Mirrors 101: Complete Guide to Decorating With Mirrors

As a designer, I like to use mirrors throughout a home, and not just in the bathrooms. Not only are they decorative, but functional as well.

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 Increase 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 the space inviting. 

By adding mirrors in strategic places, you can easily increase 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. In our Refined Casual Living Project, we included a square-shaped mirror that is the perfect complement to the rest of the elements. Look how it makes the house look inviting and an exciting place to be!

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.

How to Choose the Right Mirror?

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:

• In a Bathroom: Mirror should be placed over the sink
• In the Bedroom: Hang a mirror on a large wall, above the bed, a dresser, leaning against a wall, or above a nightstand.
• In Living Areas: Mirrors can be near the front door, above a foyer table, or in between hallways to make the space look bigger. 
• In a Family or Living Room: Mirrors work best over a fireplace, or across the windows to help brighten the space.
• In a Dining Room: over the buffet table, or across the dining set.

Step #3. Choose the shape: you want to do this based on your space and follow up on key strategies like your design 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 decorative one, they work so well, bringing a balance to the rest of the elements in your room. 

Round mirrors are often used in bathrooms, as well, especially to balance out other elements.

In our More Fun than Fancy project, we sourced this rounded-shape mirror and added a little bit of texture with the rope edge to create some texture. It really gives an extra touch to this bathroom!

Shop my favorite round mirrors here:

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.

In our Light and Bright Project, we wanted to create just the perfect balance with a metal frame rectangle mirror. I love how it just falls perfectly and balances the rest of the elements in this bathroom.

Shop my favorite square / rectangle mirrors here:

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.

If you’ve found this information helpful make sure to share it with your family and friends and follow me on social media to get more inspiration.

Pin this article here