A creative use of mirrors can make a world of difference to how bright and expansive your home feels. Mirrors capture light – both brilliant natural light and artificial mood light – and diffuse it into dark corners, and create the illusion of space when strategically placed to reflect windows and doorway.
“It is no design secret that mirrors will make a room look bigger but did you know that where and how you hang them can make all the difference in terms of how much extra space they will give the illusion of? A mirror opposite the door you enter the room through will immediately make space you enter feel bigger," says Amy Wilson, interior design expert and former contestant on BBC’s Interior Design Masters.
Below, we look at six ways to use mirrors to make your home appear bigger and brighter.
HOW TO USE A MIRROR TO...
Improve light
“Mirrors are the master of giving the illusion of space. They immediately bounce light around rooms, making everything feel more open and spacious," says Vicki Foster, interior stylist at ScS. "Placing mirrors opposite rooms or in corners that need brightening up is a fantastic solution to expanding the light of a room in a natural, non-intrusive way.”
Hang your mirror opposite a source of natural light, and double the effect by adding one adjacent to your windows. When choosing height and placement consider what your mirror reflects – if you have to hang it higher than expected so that it catches the glow of a nearby lamp or a burst of sunlight, then do so. If it looks totally out of place, consider building a gallery wall around it to create better balance, or perching it on a picture shelf.
Create texture
Mirrors can be used to create texture in several ways. In a very literal sense, a patinated mirror has an aged and weathered surface texture. These are a great solution if you don't relish the idea of having lots of highly-polished mirrors around your room – perhaps your space has lots of antiques and patinated mirrors would be a more seamless fit.
You could also install a textured mirror frame – a bobbin or bamboo, unfinished wood, or even something upholstered. You could equally position a mirror so it reflects a textured object already in the room – a rustic coffee table, a wall-hung tapestry or vase full of flowers.
Show off the garden
Remember that mirrors aren't just for the indoors and, when we've put so much time and effort into creating a beautiful garden, why not reflect it and enjoy it from more angles?
Garden mirrors can be placed in numerous places to create a powerful effect. For instance, against the perimeter of the garden amongst blooming shrubbery can create the idea of a secret gateway.
Alternatively, you can place a set of three smaller mirrors along a wall to make a garden seating area feel bigger.
Dress a mantel
"A large mirror over a fireplace is a popular choice but many people hang them too high so they only reflect the ceiling rather than the rest of the room," says Amy. "Consider propping your mirror onto a mantelpiece or shelf as an alternative to hanging it so the mirror hangs lower. Propping small mirrors onto shelves and windowsills helps extend the line of sight beyond the items placed around them and works particularly well if you pop something metallic in front.”
Create the illusion of space
It's important to consider the size, shape and placement of mirrors to achieve the desired effect. Large mirrors or mirrored wall installations tend to be more effective in creating the illusion of space, but even smaller mirrors strategically positioned can contribute to the overall expansion of a room.
Placing mirrors opposite your windows will reflect the view beyond, creating a sense of outdoor extension, whilst using them opposite doorways will blur the boundaries of a room and extend the line of vision to the space beyond. Using an industrial-style panelled wall mirror will create the illusion of a window where they are lacking, whilst narrow corners can be all but hidden with tall, leaning mirrors.
Decorate your hallway
Hallways tend to be narrow and dark, with limited natural light beyond glass panes in the front door. Mirrors are your best friend here, especially if they can recruit and reflect light from adjacent rooms.
If your hallway is a bit of an uninspiring box, aim for a round frame to soften some of the strict lines.