Mirrors often add the perfect finishing touch to a room. Done properly they improve light, make the room look and feel larger, and can add accent to the room’s focal point. Mirror-hanging mistakes detract from the design effects you are trying to accomplish. Here are some to avoid.
Improper Proportion
A wall of mirrors in any room tends to overwhelm the space. The reflection of a room with too much furniture makes the space look and feel cluttered.
Small mirrors can appear insignificant and add nothing to the room. A small mirror in a small bathroom helps make the space seem tiny. It also adds to the difficulty of applying makeup or shaving. Mirrors should be both decorative and useful.
Oversized mirrors can look disproportionate and overwhelm a room with powerful reflections. Mirrors are meant to complement a room’s decor–not become the focal point.
What Is Reflected
Mirrors are like windows. They provide a view. Make sure that the view in your mirror reflects the charming characteristics of the room. Seeing the open door of a messy bedroom or into the bathroom, every time you glance at the mirror is not a decorating highlight.
Hanging Heights
Hang mirrors at eye level to get the full effect of the room’s design and maximize light diffusion. Hanging mirrors too high or too low distorts the feel of a room. Too high makes them impractical and provides reflections of the ceiling. Too low provides a constant view of your family and guests watching TV.
Too Many Mirrors
The saying “too much of a good thing” applies to mirrors. A few well-placed mirrors enhance a room’s decor–making it feel bigger and lighter. Too many mirrors reflecting light and room furnishings back and forth make the room feel busy and cluttered. Or like a circus house of mirrors with weird reflections and angles.
Frames That Are Too Elaborate Or Too Plain
Mirror frame styles and designs range from no frame to a frame rivaling the crown jewels. Choose mirrors with frames that complement the room’s decor. You don’t want something that overpowers everything else in the room or a frame that is so bland that the mirror is unnoticeable.
Do Not Hang Mirrors In Direct Sunlight
Mirrors are meant to reflect light around the room–not to reflect light back outside. Hang them in locations where they can reflect ambient light from windows and the lights in the room. The heat from direct sunlight will eventually dull your mirror and reduce its reflective ability.
