How to Decorate With Mirrors

Your new home or apartment may have come with a few mirrors in the bathrooms or bedrooms. If you choose to decorate other rooms with mirrors, you'll have your pick of styles, sizes, and locations. 

The question is, how do you use mirrors to decorate your home? How can you start thinking about mirrors as decor, rather than just practical household staples?

We're here to tell you all about how to decorate with mirrors from the Mirror City collection. From increasing natural light to decorating with mirrored furniture, we've got you covered.

Read on for our guide to decorating with mirrors and elevating the look and feel of your home.

Use Mirrors to Create Light

Natural light can make a huge difference in your living space. Not only does it lower your reliance on electricity but it can also brighten your mood and create that airy, organized feeling we all crave. 

Even in a dim room, a well-placed mirror can increase the natural light. Hang a large mirror across from a window that receives direct sunlight so that the light bounces off the mirror and fills the space.

Create a Vibe with Feng Shui

Feng shui operates on the "method of minor adjustments" that allows you to tap into the right energy by making small but intentional choices with your decor. Because mirrors are reflective, they are an important part of feng shui and, if you are interested in using feng shui in your own home, they should be placed carefully. 

The key is to place your mirror so that it reflects, and therefore increases, the right source of energy. For example, if you place a mirror so that it reflects the trees outside of your window, it will bring the energy of growth and cultivation. Consider what your mirror is reflecting before settling on where to put it.

Draw Attention to a Mantel or Focal Point

Large mirrors are ideal for drawing more attention to a mantel or other focal point in a living room or dining room. The key here is to pay attention to scale and proportion, two important concepts in interior design. The idea is that the size and position of each piece you put in a room should not appear too large or too small for the space and in comparison to other pieces.

Take, for example, a mirror hung above a mantel. That mirror should stretch from the mantel (or a few inches above the mantel) all the way to ceiling to add height to the room. The mirror should also be as a wide (or a bit smaller) than the mantel so that it doesn't make the mantel appear small. 

Use Mirrored Furniture

Mirrors aren't just for hanging or leaning against a wall. Mirrored furniture is a great way to add sparkle and luxury to a room without taking up vital wallspace that you may want to save for other decor. Examples of mirrored furniture include mirrored drink trolleys, side tables, and nesting tables, although you can also opt for mirrored accent pieces like mirrored serving trays.

The trick to using mirrored furniture is to pick pieces that pop without over-filling the room. In other words, you'll only want to use one or two pieces of mirrored furniture per room, as too many mirrored surfaces can make a room look busy or unintentionally futuristic. Offset the sparkle with matte materials like iron or precious metals like silver or gold. 

Create a Gallery Wall with Mirrors

Mirrors aren't just for practical use, something you may be picking up on already. Not all mirrors need to big enough to see yourself or located in an optimal position for fixing your hair or checking your outfit. You can also use mirrors to add visual interest to a gallery wall.

Gallery walls consist of multiple pieces, ranging from framed prints to textile art to, yes, mirrors. While you can use decor of the same size and shape to create a symmetrical gallery wall, you can also experiment with asymmetry as long as you maintain balance. Small mirrors are perfect for filling gaps in gallery walls, while large mirrors can make an excellent focal point or central piece. 

Consider Shape and Frame Material

When thinking about mirrors, we often think about the mirror, itself. However, when you start shopping for mirrors, you'll quickly discover that there are tons of different shapes and frame materials to choose from. You'll want to pick shapes and materials strageically so that they compliment any other decor or furniture in the room.

For example, mirrors with curved edges are great for breaking up a space that feels uniform, while squared edges add clean lines and order to a busy space. If you're going for a minimalist look, black metal frames are best, whereas gold and silver frames are perfect for a luxurious, regency-era style. While mixed metals (ie gold and silver) can work when the pieces are chosen intentionally, you may want to stay away from silver-framed mirrors in a gold-accented room and vice versa.

Go Beyond Practical Use and Decorate with Mirrors

Mirrors don't just belong over your bathroom sink or on the back of your bedroom door. You can decorate your home with mirrors in a way that brings out the natural light, balances the energy, and creates interesting focal points throughout your home. Now that you know more about how to decorate with mirrors, it's time to find the right mirrors for your style.

To get started, take a look at some of our best sellers. From funky to ornate to classic, we've got everything you need to bring your home to life.