Known as an interior designer’s secret weapon, mirrors are a powerful element that can update the look of your room. Like everything else, they come in different shapes, colors, and sizes, to satisfy each decorating style. They have different functionalities and benefits; from helping hide imperfections to making sure your space seems complete.
In this post, I’ll be walking you through some of my secrets to follow when decorating with mirrors and how to use them the proper way.
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I like to think of mirrors as artwork. Every single piece has its own personality. They were created for a purpose: to highlight and enhance a room. Even though they’re often considered just as a finishing touch, they do so much more. Here are some of the main advantages of decorating with mirrors:
1. They help a space look bigger.
If you live in an apartment or you have a small bathroom, incorporating a mirror can help open a space. By using reflection as a key optical illusion, they can help a room or hallway look less cramped and sometimes, double its size.
Take a look at this before and after:
See how the room completely transformed from something plain and common into a contemporary, yet classical space. The mirror doesn’t have to be huge to accomplish this function.
2. Mirrors maximize a room’s lighting
Not adding enough lighting is a
common decorating mistake I often see. When it comes to putting a room together, I always consider natural as well as artificial lighting to make it inviting.
By adding mirrors in strategic places, I can easily double the brightness of any room.
One secret here is to hang mirrors across from windows to bring more natural light into the room, or to arrange them to reflect the artificial lighting,
just like I did on this project:
3. Mirrors make a statement
A mirror can become the focal point of a room.
Even if they don’t have a bright color or creative shape, they attract the eye, making a space look complete. This is better accomplished when they are placed in key spaces like on a wall or above a table.
Take a look at
this project I worked on for one of my clients. It’s a very simple mirror, but when we combine it with the right accessories, it creates a lovely vignette.
Another tip to consider is
what you want your mirrors to reflect. Make sure to avoid any unwanted views. Redirect them towards windows, accessories, or existing finishes in the room. In this case, I particularly love how the colorful art is reflected across the room.
Rule #1. Select the room where you want your mirror: It could be a bathroom, bedroom, living room, or dining room. It's always important to know what you want in order to know where to go from there.
Rule #2. Now that you have a room, select a specific area for your mirror: You can either hang them or lay them against the wall. For these spaces where mirrors are commonly used I recommend placing them in the following positions:
Step #3. Choose the shape: you want to do this based on your space and follow up on key strategies like your decorating style and design goal. Some of the most common shapes are:
Round:
My personal favorite. Round mirrors are an excellent choice for several rooms in your home. Whether it’s a simple round frame or a decorated one, they work so well, bringing a balance to the rest of the elements in your room.
Take a look at some of these examples from my Instagram page:
Round mirrors are often used in bathrooms, as well, especially to balance out other elements, such as the squareness of the vanity in this case.
Square/Rectangle:
Classic never goes out of style. Square mirrors are a very traditional shape that can be used in several rooms. No matter where placed, they make a bold statement, especially when they have modern or abstract frames.
Square mirrors are usually placed when you have a lot of available space on a wall. If they are large enough, they can lean against the wall for a more modern look.
Check some of the creative ways you can use square mirrors:
As you can see, mirrors are essential to completing a room and making a statement. To make the right choice for your space, make sure to book a consultation with me, so I can examine your room, provide you with the best options and talk about the next steps to take.
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Find out what kind of interior design best suits your inner self. From Transitional to Modern, it's time to make your home a place you’ll love!
I work with busy families to create beautiful and functional spaces by providing local design services in the Charlotte/Waxhaw area and beyond through online design.
Find out what kind of interior design best suits your inner self. From Transitional to Modern, it's time to make your home a place you’ll love!
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