Mirrors amplify light and offer focal points to your interiors. Learn how to decorate with mirrors for a professional look that's on trend and still timeless. These designer mirror styling ideas will level up your decorating and give you a perfectly curated space.
Complement a Round Mirror With Curved Furniture
A round statement mirror, whether hovering over your fireplace mantel or placed behind a sofa, is complemented and enhanced with additional circular decor. Round tables, curved chairs, decorative bowls, and circular rugs help the piece feel thoughtfully selected and curated in your space.
Create Depth in a Small Bedroom
If your bedroom is on the smaller side, your solution to a spacious look is in a larger mirror rather than a small one. Enhance the space with a large, full-length mirror leaned against one wall. This will give the illusion of more space and amplify the light in your room.
Lean a Large Mirror on the Mantel
Mirrors hanging over mantels have their place, but there is a certain casual elegance developed when you lean a large mirror against your mantel wall. Choose a mirror that's almost the same width as your fireplace mantel for a dramatic look that doesn't require any extra decor.
Round and rectangular mirrors are timeless and fit into countless interior styles, but a truly contemporary shape might bring your home to life. Use slender oval mirrors in your bathroom or hallways for sleek style that's understated, yet transformative.
Hang a Mirror Over a Black Wall for Depth
The light reflecting in your hanging mirror balances with the dark color on your wall for this sleek and sophisticated look. Choose an oversized mirror to really make the feature stand out and select a flat or matte paint finish so the wall truly blends into the background. If black walls aren't your style, try a charcoal gray, rich navy, or deep olive green instead.
Get Creative With Your Mirror’s Frame
Framed mirrors offer countless style options to add interest and texture to your room. To play with the visuals in an ordinary space - think an entryway or home office - choose a mirror that layers on tons of texture or color. Balance the look with smoother furniture pieces or soft details in throw pillows and area rugs.
Make It a Mirror Collection
Maybe the oversized mirror look feels too bold for you, or you prefer a maximalist style. If that's the case, a mirror collection is the perfect reflection of your interior aesthetic. A mirror collection can feel eclectic or complement a vintage-inspired style. Vary the sizes, shapes, and placement of your mirrors for a professional look.
Use a Glam Mirror in Your Living Room
Bring high-end elegance to your interior with an oversized designer mirror. Rather than installing the piece on your wall, casually lean it against the wall near a similar-sized furniture piece or tucked behind an accent chair. This sort of mirror isn't meant to help you check your appearance, it's meant to show off your glamorous taste and reflect your elegant interior.
Keep Decor Simple on a Vanity
If your mirror is intended for practical use as well as decorative flair, try to keep the styling simple. You don't want to distract from other beautiful pieces in the room or impair the use of your mirror when needed. If you're styling a vanity space in a bedroom or bathroom, choose one or two complementing decor items to layer in front of the mirror. Otherwise, let your designer chair or bathroom tile be the star of the show.
Elevate Your Entryway
If your mirror is intended for practical use and decorative flair, try to keep the styling simple. You don't want to distract from other beautiful pieces in the room or impair the use of your mirror when needed. If you're styling a vanity space in a bedroom or bathroom, choose one or two complementing decor items to layer in front of the mirror. Otherwise, let your designer chair or bathroom tile be the star of the show.
Blend Your Mirror Into the Background With Thoughtful Decor
Small mirrors or mirrors that serve more of a practical purpose might not be your favorite home item to showcase. Help your mirror blend into the background of your space with thoughtfully placed decor items that complement the style and bring the focus forward. Tall and narrow decor, like candle holders and thin vases, helps you capture the eye without cluttering the space. Glass complements the reflective nature of the mirror and adds elegant layers. A riser adds height for a symmetrical look.
Coordinate a Mirror Frame With Cabinetry
Give your bathroom a matching set of focal points for a space uniquely crafted to your style. A painted wood frame around your vanity mirror is an opportunity to accent a bold cabinet color for a designer bathroom.
Balance Vintage & Modern Styles
If you love an eclectic look, the vintage modern style is an easily achieved aesthetic, and the right mirror can help you get there. Balance the contemporary shapes and sleek finishes of modern interiors with a vintage style mirror that adds character and texture to the room. Highlight this with vintage glassware or lighting for an interior that offers plenty of old and new styles in one space.
Treat Your Mirror Like Art
Hang your mirror over the bed or behind a sofa as if it were an art piece. Whether it's a vintage find, a contemporary shape, or just a unique mirror that you couldn't resist, display it up high and show it off. Chances are you didn't purchase that mirror to stare at your reflection, but because you love the style and vibe. Hanging it higher and over a large furniture piece makes a statement and draws the eye upward to the focal point.
Layer Your Mirror Over a Slat Wall
Slat walls are trending in modern interiors, and mirrors are a classic design element that will never go out of style. Combine the two for a layered look that appears far more expensive than it really is. Even if your slat wall is narrow, an oversized mirror will only amplify the chic feature.
Choose an Abstract Shape
Mirrors may be a traditional interior design feature, but they certainly don't have to look traditional. Embrace modern and artistic aesthetics with an abstract or asymmetrical mirror style. This looks especially trendy when used alongside reclaimed furniture pieces and novelty decor items.
Make Your Mirror the Focal Point
For mirrors that resemble artwork or offer something truly unique and defining to the interior, use it as the room's focal point. In order to do this, the mirror needs to be facing either the entry of the room or be the central piece toward which you aim the furniture. Think of conversation chairs and a sofa pointing toward a mirror over the fireplace mantel or a mirror facing the door of a bedroom or bathroom.
Mirrors can make a statement and help your interior space feel extravagant. Choose a truly oversized mirror to draw the focus of the room and set the tone for your style. With an oversized mirror, you can choose the simple route on shape, style, and neighboring decor.
Coordinate With Bathroom Fixtures
The mirror in your bathroom should look like an intentional choice, so coordinate it with the other finishes and fixtures in the space. Consider your towel bars, faucet, and shower curtain rod. Match the finish of your mirror to these elements or complement them by introducing an additional finish that matches small details like cabinet hardware or decorative items.
Tuck Your Mirror Into the Corner
Corners can feel like design obstacles when there is no defined use of the space. Conquer this interior conundrum with a cleverly placed full-length mirror. Angle your mirror toward the focal point of the room, like the bed or living room sofa, and use it to fill all the unoccupied space in that pesky corner.
Make a Statement With an Ornate Frame
There are many design cases that apply the less is more motto beautifully, but sometimes you truly need an over-the-top statement to bring the room together. Look for a frame that displays true artistry with ornate details that elevate your space. Mirrors like this bring elegance to an ordinary dresser or standard fireplace mantle.
Elongate Your Dining Table
Here's a designer hack that will transform your space. Hang a frameless mirror on the wall that your dining table occupies, ensuring it's parallel to the narrow side of the table. This will make your dining area look twice as big and showcase designer elements like your stylish table or elegant chairs.
Design With Height in Mind
You're looking at your bedroom dresser or entryway console and trying to figure out what seems off. Here's a designer tip: it's the height! With these shorter furniture pieces, you might need some decorative help to make the height ratio visually appealing, and a mirror is a clever way to do this. Hang your mirror high on the wall, or choose a style that's long, to draw the eye up and away from the top of your furniture piece. This helps the space feel more settling and appealing while also creating the illusion of a more spacious room.
Invest in a Cathedral Mirror
The cathedral mirror trend took off when the modern farmhouse aesthetic borrowed inspiration from French styles. These mirrors are often oversized and feature a subtle taper at the top or a rounded edge. The window panel look of these mirrors helps them fit into contemporary and traditional styles. Invest in your own cathedral mirror, whether oversized or standard mount, and let it guide the elegant direction of your interior.
Work in a Wood Frame
If you prefer a framed mirror but don't love an ornate or vintage style, a simple wooden frame will do the trick. Whether you're going for a full-length look or a small accent mirror, a wide wood frame brings texture and interest without overpowering the other elements in your room.
Try a Hanging Mount in the Bathroom
Go the non-traditional route with your bathroom vanity mirror. Opt for a mirror with fun features like a leather strap to create a casual look that contrasts more intense design features like decorative tiles, concrete countertops, or statement lighting.
Frame Your Mirror With Wall Decor
The mirror in your living room or dining room doesn't have to be the star of your wall decor show. Frame the piece with other collections like china, botanical prints, or retro art for a curated space that speaks to your personal style.
Have Fun With an Offset Look
Who says mirrors have to be in the center of your wall? An offset mirror is quirky and creative in an otherwise ordinary space. Balance the look with height from tall plants, accent furniture, or a light fixture.
Make a Full-Length Mirror Modern
Complement an eclectic or Scandinavian interior with a fun and clever, full-length mirror style. A novelty mirror or a shape that's a bit abstract brings a free-flowing essence to the room that's casual but curated. Balance the look with more streamlined pieces for a harmonious interior.
Use Paint to Amp Up Your Mirror’s Style
If you have a simple mirror in a standard size but want to make a big impact with the piece, a fresh coat of paint may be all you need. Paint around your mirror, whether round or rectangular, with a bold color to create more of a focal point. Try doubling the circumference or size of your mirror to make your small decor piece feel like a designer feature. This design hack is great for bringing interest to an entryway or using the large span of wall in your living room.
Let Your Home Reflect Your Style With These Tips for Mirrors
You can finally hang that mirror you've had for so long! With these designer mirror tips, you can walk confidently into your decor project knowing that your final product will bring light, balance, and intentional focus to your space.