Upgrade Your Space Using Mirrors

Mirrors are among a decorator’s best-kept secrets. In one circumstance, they add a bit of Gilded Age elegance; in another, they break up the monotony of an otherwise visually uniform space. If you’ve never considered decorating with mirrors before, see these five ways you can upgrade your space using mirrors.

1. Save Some Space

Economy of space is the name of the game when you live in a studio apartment or other small space. Murphy beds and fold-up kitchen tables are popular space-saving tools in these situations.

Now, you can add installing mirrors on the closet or bathroom door to this category. Rather than taking up precious (and limited) wall space, this tip allows you to use space that might otherwise go unused and wasted: the back of a door.

Try sticking a mirror with no frame to the back of a closet door using glue adhesive. You can also replace plain sliding closet doors with doors that come adorned with mirrors.

2. Create a Focal Point

Every room needs a focal point. Some rooms come with natural focal points, like a large fireplace or some other standout architectural feature. For those that don’t, a large mirror does the trick nicely.

To employ this trick, choose a large mirror and hang it on the wall you’ve chosen as your focal wall. Flank each side of the mirror with other decorative elements, such as sconces and small and large pieces of art.

Incidentally, you can also use a large mirror to enhance an already-existing focal point. It’s likely that you’ve seen this in action if you’ve ever seen a large mirror hung over a fireplace mantel.

What makes this setup really appealing is that the mirror reflects back anything that’s on the mantel. This means that candles flicker just a bit brighter and the room itself looks a bit bigger due to being reflected in the mirror.

3. Bring in More Light

Mirrors reflect light, making them an ideal choice for lightening up a dark space. That makes this tip one of the most practical uses of mirrors in decorating.

To brighten your space, hang mirrors on walls directly across from a window, or hang sconces on each side of a mirror. A large mirror also captures the light from your overhead lighting sources, so make the most of a chandelier’s sparkling loveliness by hanging mirrors around the room.

What’s additionally useful to know is that this trick works in rooms without natural light, too. For example, if you have a bathroom with no window, then hang mirrors in the space to reflect and enhance the lights that you already have in the room.

4. Enhance or Substitute Art

Who says that art is the only way to decorate a wall? A carefully chosen mirror can enhance the art around it, whether it’s a picture gallery over the fireplace or one that adorns the staircase. Add an ornate gold or heavy oak frame to a mirror to create a mirror that looks like a piece of art on its own.

This is a nice option for your home’s entryway. Typically, people look in the mirror right as they leave the house. Take advantage of this often-unused decorating space by choosing a table and mirror set. Flank the mirror with small pieces of art on each side. Think wall planters and other ornamental items. You can even go all out and decorate the table with a bowl for keys and other items.

5. Break up the Shapes in a Gallery

A gallery of photographs or paintings makes a lovely resting space for the eyes. However, most galleries consist of square- and rectangle-shaped items. A round mirror breaks up the visual monotony of such a space and adds an elegant touch.

Tips for Mirror Care

That big, ornate mirror that creates the focal point in your living room or the centerpiece of a stairway gallery requires a specific kind of care. That said, the care it needs is simpler than most people make it out to be. 

A feather duster removes dust from a mirror in short order and if the mirror develops water spots or other smudges, you really only need a bit of window-cleaning solution. If you’d like a home remedy of sorts, then use a bit of vinegar and water to wipe away smudges. 

If you really want to emphasize the visual difference, then choose a mirror that looks very different from the art around it. For example, if you have mostly modern art pieces, then you might try a round mirror with an industrial frame.

Experiment! You may just create a visually arresting space with very little effort but that has enormous visual appeal.

Final Thoughts

Mirrors are the home designer’s secret weapons. They save space in a studio or one-bedroom apartment, and they visually open up a space by reflecting and enhancing the light that’s already in the room. Mirrors can enhance the decorations and art you already have or be a decoration and piece of art all on their own. They are even relatively low maintenance in most cases, generally only requiring a feather duster or a light cleaning. And if your mirror does happen to break, there’s no need to panic! City Glass can help you replace the mirror in your existing frame.