A series of trompe l'oeil mirrors designed by New York City firm Bower Studios make shoe brand Gray Matters' showroom in Brooklyn look much bigger than it actually is.

Bower Studios designed the 2,000-square-foot (186-square-metre) space in the Greenpoint neighbourhood to provide a large appointment-only location showroom, and a studio for the design and operations of the women's shoe label.

Exposed wooden ceilings and flooring, and walls in the showroom are painted white and offset by pops of dusty-blue and orange details furnishings – all of which are designed by Bower Studios.

A prominent element is a large arched mirror, detailed with a curved black edge to make it look like a doorway. It reflects a curved orange carpet, which runs along the floor to meet it, and the surrounding white space to give the false impression of an additional room.
"Used in conjunction with the flowy, organically-shaped runway carpet, the mirror gives the dramatic illusion of an opening into an expansive, adjacent showroom space," said Bower Studios in a project description.

The studio customised the arched design from its series of graphic mirrors. Also featured in the showroom from this collection is the circular Orca Mirror, which resembles a porthole window near the rear of the space.

"The mirrors contribute to the young and spirited aesthetic feeling of the space, while also remaining elegant and refined," said the studio.

Gray Matters...