Interior design: how mirrors can transform indoor spaces
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When it comes to interior design, mirrors can make all the difference. Find out how in our accessible guide.
Mirrors aren't only there for you to check your hair or makeup. They can also play a big role in transforming your home's aesthetic.
Whether you're living in a poky flat, a mansion, or anywhere in between, mirrors can enhance light and space.
In this article, we explore eight ways that mirrors can transform indoor spaces – from the functional to the creative, from the subtle to the flamboyant.
1. Amplify natural light
Natural light is an asset in any home. As well as helping create soft, welcoming spaces, it can help you cut your electricity bills – and even, some say, make a positive difference to your mental health.
Mirrors are a great way to increase these effects. Place a mirror opposite a window or door and you're creating the light equivalent of a volume control. The mirrors push the light into all the corners, nooks and crannies of the room.
2. Create more of a sense of space
Do you feel like a room in your home is poky? Mirrors can create the illusion of more space – which in turn can convey a sense of airiness and elegance.
You can add an illusion of depth by, for instance, positioning a mirror on a focal wall or at the end of a corridor or hallway.
In all these cases, mirrors aren't just amplifying the natural light in your home – they're also making it feel that bit bigger.
3. Enhance your wardrobes
If your bedroom is a little on the small side, fit your wardrobe with mirrors. Not only will it mean you get a full-length view of yourself as you get ready for the day, but it will also increase the sense of space.
4. Add style and elegance to any room
Taste is notoriously subjective – but we're going to go out on a limb and say that a mirror is a great way to add style and elegance to a room.
You can add a touch of antiquity with a pier glass or overmantel mirror. Reproduction antiqued mirrors have a softness that modern mirrors don't – but both styles can be tasteful when hung correctly.
Paired with a textured frame, a mirror can be a beautiful object that you want to look at as well as into.
As with all interior decoration, it's as much about placement as it is about design. You don't need to follow the rules of feng shui to think that a well-placed mirror can add harmony, space and style to a room.
5. Create texture
Mirrors aren't just functional – they can also add texture to a room and enhance its overall aesthetic.
A bamboo or unfinished wood frame, for instance, can add a rustic air, while a patinated mirror has an antique, weather vibe.
There are as many frames as there are styles. You can turn your living room into a beach house with a frame made out of shells or convey a DIY spirit with a rough-and-ready wooden frame. Mosaic tiles, baroque swirls, corner blocks… the list goes on.
When it comes to texture, the sky's the limit. Choosing the right combination of glass, frame and placement can turn a so-so room into something splendid.
6. Conceal awkward features
Unless you're the Sun King and you've built your palace from the ground up, you've properly inherited a property that's got some awkward or unsightly features – the kind of thing that makes you grimace whenever you walk into the room.
The good news is that you can use mirrors to conceal awkward pillars, stretches of skirting or even pieces of built-in furniture.
The same goes for that hole that needs plastering or that mark where a hook used to be. They can all be covered up with a mirror, whether temporarily or long-term.
7. Reflect outside views
If you've got a good-looking garden, why not bring it into the house by reflecting it with mirrors? This approach can create a sense of continuity between indoors and outdoors that floral wallpaper can't match.
And while we're on the subject, let's stray momentarily from indoor spaces and consider garden mirrors.
A mirror filled with trees, bushes and flowers can make your garden feel even more luscious – and if you've got the eye for it, you can always make the frame match your garden furniture.
8. Furniture with mirrored surfaces
Coffee tables, cabinets, side tables… all can be enhanced with a mirrored surface. As with all interior mirrors, furniture with mirrored surfaces reflects the light and creates a sense of depth. It can also add a sense of sophistication and glamour.
Keeping your mirrors clean
Once you've got your mirrors in place, you need to maintain them regularly. Smudges and marks should be dealt with straight away.
All you need to do is spray the mirror with your preferred cleaning solution and wipe it side to side, up and down, with a microfibre cloth. If it still needs a bit of buffing, white wine vinegar and paper towels can do the job nicely.
Make sure you look at the mirror from different angles to check that it's smudge-free.
Decorative effects
When we think about mirror decorations, it's tempting to focus on the frames. But mirror glass itself is surprisingly versatile and can be treated with a wide range of decorative effects.
Here at ToughGlaze, we cut, process and supply high-quality
mirrored glass. But we offer more than just plain reflective panels.
The surface itself can be tinted or printed. Digital printing uses ceramic inks to create a design. Sandblasting does a similar job with etching. All these techniques can create striking and beautiful effects.
Then there are the edges. You can pick between polished and bevelled edges for a style that suits its setting.
Versatility is our watchword.
Get in touch today to talk through your options. We'd love to set you up with the materials you require.
