12 Ideas for Decorating with Mirrors

We've all heard the age-old wisdom that mirrors make a small space look larger, but it's less often that you hear advice about how to use mirrors as a decorating tool. Here are some tips, tricks and suggestions for enhancing your home with mirrors.

Enlarge a narrow space -- or lest give the illusion you have. A mirror is especially effective at widening the appearance of narrow spaces like powder rooms or long hallways; a frame-less or thin-rimmed option will disappear into the wall without interruption.

Get reflection on the cheap. Antique mirrors can be very expensive; for a less pricey alternative, buy a vintage frame and have a glass shop cut a mirror to fit the frame.

Mix mirrors with art. When hanging art on your walls in a group, it's okay to mix a framed mirror or two in with drawings, paintings and photographs.

Pay attention to proportion. Don't hang a mirror that is only half the length of your mantelpiece above your fireplace. Mirrors should be appropriately scaled to the piece of furniture they are placed above.

Go for a grouping. If you can't afford a huge mirror to fill a wall, go ahead and group a bunch of smaller mirrors together for a big reflective surface.

Lean mirrors for a laid back look. For a casual style, lean mirrors on shelves or other surfaces. A collection of round mirrors of various sizes resting on ledges dresses up a bathroom (above).

Panel a room. Have mirrors cut to fit the panels on a door or between the moldings on a wall. The closet doors above are fitted with glass doorknobs to complete the reflective look.

Hang up hand mirrors. While hand-held looking glasses are rarely used any more, a collection of these antiquated grooming tools would look great hung together on the wall.

Play with mirrored mosaic tiles. Tile a backsplash, a tabletop or the risers of a staircase with mirrored mosaic tiles. These mini-mirrors are an affordable way to add a touch of sparkle to your interior.

Be mindful of what reflects in the mirror. You don't want to position a mirror to show a cluttered part of your house. On the other hand, positioning a mirror across from a window, doubles your view!

Fake a window. Hang a large rectangular mirror on the wall space between two windows to suggest another window in the room.

Mirrors aren't just for the walls. Invest in mirrored furniture like dressers and cabinets for a glam, 1930s Hollywood look.

Seeking out more decorating wisdom? Check out the following posts:

Five films in which décor is the star
A bedroom done up in black and white
Nautically-themed rooms that don't go overboard on the anchors