They may not look like it, but the Tafla Mirrors are actually huge slabs of stainless steel. Really. Yes, they could function as a mirror with those reflective finishes, but their real purpose is to serve as distinct, wtf-is-that wall decorations, since they look like giant inflatable blobs that just happen to be super shiny and made from hard metal. Seriously, they’re awesome.
Designed by Oskar Zieta, each of the pieces are manufactured using a process called FIDU (free inner-pressure deformation), in which welded sheets of steel are inflated using high-pressure air. So, yeah, they blow up the steel as if it was a silver Mylar balloon. Yes, the results of that are as unpredictable as it sounds, which is why every single one of these pieces is absolutely unique, making for truly special objects.
While they can’t control the final form of each Tafla Mirror, they do have control of how big the metal sheets they’re using are. As such, the pieces come in six different sizes, ranging from 19.75 x 21.75 x 2.25 inches (h x w x d) to 100.5 x 39.25 x 2.25 inches, all of them bearing the same mirrored finish and partly incidental shape. Do note, since the surfaces are somewhat curving, the reflections tend to resemble the ones you’ll find in a hall of mirrors at a carnival, so it’s probably not a good idea to buy a large Tafla Mirror and use it to stand in front of while getting dressed every morning. Unless, of course, you find that funny. I know I do.
Sadly, the Tafla Mirrors are exponentially more expensive than either mirrors, balloons, or regular sheets of steel, with prices ranging from $767 for the smallest to $5,850 for the largest. They’re available now.