Reflecting on the many uses of Mirrors in your Home

Most homes have between 5-10 mirrors in them, all with various uses. Most people don’t realise just how many mirrors we have for specific uses around the house. We all know mirrors have a specific functional use, but have you considered the multiple other uses of mirrors for your home?
Mirrors have a magical way of improving any home’s aesthetic and adding instant luxe while providing the functionality we expect, all with very little effort. As a décorative element, mirrors exude glamour and create accents, but their reflective nature means they are also a tool of visual trickery, creating optical illusions of extra space and light in your home.

Making Mirrors Work with your Decor

Capturing the light coming into your windows and reflecting it to fill an entire room makes a space appear brighter and fresher. When carefully positioned to reflect light around a room and into dark corners, mirrors increase the general ambience and optimise the natural light available to you. The larger the mirror used, the more a space will appear to be enlarged, so they are especially useful in making small homes appear spacious.

There are a vast array of different types of mirrors available on the market, in all shapes, sizes and colours. Typically, most people choose clear mirrors, but there are also tinted mirrors out there, or antique-style mirrors which have been purposely distressed giving them an aged appearance. Frames, too, can come in any number of designs, from intricate, ornate frames to simple, minimalist ones.
Here are some of the many ways that you might consider introducing mirrors as an interior design element in your home.

Entryways, hallways, corridors

Here you can create optical illusions of more space which can make the space appear double or even triple its original size. If you have a narrow hallway space, a large mirror will add depth to the area, making the area feel less enclosed and claustrophobic. Placing a mirror in the entranceway immediately provides a big dose of uplifting brightness as soon as anyone enters the house.

Mirrors for your living room

Living room mirrors make a strong statement and the space works well with large-format mirrors. Here mirrors beautifully do their work in reflecting natural light and breaking up the space. They can be used to highlight your favourite objects and ornaments, reflecting them back into your vision from numerous angles. Or, placed opposite windows, they bring natural light and greenery into the room, or take advantage of a stunning view.

Dining room

You can create atmosphere and the illusion of more guests in your entertaining spaces through the placement of a large mirror.

Bedroom mirrors

Whether as part of a dressing table, as mirrored built-ins or simply a free-standing mirror against a wall, bedroom mirrors are highly functional in bedrooms, but are also a versatile design element. For a minimalist, modern look, lean a large, dramatic mirror against the wall—and when you get bored, you can simply reposition it.

Mirrors for your bathroom Bathrooms are where we typically expect to see mirrors for their functionality as a grooming aid, and because they are able to handle the elements (heat, moisture) well. To add some creativity, consider a circular mirror to break up the space. Venetian mirrors also look very pretty, or you might consider hanging a collection of mirrors, salon-style.

Mirrors in your kitchen

This is a more unusual use of mirrors but can really help brighten a smaller, darker kitchen. Consider a mirrored or reflective-surface splashback which, as with other kitchen materials, is well able to handle moisture, steam and heat.

Small mirrors in children’s bedrooms

Smaller mirrors suit kids rooms well, but this is an area you can really have fun with and be creative. Mirrors come in so many colours, shapes and unique sizes and are a great, easy design element when decorating a child’s room. When used in nurseries, mirrors can even be a developmental aid for babies. Research has shown that babies will crawl towards a mirror in order to look at their reflection, which helps both their self-awareness and their motor skills.

Garden mirrors

Do you have an attractive garden? Mirrors can have a magic effect in your garden, doubling your garden space and adding intrigue. When added along a wall, the area will appear bigger. Or, adding mirrored panels along borders makes them look more lush and dense.

Create texture

Mirrors can be used as a form of statement furnishing. For example, a textured mirror frame can add a three dimensional element to a wall, or alternatively, a mirror can be positioned to reflect a textured object in the room (e.g. a vase or faux fur throw, etc.)

Accentuate a wall

Mirrors can also be employed as a form of unique wall art. A large, decorative mirror on a blank wall is a budget-friendly alternative to hanging artworks. Selecting an ornate, decorative or beautifully coloured frame that complements your existing design scheme can work to harmoniously unify the space. If you do not have the wall space but would still love to incorporate mirrors, consider mirrored furniture. Mirrors are also a great way to hide an undesirable area or surface.

Lean-against-the-wall mirrors

Expand the sense of space in any room by leaning a large mirror against a wall. A mirror can also have the effect of unifying a group of elements (similarly to how a floor rug can delineate a distinct zone in an open plan setting). Beautifully detailed frames on free-standing mirrors can add a lovely vintage, antique element to your décor.

As you can see, there are many uses for mirrors throughout your home, making them a truly versatile decorating tool that can establish mood, transform a space, multiply a room’s best features and bring in that all-important light.
At Renovation Kingdom, our specialty is bathroom mirrors and we stock a wide range to suit all tastes and budgets. To view our range, visit the store or shop online.