The Complete Guide to Decorating With Mirrors
A mirror is more than just a functional accent for your home; It can also be a thoughtful decor element that imparts sophistication and timelessness to your space. Mirrors are available in a variety of styles and sizes and are an easy way to add fashion and function throughout your home. Our guide to decorating with mirrors covers everything you need to know, from ideas for using mirrors as decor to tips and tricks for hanging them.
Benefits of Using Mirrors as Decor
A mirror can serve a functional, fashionable, or strategic purpose in your home, depending on how and where you use it. Here are a few of our favorite reasons to decorate with mirrors:
Mirrors Make Small Spaces Seem Larger
The right mirror in the right spot can make a small room seem larger by reflecting the space in which it hangs. When attempting to artificially extend a room’s dimension, opt for a single large mirror instead of a small grouping of several mirrors, which fractures the reflection and impedes your desired effect. Position the mirror to reflect your view of nature through a window and bring the outdoors in, giving the illusion of unlimited space.
Mirrors Help Brighten Dark Rooms
Mirrors reflect natural light or illumination from lamps and other artificial sources, which helps brighten dark corners and rooms with few windows. For best results, place mirrors across from windows that offer significant—but not direct—sunlight. Similarly, light from lamps or overhead fixtures can quickly become glaring when reflected in a mirror, so be careful when placing mirrors behind or adjacent to artificial light sources.
Mirrors Offer an Alternative to Artwork
In many instances, you can hang mirrors where you would place artwork. Here are some suggestions for using mirrors as art to complement your style.
- Create a vignette. Grouping identical mirrors in sets of three over a sofa or on a large, empty wall provides a lovely focal point. Measure carefully to ensure even spacing; even slight differences in the height or distance between the mirrors can have a major impact on the overall look.
- Give a gallery wall a go. Incorporating small mirrors into a gallery wall adds depth and dimension to your design. Choose round mirrors or one with an ornate or unusual frame to balance the blockiness of standard rectangular picture frames. Or, use a mirror as the centerpiece and surround it with a series of matching frames.
- Make a statement. A single oversized mirror can be a dramatic decorative accent in any room. Choose a mirror that suits the size of the wall where it will hang and in a style that complements your desired aesthetic: An ornate or intricately detailed frame exudes a distinctly romantic vibe, while a round mirror with a thin frame—or no frame at all—offers a more modern look.
Mirrors Are Functional Decor
When decorating entryways and bedrooms, hanging a mirror can be just as much about function as aesthetics. A mirror above a console table reflects the natural light from the front door and provides a place to check your hair or clothes before leaving your home. The same is true for a mirror hung above a dresser in the primary suite or a floor mirror against an empty wall in the guest room.
Ideas for Decorating With Mirrors in Every Room
The right approach to decorating with mirrors may differ depending on where you’re using them. From living room walls to bedroom mirrors, explore our ideas for every room in your home.
Using Mirrors as Bedroom Decor
A mirror is a great way to brighten the bedroom and provide a practical place for getting ready in the morning or before a busy night out. Avoid hanging a mirror above the bed, which can pose a safety problem, or on the wall directly opposite your bed, which may interfere with the quality of your sleep.
Brighten the Bath With a Decorative Mirror
There’s no reason your bathroom mirror can’t be a standout: Consider replacing your standard frameless bathroom mirror with a more beautiful design. You can even swap out your outdated built-in medicine cabinet and hang an eye-catching mirror in its place.
Decorate Your Mantel With a Mirror
A fireplace mantel is a classic spot to display a decorative mirror. Opt for a single, large round mirror to balance the hard angles of a fireplace or mimic its squared-off shape with a rectangular mirror hung horizontally. The bottom of your mirror should be approximately four or five inches above the top of the mantel. If your mirror is too small to fill the space above your fireplace mantel, prop it against the wall, then layer one or two pieces of framed artwork and decorative accents to fill the extra area.
Add Drama With Dining Room Mirrors
The dining room is a wonderful space to hang a gorgeous mirror. Choose a mirror with a shape and frame to match your dining room’s vibe, whether you prefer modern and minimalist, traditional and refined, or rustic and farmhouse-inspired. Dining room lighting that features exposed candelabra-style bulbs may cause a glaring reflection; if your light fixture doesn’t have a shade or globe, counteract the effect by hanging a mirror with antiqued glass.
Welcome Guests With an Entryway Mirror
We’ve already mentioned our affinity for entryway mirrors—but there’s a right way to achieve this design approach. Steer clear of a multiple-mirror arrangement, as it impedes the functional purpose of a foyer mirror. Instead, choose a single mirror that is both practical and stylish. Hang it above a console table or buffet on a wall adjacent to your front door. For a more dramatic effect, lean a narrow floor mirror against an entryway wall—but be sure to affix it properly to the wall to prevent it from toppling when the door is closed or opened.
How to Hang Mirrors: Design Tips and Tricks
Heavy glass mirrors can be intimidating to hang, but don’t let that deter you from using this timeless accent in any room of your home. Follow our design tips and tricks to properly position and safely hang your decorative or functional mirror.
- Don’t hang a mirror from a single wire stretched across its width. The safest way to hang large mirrors is to give each “D” hook on the back its own anchored screw.
- Measure twice. While some artwork can be eyeballed, it’s best to be exact when hanging mirrors. Have a stud finder, measuring tape, and level handy before trying to hang your mirror.
- A functional mirror should be hung so that its middle is at eye level, or about 5 feet from the ground. The distance from the floor to the top of the mirror should be no less than 6 feet. Purely decorative mirrors can be hung at any height.
- When in doubt about the right height for hanging a mirror, it’s often better to hang it lower rather than higher.
- Pay attention to the room’s existing lighting when positioning mirrors to prevent creating a blinding glare.
- If you lean a floor mirror against a wall or a smaller mirror on a mantel, always attach it with a tether or anchor to prevent it from falling and shattering.
- Just as you prioritize scale when selecting area rugs, choose a size to suit the wall where your mirror will hang.
- For walls that are taller than they are wide it’s best to hang mirrors vertically. In long rooms, try hanging a mirror horizontally to mimic the dimensions of the space.
Reflect your style using our tips for choosing and hanging decorative mirrors that complement your aesthetic preferences and other decor. For more on making your house feel like a home with top-quality products and intentional decorating decisions, explore our other Guides.