled pine mirror is full of rustic charm.

• Remilled pine, glass
• 34"L, 27"W
• Imported

An additional $30 will be added for shipping and handling. This item will ship via UPS Ground and is only available for delivery within the continental United States. Shipment to international locations, U.S. territories, AK, HI, P.O. boxes, APO/FPO addresses and express ship methods are unavailable for this item.

style #960030

$368.00

So, does it look familiar to you?  If you're a design junkie like me, it probably does because it looks very much like a mirror that appeared in Restoration Hardware's catalog months ago.  RH calls it the Mansard Scroll Mirror and here's a picture of it taken from their website:

This is the description for the Restoration Hardware Mirror:

Mansard Scroll Mirror

$295

Inspired by classic late 19th-century architectural windows collected in his world travels, designer David Thompson reproduces this mirror as a distinctive piece for the home.

Hand-carved from salvaged wood

Treated with customized stains and then hand-painted

Multi-step finishing process achieves a uniquely weathered, washed patina that makes each mirror truly one of a kind

Dimensions: 27"W x 2-3/4"D x 34"H

Catalog, Web and select stores

As you can see, the dimensions are the same for both versions.  I notice a distinct difference in the little double scallop at the top of the Antho version. It appears the scallops are inverted on their version.

I know vendors copy each others merchandise all the time but it's odd that the copy is more expensive than the original design.

So you can have the original design from Restoration Hardware for $295 or you can purchase the imitation from Anthropologie for $73 more at $368.  Hmmmm...it's a tough call ;-)

Hopefully the Restoration Hardware mirror's designer, David Thompson, is flattered by the rip off imitation of his design.

Kitchen Eye Candy

Wow!  That's the only thing that floated through my little head as I gazed at this kitchen.  Just. Wow!  I mean it is completely unlike any kitchen I've ever seen in my life.

The part of the kitchen that falls below chandelier level is relatively normal - crazy beautiful, but nothing we haven't seen before (click on photo to view larger picture).  But, what's above that is truly amazing - to me anyway.  It's part English manor library, part early American kitchen with all the pewter (at least many pieces appear to be pewter or maybe silver) dishes and serving pieces decoratively arranged on plain white shelves.

The owner of this beauty of a kitchen?  Joan Rivers, people...Joan Rivers.  Who would have guessed?

I love that they didn't move the blue towel with the dog dish out of the way for the picture.  Even famous and fabulously wealthy people have dogs that make a mess when they eat and drink :-)

Just can't adequately express my amazement over this kitchen.  So just wallow in the beauty of it and talk among yourselves.