We spend most of our time inside our homes — working in home offices, spending time with family, entertaining and relaxing. If you’re one of the many homeowners who’d like to update their interior decor, improve functionality and increase light without breaking the bank, mirrors are the perfect solution.
Mirrors can make rooms appear larger, bring the outside in, update bathrooms and save money by doubling the light. If you’re wondering how to use mirrors for decorating in unique and unexpected ways, we’ve got you covered! Get inspired with our top 10 innovative ways to incorporate mirrors in your home.
1. Enrich the Entryway
Your entry is the first and last room you experience upon entry and exit of your home. Adding an entry mirror is the perfect blend of form and function — after all, who wouldn’t benefit from one final peek at their hair and outfit before rushing out the door?
Whether your foyer is large or small, every style of entry can be elevated with a mirror addition:
- Tiny threshold: In small entries, suspend a round mirror above a floating shelf or key hooks.
- Door decor: Place a mirror on the back of the front door, or install one on your coat closet door.
- Grand entry: Go bold with an oversized mirror above an elegant table or bench.
- Historical hall: Embrace a traditional look with an antique mirrored hall tree.
2. Make Small Spaces Appear Larger
One of the top benefits of custom glass mirrors is that they visually expand a room. Mirrors have a magical effect that creates the illusion of space continuing indefinitely. The way mirrors reflect the room and the amount of light can make small interiors feel more spacious — lengthening a hallway, stretching the height of the ceiling or widening the space.
Compared to the time and cost of hiring contractors to tear down walls and expand rooms, installing custom mirrors is a cost-effective way to improve the feeling of space in your home immediately. For a less cramped interior experience, mirrors are the way to go.
3. Give the Fireplace a Facelift
A custom-cut mirror in a beautiful frame draws the eye and cements the fireplace as your room’s focal point. A statement mirror will extend the space visually, amplify natural light from windows and reflect the view of the room.
Another benefit to using a large mirror above the fireplace is its versatility. Unlike thematic paintings and art pieces, you can easily accessorize a timeless mirror through changing styles and seasons:
- Celebrations: Drape a birthday banner across the top of the mirror and reflect the light of colorful candlesticks across the mantle.
- Holidays: Suspend a holiday winter wreath from a ribbon in the center of the mirror or wrap fall leaves around the frame for seasonal style.
4. Layer Mirrors in the Living Room
Here’s how to use mirrors in living room decor like the interior design pros — layering! While singular statement mirrors are popular, the more whimsical approach of overlapping multiple mirrors bounces around more light and lends a collected look to your design.
This French-inspired style is ideal for Old World, farmhouse, provincial and maximalist interiors. Equal parts elegant and effortless, anyone can pull off this living room look. Here are a few ideas:
- Layer large, medium and small aged mirrors along a mantle.
- Suspend a round starburst mirror from a velvet ribbon on the center of a large square mirror.
- Stagger groupings of various-sized ornate mirrors on bookshelves.
- Tuck several mirrors among layered photos on picture ledge shelving above the couch.
5. Create a Sparkling Stairwell
Move over, minimalism — over the past few years, maximalism has exploded in popularity, and it’s here to stay. You’ve likely seen this eclectic look trending on social media with floor-to-ceiling gallery walls and vintage finds.
A gallery of diverse mirrors blends the filled-wall look of maximalism with a lit-up experience. Line your entire stairwell with a collection of different-sized mirrors:
- Dark and dramatic: Reflect the light of a crystal chandelier in ornate gold-framed mirrors against inky black walls.
- Light and ethereal: Create a cottagecore mirror arrangement in distressed white frames against a pastel backdrop.
- Black and white wall: Mix black-framed mirrors among black-and-white photos of loved ones for a modern twist.
6. Mimic the Look of Windows
Get the look of windows without the cost by using strategically placed mirrors. Decorative mirrors with grilles look especially window-like. Mirrors are the perfect solution to add a light-filled, windowed look to basements, rooms without exterior walls and other windowless spaces.
Look to your home’s architectural features for inspiration. If you have arched entryways or windows, a gothic-style arched mirror will fit right in. Flank a fireplace with matching curved mirror “windows” on either side. Balance an awkwardly placed window with a mirror of the same size and shape on the same wall. You can even install a curtain rod and curtains to enhance the believable windowed look.
7. Upcycle Frames and Furniture
Instead of throwing away that frame or tabletop because the mirror cracked, replace the mirror and prevent furniture from unnecessarily ending up in a landfill. Upcycling existing mirrored pieces and repurposing yard sale finds is a win-win-win scenario:
- You contribute to a smaller carbon footprint and healthier environment by recycling.
- You’ll save money by keeping the furniture base and only replacing the mirror.
- You can personalize your style by adding mirrors to unique finds and vintage decor.
Insert mirrors in thrift-store frames, top repainted end tables with custom-fit mirrors or incorporate mirrored panels in antique doors as a room divider — the sky’s the limit on imaginatively incorporating mirrors in your home.
8. Beautify the Bathroom
A custom bathroom mirror can transform the entire room and illuminate your space for better hairstyling, pampering and makeup applications. Custom wall mirrors maximize reflection space so more than one person can get ready at once, simplifying mornings for the whole family. Consider a floor-to-ceiling wall mirror to check outfits from head to toe before your special evening out.
Create a spa-like experience with minimalist mirrors and potted plants. Transform a dated bathroom with round or hexagonal mirrors in matte black or gold frames. If it’s glamour you seek, embrace an Old Hollywood vibe with a lighted mirror above a custom mirrored vanity top and an oversized antiqued mirror behind a clawfoot tub.
9. Double the Lighting
If there’s a gorgeous view or elegant lighting fixture in your home you’d like to show off, a perfectly placed mirror will double the view and amplify the light. Try these head-turning reflective takes at home:
- Bring the outside in: Place a grand mirror opposite a large garden window to replicate the view. Complete the room with potted plants for a botanical oasis inside.
- Double the drama: In your dining room, install a floor-to-ceiling mirror to visually extend the table, duplicate the chandelier and double the glow from the candlelight.
- Look up: Using mirrors to brighten a room can extend past the traditional four walls. Remember the “fifth wall” when designing your space — the oft-overlooked ceiling. Mirrored ceilings are on the rise, so extend that elegant sparkle overhead for an on-trend ethereal look.
10. Pump Up the Home Gym
Turn a drab workout corner into a professional-looking home gym with custom wall mirrors. There’s a reason professional gyms and dance studios have wall-to-wall mirrors, and it isn’t vanity. A reflective surface helps you correct your posture, use proper form, control breathing, improve techniques and maintain safety.
Mirrors increase a workout room’s light quality and make the space appear more polished, inspiring more frequent use. You’ll feel motivated to commit to a personalized workout schedule in a lighter, brighter space. From ballet bars to a full weight room, make the most of your home gym and achieve your workout goals with a professional mirror installation from Garrety Glass.
Schedule Your Residential Mirror Makeover Today
When you need custom mirrors, mirror glass replacement and mirror repair, trust the dedicated team at Garrety Glass for expert advice and professional installation. Don’t settle for anything less than the best when you need residential mirror applications in central and south-central Pennsylvania and northern Maryland.
At Garrety Glass, we understand you don’t have all the time in the world to dedicate to home improvement projects. We can help with any glass or mirror project you choose to take on, and our fast turnaround time and in-writing pricing guarantee ensure mirror installations are quick and on budget.
Contact us online or call 717-741-9949 to discuss your mirror glass questions and schedule an estimate today.