Let's Reflect
Harness the power of mirrors to reflect any room's hidden potential
Image courtesy Chiasso
If your walls are lacking pizzazz, chances are your first instinct is to go for a piece of art or choose more exciting wallpaper. But mirrors can be a great alternative, and with a little creativity, can add unexpected charm to nearly any room in your home.
Watch the View
"The biggest rule of mirrors, and I can't tell you how many times I've seen this with clients, is to be very careful of what you're reflecting," says Carol Boyles, principal designer for Carol Boyles Interiors in Prior Lake, Minn. She says she's seen clients place large mirrors so they awkwardly reflected a powder room or a door. Instead, aim to reflect conversation groups or windows, which can bring the outside in. "All of a sudden your room looks larger and livelier," Boyles says.
Make Space
Think about using mirrors for something other than your own reflection, suggests Pamela Heyne, an interior designer in St. Michaels, Md., and the face of www.mirrorexpert.com. "You want mirrors to create a sense of space, you don't necessarily want to see your face the moment you walk in," she says. "I would rather see a mirror more obliquely displayed so it reflects a window or a piece of sculpture."
Group Up
If you want to hang a grouping of mirrors, Boyles suggests sticking with an odd number. It gives the eye a place to settle. "That's true of any artwork," she says. Further, Boyles says while your grouping's frames don't need to be the same, if you choose similar wood tones or metal tones or lacquers, the consistency will make the grouping much more cohesive.
Brighten Your Bathroom
When arranging mirrors in a bathroom, Heyne says to avoid placing multiple mirrors at right angles. Instead, tilt them slightly to have a better view of yourself from all sides. She also points out that when you're standing at the bathroom sink looking at yourself, your reflection is actually one half the size of your face. "You're in essence putting makeup on someone who is four feet away," she says. Consider creating a makeup area with closer access to the mirror, she says.
Pick a Pattern
One thing Boyles loves to do for clients is to create elongated rectangular shapes using wallpaper or paint, so that a pattern of diamonds is formed on the wall. Then, she places very small mirrors at the intersections. "It's so striking, and you're moving light around in the room," she says.
Grab a Scene
Heyne suggests experimenting with mirrors and windows to find interesting outdoor scenes to capture. If you want to obstruct part of the view reflected by a large mirror, try hanging louvered drapes to cover a portion of the reflection, or use mirrors to create a periscope window and bring light into a basement. "It's sort of like you're sticking your arm out and grabbing a view," Heyne says. She also likes the look of a lamp placed in front of a mirror, or a piece of art hung so it's floating in the middle of a larger mirror.
Finally, Heyne says to trust your instincts and get creative. "People are often afraid of mirrors and they shouldn't be," she says. "You can always change what's in front of them.
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