A mirror is the magic tool in the interior designer’s box – it plays with light and space and can trick the eye into seeing much more than there really is. Great mirror looks are so much more than decorative items, nailed to the wall or hidden behind a bedroom door for us to check our appearance before we go out.  

A mirror, strategically placed, creates space, moves walls and throws light round the room. Placed opposite a favourite painting or a door or window, the mirror gives you two of each and double the pleasure.  Where we hang the mirror is even more important than what the mirror looks like – it’s style, colour or frame. And that’s the beauty of a mirror – it’s what you do with it that makes the difference. Where you hang it and how…

Where to hang Mirrors and how to hang Mirrors

• Establish the strength of the wall, relative to the weight of the mirror
• If the wall is a partitioning wall dividing two room, hang only a relatively light mirror
• Does the wall support the structure of the building – ie it will either be obvious or you’ll know by knocking on it and hearing whether it’s wood or brick wall – then it can hold a heavy, decorative wall with a thick frame
• Once you’ve identified a spot to hang it, measure the width of the mirror
• Divide by two and mark the wall with a cross – where the nail goes
• Are there two hooks attached to the mirror, measure the width again, divide by two, mark the middle point on the wall with a pencil and then measure the distance from there to the hooks before drilling
• Nails to use: take advice from the place that sold you the mirror, but brick walls take thick, long screws and holes and a heavy duty drill

…and How to hang a full length Mirror

It’s super chic to leave a full length mirror standing, leaning against the wall, rather than hang – as you’ll see from the picture on the left. A standing mirror lends a studenty, bohemian and smart casual touch to the home. 

Still, at Du Your Home, we’re not great fans of standing, leaning mirrors – even a full length mirror looks better when hanging. How to hang it depends on what the purpose of it is. Is it for decorative purposes? Is it to check our attire in the morning or before a night out?

If it’s for decorative purposes in the living room, the mirror becomes a centre piece – same rules as above apply, find the corners and objects to be reflected. Similarly, avoid hanging it opposite the couch – you wouldn’t want to sit and look at yourself in the mirror all evening…

Great Mirror Looks: the Price of a decent full length Mirror?

Mirrors come in almost more sizes and shapes than any other piece or furniture, or accessory, but we need them – lots of them.  You can get away with £100 or $120 for an average full length mirror online, but of course also check smaller auctions which are full of vintage pieces.  Here’s a lean-against-the-wall full length mirror, readily available for those in a hurry to shop. When one mirror just won’t do. A mirror is a bit like lipstick – not too much or too many, please!

But for those who are particularly clever with design, grouping a series of similar or even different mirrors together can look spectacular.

Mirror Placement on the Wall

Where exactly do you place a mirror on a wall? It may be tempting to find somewhere on the wall where “it needs something”. Wherever possible look for opportunities to create extra space with the mirror, particularly in smaller apartments and rooms. Placed at the right spot, it can trick the eye into thinking there’s a door or a window, as seen in the picture, thus opening up the room and creating a sense of space. It helps make a small room feel less claustrophobic – a brilliant and affordable way to create more room, or at least a sense of it.

Mirror Decoration Ideas for the Living Room

Sometimes the mirror is more than just another piece on the wall – it becomes the focal point of the room.  And there are different types of mirrors…the minimalist mirror with no frame or a simple frame that doesn’t steal the limelight. There are classic mirrors with thicker frames that complement the mirror itself and the decor pieces and architecture around it. And then there are mirrors which are show stealers. Often they are period mirrors or in the style of.

The attached dusty grey framed mirror features ornate carving motif along the top – often the carvings are far more elaborate, specially from any pre-minimalist period. Antique stalls, markets and car boot sales are excellent places to find decorative mirrors. Of course, high end antique dealers and auction houses such as Sotheby’s and Christie’s are bursting with collectors items: mirrors with histories and spectacular carvings. Dining rooms are becoming increasingly rare, particularly in modern builds.

Even in period houses, the dining room is used mainly on special occasions. The kitchen is where people get together. But when the dining room, or the dining area in an open plan living space is in use, it’s nice to have the mirror close by. A mirror by the dining table adds to the aesthetic pleasure of the food and the sitting down together to eat. It opens up the space, however small, and adds ambiance.

Mirror in Bathroom Ideas

One room where a mirror is essential is the bathroom – here the decor aspect is the least important…it’s about checking the toothpaste or the shaving foam isn’t all over the place… Still, the bathroom is becoming, increasingly, a main feature of any home – particularly for re-sale purposes, and therefore extra effort is often put into making it a haven. And the bathroom mirror is no longer a necessary thing to be placed above the sink.

There are new, chic and ultra functional mirror designs on the market to help turn the bathroom into a special place. And they don’t have to be expensive. High street superstores and smaller retailers have an amazing variety of mirrors and mirror cabinets. Even so, the bathroom mirror no longer has to be purely functional. Where space allows – those lucky enough to have a large bathroom – can create a suite with a mirror most usually associated with the living room or bedroom.

Any mirror will do to create a personal space to truly spoil yourself. And they don’t have to be expensive. High street superstores and smaller retailers have an amazing variety of mirrors and mirror cabinets. Even so, the bathroom mirror no longer has to be purely functional. Where space allows – those lucky enough to have a large bathroom – can create a suite with a mirror most usually associated with the living room or bedroom. Any mirror will do to create a personal space to truly spoil yourself.

Mirror Placement in the Bedroom

If you need a full length mirror at home, the bedroom is the place to hang it – or stand it. it’s where you are most likely to get dressed and the obvious choice for checking.

This is the room where the mirror does more than brighten up the space or add a decorative touch. It’s a practical solution and where we really need to use it for what it does – reflect our image.

The natural place to hand or stand a mirror in the bedroom – particularly a full length mirror – is therefore where there is the most space and light.

But if space allows there is room to play with the decor. A pretty, ornate mirror above a foot stool will give the bedroom a feminine touch. Or on the wall behind the door if you don’t want the mirror to take pride of place. If the mirror is smaller, for make up or detail, then above a desk or side table is the norm.

Kitchen Mirror Ideas

The kitchen is often the darker room – particularly in city centres and in first time buyers’ homes. It’s the room, like the bathroom, that is squeezed into a corner by developers for maximum profit at a re-sell. Here a mirror is ideal for spreading light and adding space, optically. But what kind of mirror?

There are different styles for different rooms and uses, but our favourite mirror for the kitchen area – open plan kitchen diner or full size kitchen – is the window effect as featured.

It’s fresh and outdoorsy looking with a casual glamorous flavour. There’s a hint of something being ‘behind’ the mirror, ie it opens up to another space, perhaps a dining area.

We love this mirror for it’s playfulness and chic – goes anywhere, above the worktop, side table or anywhere there’s space.