How to Choose and Style Mirrors in Your Home

August 4, 2020

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Mirrors are an essential element to multiple rooms in your home, but it can be tricky to know which styles to pick and how to place them! Here’s the rundown on how to be a mirror expert for your own home.

Size

When choosing a mirror, make sure the width of the mirror is smaller than the piece of furniture below it – but not too small. A mirror that’s about two-thirds to three-fourths the size of the furniture below it is a safe choice. If you choose a smaller mirror, in a bathroom, for instance, try sandwiching it between two lights (or between artwork on a living room wall) to make the size feel more appropriate.

Design

Mirrors are a great way to play with shape and style! Depending on your style, and the room you need it for, there’s a wide range of shapes and designs that can work for your mirrors. Long mirrors are a great option to hang vertically (or place on the floor) to draw the eye up – and check out your outfit – or hang a long mirror horizontally to make a room feel bigger. Simple, minimalist designs work best above more ornate furniture, while a more over-the-top shape and frame looks great above simple furniture.

Location

There are some obvious places to hang mirrors, bathrooms and bedrooms automatically come to mind, but there are also some less thought-of places that are great locations for mirrors. One of our favorites is in your entryway. A round or fun-shaped mirror looks great over a bench or console table, and also allows you to do a hair-check before heading out the door! Mirrors are also a great option for making living and dining rooms feel more spacious, and make a great addition to a gallery wall, too. Also keep in mind the obvious: mirrors reflect! Make sure to place your mirror in a spot that will reflect a space or view you love.

Tips for hanging mirrors

The general rule of thumb is to hang mirrors about 60 inches from the ground to the center of the mirror. This makes it a good height for most people to be able to see their reflection, and doesn’t look too high or low (this is a good rule for wall art in general!)

If you have a wide space, you can also opt for two mirrors instead of one – it fills the space and adds visual interest, too!

We want to know about the mirrors you have in your home, and how you chose them! What’s your favorite location for a mirror? Let us know, and join us on Instagram @AlmaHomes, too!

Photography: Melissa Oholendt, Laura Rae Photography, Spacecrafting Photography, Sarah Olfelt Photo, Alma Homes

leave a comment 

  1. Olivia Smart says:

    Thank you for pointing out that you can use two mirrors instead of one large one if you have a large space to fill. I’ve been wondering what kind of mirror to get for our guest bathroom. The area above the sinks is very large, so I’ll have to consider this instead and see how I think it would work with the design.

  2. Log in says:

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  3. Mia Evans says:

    It really helped when you said that a safe choice is to get bathroom mirrors around two-thirds to three-fourths of the size of our furniture there. I will keep that in mind when I shop for pieces to complete the bathroom aesthetic I want to achieve. Before that, I will have it renovated with the help of experts at the same time to find ways to make it spacious, too.

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