How to Decorate with Mirrors

While Snow White might have made this phrase popular, you don’t have to be a fairy princess to know that mirrors are excellent accents and can bring excellent, complementary design to a room. Whether you’re redesigning a room or just looking to add character or light to a space, check out how you can use mirrors to do more than show a reflection.

• Add light to a space. Lighten and brighten any room, especially if it has limited outside or natural light flowing in. Think of mirrors like faux windows that create the illusion of seeing through to another space. Adjust the positioning of a mirror to ensure it doesn’t have an odd reflection, but also feel free to experiment with placement. These can really help reflect or show off a particular view, work of art or element of your room.

• Make a small room seem larger. Mirrors can visually expand a space. Experiment with large mirrors in small spaces, or consider a mirror that covers all or most of a wall. When hanging them, adjust at different heights to ensure you don’t awkwardly cut off a person’s reflection.

• Create a different feeling in hallways or entryways. Play around with placing similar-size mirrors down a hallway, or place a mirror at the end of a hallway or immediately in an entryway. Multiple mirrors spaced out evenly can change the feel of a space. Mirrors in entryways can be great for creating a space for welcoming and literal and figurative reflection for guests.

• Design a salon-style wall. Using mirrors and framed art of different shapes and sizes, cover a wall to create an artistic salon feel that gives the eye different objects to focus on with a dramatic effect overall.

• Build a centerpiece and/or focal point. Hang a mirror above a fireplace or mantle, or find a large mirror to lean against a wall for dramatic effect. Mirrors should be aligning with the overall look and feel of the design aesthetic of your home or space. Look for different frames, shapes and sizes when decorating. Try using a mirror as a table centerpiece or backdrop to a nook or seating area.

• Reflect light. Set the tone to a room with mirrors placed behind either lights or candles. Mirrors can highlight, amplify and reflect soft light and create a different mood.

There are so many different ways to add light, reflection and space to any home with mirrors. Experiment with a variety of arrangements, and don’t be afraid to be dramatic with size and placement.