How to Decorate with Mirrors: A Dos & Don’ts Guide

It’s not hard to believe that so many homeowners see mirrors as more of a decorative item than a functional piece of furnishing. What’s great, though, is the fact that mirrors can very easily serve as both – functional and ornamental pieces that add so much more value to the space. In fact, mirrors are one of the first things you notice when you walk into a room. 

With that said, it’s important that the mirrors in your home don’t grab one’s attention for the wrong reasons. If you’re wondering how that could possibly happen, it has everything to do with choosing the right placement, style, and size. For that, Luxe Mirrors Australia has put together some crucial dos and don’ts when decorating a space with mirrors. Find out what these are below!

How to Decorate Your Home with Mirrors

As you look around your house, you may see a couple of places that could do with a new mirror; however, it’s important that you consider these tips or ‘dos’ when decorating with mirrors to ensure that the piece adds to the aesthetic rather than takes away from it. 

Here are some great ideas and definite dos to follow.

1. Group Mirrors

 

This is a fantastic way to decorate a room with mirrors because it distributes light differently, creates a focal point, and is visually appealing. There are many creative ways to go about this such as buying a set of same-sized mirrors to hang up in a uniform manner, or opting for uniquely shaped mirrors to create an abstract pattern on your wall. 

Grouping mirrors is a surefire way to grab one’s attention and never goes out of style! The key to getting this right, however, largely depends on where you choose to place the mirrors, as well as the size of the pieces. Consider a set of three full-length rectangular mirrors hung in a large room, or a bare living room wall that will reflect natural light. This is also an ideal option for your entryway. For smaller rooms or walls with limited space, a simple diamond-shaped pattern of square mirrors on the wall would look exquisite!

2. Use Mirrors as a Backdrop

You often see large wall-mounted or leaner mirrors placed behind a sofa to create a backdrop for the room. This works best when there is a perpendicular wall with a window on one side as it opens up the room, adds dimension, and brightens up the space. 

It’s important, however, to consider the rest of your seating arrangement as a mirror reflecting natural light may cause glare (at eye level) when sitting down in the room. Although drapes or window blinds can eliminate unwanted glare, it’s still a good idea to take that into consideration if you prefer a lot of natural light coming in during the day.

3. Highlight Standout Pieces with Mirrors

Clever placement of mirrors can be a superb way to showcase a special feature in the room. This may be in the form of wall art, a chandelier, a sculpture, or an ornamental piece of art. Typically, minimalistic mirror designs are used in this manner so as to allow the featured piece to stand out without overshadowing it. By doing so, your mirror indirectly serves as a decorative piece, too!

The size of the mirror should be chosen in accordance with the piece you would like to highlight. For a large piece of artwork hanging on a wall, or a pair of chandeliers, an oversized landscape mirror may be best suited for the décor. Just be sure to hang the mirror at the correct height in order to reflect the entire piece as viewed from the seating/social area in the room. 

4. Double Up Mirrors in a Master Ensuite

You often see end-to-end vanity mirrors in master ensuites which are, without a doubt, luxurious and enhance your bathroom interiors in a significant way; however, decorating this space with a pair of matching bathroom mirrors is a more effective way to add character and style to the room. Whether you choose ornamental designs or simple frameless mirrors, they will dress up your bathroom interior while serving your functional/vanity needs. 

Remember, twin mirrors are intended to be centralised over his and her sinks, and must be proportionate to the vanity cabinets below. A good rule of thumb is to leave at least four to five inches of space between the side of the mirror and the edge of the vanity (on both sides). 

5. Incorporate Mirrored Furniture 

Homeowners are jumping on the trend of decorating rooms with mirrored furniture pieces, and for good reason! You can find coffee tables and end tables made up of mirrored panels on all sides which create the illusion of something that’s there but appears to not exist due to their close proximity to the floor and reflection of the same. 

This dramatic effect is incredibly intriguing and unique to have in your home, especially when used in rooms with minimal interior décor. In fact, this is a major ‘do’ when it comes to mirrored furniture as added reflections in overly decorated or crowded rooms will create the appearance of clutter which you definitely do not want.

6. Match a Mirror to a Console Table

If you don’t have a mirror in your entryway, you ought to consider it! There are a couple of reasons why mirrors and entrances go hand-in-hand; for starters, it’s always nice to do a quick self-check in the mirror before you head out; similarly, guests can also get a glimpse of themselves before entering the living area of your home and/or greeting more people. A mirror in an entryway is also great for opening up this typically small space, especially when used to reflect light from a sconce or lamp. 

To bring an area in your house to life, whether an entryway or a passageway leading up to bedrooms/bathrooms, decorate the space with a console table and a mirror to match. You can do this by choosing the same colour and/or material for the mirror frame and body of the table, or perhaps, contrasting shades for an out-of-the-box design. Place one or two decorative items on the table to instantly dress up the area and create a little functional/social space. 

What to Avoid When Decorating With Mirrors

Like most interior décor ideas, there are unwritten rules that must be followed in order to prevent creating an eyesore in your home! When decorating with mirrors, these come in the form of some pretty obvious, yet mention-worthy ‘don’ts’. Let’s take a look at what they are.

1. Don’t Use Small Mirrors in Large Rooms

Unless you want your new mirror to look lost in a big room, choose the right size! Along with the perfect style and placement, the size of your mirror determines its aesthetic appeal and therefore, must be proportionate to the wall it hangs or leans on.

With that in mind, don’t be afraid to use large mirrors in small rooms. As the mirror design experts at Luxe Mirrors Australia suggest, you should take advantage of the opportunity to create more space in small rooms using oversized mirrors.  

2. Don’t Place Mirrors in Front of Your Bed

If you haven’t already noticed this, mirrors can be distracting when you are trying to sleep. Not only can the reflection of yourself or your partner moving suddenly grab your attention, but looking in a mirror alone can shift the energy in the room from calm to active.

Closet mirrors, vanity mirrors, and stand-alone bedroom mirrors should always be placed at angles that don’t interfere with your sleep. This means placing a mirror opposite your bed, or even at the side of your bed is a major ‘don’t’. Instead, consider hanging your bedroom mirror on a wall that is parallel to the bed’s headboard. 

3. Don’t Hang Mirrors at Eye-Level in Your Dining Area

A landscape mirror above your buffet is ideal, however, not at eye-level or angled in a way wherein you can see yourself eat. Bear in mind that guests may also feel conscious about eating if their reflection can be seen from different angles by the rest of the diners.

Generally, dining room mirrors are placed higher than one’s head when seated, or simply tilted to create the illusion of a higher ceiling and a more open space. Depending on the size of your dining area, consider centralising the room with the help of a large decorative mirror.

4. Don’t Use Twin Mirrors in a Single-Sink Bathroom

Remember, a bathroom vanity mirror should be centralised over the sink in order to maximise functionality. It’s a common practice to look in the mirror while you wash your hands which is why it’s important that the mirror is in the right place in your bathroom. While it may be possible to accommodate two small mirrors on the wall and still be able to centralise the pieces over a single sink, it’s not going to look good.

So, unless you have his and her sinks, steer clear of twin bathroom mirrors. On the other hand, if you have a wide bathroom vanity, consider a large bathroom mirror with a separate wall-mounted, extendable make up/shaving mirror on the side.

5. Don’t Reflect Clutter & Busy Areas

Any space that has too many things (even if organised neatly) can look like clutter in a mirror. The whole idea of decorating with mirrors is to show off the piece while showcasing beautiful artwork and décor, scenic views, cozy corners, and increasing natural light in the house; therefore, highlighting the wrong things will do the opposite instead.

Similarly, you don’t want your mirror placement/angle to reflect busy areas like a kitchen or home office. You should also avoid placing mirrors at the end of a hallway or passage that will reflect the next room, especially if it is a social area or an unflattering side of the room. 

6. Don’t Use Mirrors in the Kitchen

Why? Because they get covered in grease and stains on the daily! While it’s important to clean your mirrors routinely, you probably don’t want to do this every day. Nonetheless, homeowners are influenced by pictures they see in a magazine or on Pinterest, and often try to incorporate these ideas in their own interior design. You might have seen one such picture of a mirrored backsplash in a kitchen that looks exquisite, but you have to remember that your kitchen will get messy and untidy every now and then which will only be enhanced by the reflection of mirrors. Moreover, you don’t want to add more energy to an already busy area.

Yet another con of hanging mirrors in the kitchen is that prolonged exposure to heat can cause the glass to crack over time. To top it all off, reflections can be deceiving which is something you don’t want when working with sharp knives and/or around a hot stove.

7. Don’t Hang Mirrors Opposite Your Front Door

Not only is it startling to see your own reflection as you walk through the door, hanging a mirror opposite your front door makes one notice the piece for the wrong reason. For example, guests will be too distracted by their reflection to notice the actual beauty of the mirror. 

On the other hand, when a mirror is hung in an entryway where guests walk by, their eyes will first go to the ornamental aspect of the mirror before they get to a position where they can take a quick look at themselves. Apart from this, hanging a mirror opposite your front door is considered bad feng shui.

Lastly, don’t hang up your new mirror without taking any of these dos and don’ts into consideration! Decorating with mirrors really is an excellent way to complement your interiors and that’s exactly what you can do with this guide from Luxe Mirrors Australia.

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