Mirrors act as magicians in your home: They make spaces appear larger, multiply light, and duplicate views. Depending on their size and placement, they can play either lead roles or supporting characters in your home’s decor, but the right mirrors are always memorable. They’re enchantments that will brighten and energize any place you put them.
Here we’ve highlighted a few of our favorite shapes (there were just too many to list them all) and ideas for where to hang them around your home to make the most of these decorating wonders.
The Horizontal Rectangle
This orientation is best for filling the space above lengthy expanses, which is why it has long been the natural choice above a fireplace mantel. We love this shape hung above a long, low sideboard, in an entryway as a spot for a last-minute makeup check before leaving the house, or as a solve for rooms with less-than-lofty ceilings, where tall mirrors can make them feel even lower. Behind the bar, they give a dressed-up speakeasy vibe—no password required.
The Vertical Rectangle
This shape of mirrors justifiably popular due to its versatile, classic form. It resembles a painting, so don’t be afraid to treat it like a piece of art and give it prime-time placement, such as above a mantel. Try hanging two on the opposite walls in your living room to create incredible depth, or one directly opposite a window to multiply the light. You won’t believe how much this can brighten up the whole room. Another classic usage: a matching pair hung above double sinks for an extra dose of style in the bathroom.
The Large Round
Large mirrors can really anchor a room by creating a high-impact focal point. We love circles because they’re easy to live with—no worries about leveling! With a thin edge or no frame at all, they’re cool and nonchalant; set in a more jewellike frame, they’re dressy and dramatic. Adding one to the wall behind a desk turns the surface into an instant vanity.
