Almost every home contains at least a few mirrors, as it would be a rather strange place if it did not. Some people however choose to take wall mirrors a step further than using them for simple utility purposes in the bedroom and bathroom and use them as an integral part of their home decor. And it’s something that interior designers and professional home stagers have been doing for years.
Using wall mirrors as a part of a home staging plan can be very effective. However, done the wrong way decorating with mirrors can also be a little disastrous, resulting in a space that looks more like a 1970’s discotheque than a home. Here then are a four simple tips and ideas for successfully using wall mirrors as a part of your new overall home decor scheme that will help wow those potential buyers.
1. Creating an Illusion of Extra Space
Using wall mirrors to create an illusion of extra room in a smaller space is one of the oldest tricks in the interior designer’s book. This trick only works however if you are mindful not only of the mirror’s placement but just what it reflects.
For example, some people decide to place a mirror opposite a window, the intention being to reflect additional natural light back into a small, dark room. This is an excellent idea, as long as the view outside the window if a pleasant one. If all that you can see from your window however is a brick wall, or the neighbor’s row of garbage cans, then this might not be a scene you want to replicate in your room again!
2. Using Mirrors as a Room Divider
In a large space like an open plan living/dining room, there is a need to create at least some kind of division between the functions of the room in order for it to look pulled together and efficient. A wall mirror can be an excellent way to do just that.
For instance, placing a larger wall mirror behind, or at the side of, a dining table in an open plan, multi-use room will serve to define the space. Doing so also has another advantage – you will be able to use a softer light to illuminate your dining area, which is far more conducive to pleasant dining than a harsh overhead light, thanks to the extra light the mirror will add. This is an interior decorating trick that a great many restaurants use to great effect, but there is no reason why it cannot work in a residential space as well.
3. Using Wall Mirrors as Art
One of the great things about wall mirrors is that they come in so many different shapes, sizes and designs. Grouping a collection of different, smaller mirrors together, in the same way you might a group of paintings, can be a very effective way to add interest to any room, large or small without adding artwork that some buyers may consider tasteless or unappealing (it does happen and it does have an impact.)
To find great wall mirrors to use for this purpose, do not limit your mirror shopping to big box home stores. Some of the best, most attractive and interesting mirrors can be found in antique shops and thrift stores, so these are great locations to scout to find some attractive, unique and often bargain priced mirrors.
4. Think Outside the Box
Mirrors can be used in more ways than simply being hung on a wall. One very effective way that some people use a long, thin mirror is as a centerpiece for a dining table. This not only adds visual interest but also sheds a little extra light on the dining experience.
Most people are very careful how they use mirrors in the bedroom, as they can be rather tacky looking if placed in the wrong spot! One creative way you can use a mirror in the bedroom however is as a replacement for a physical headboard. You could also consider adding a wall mirror to the inside of a smaller closet to create the illusion of extra space, light and organization, something sure to please and impress a great many potential home buyers.