Design Magic: How Mirrored Walls Can Transform Any Space
They bounce light, add the illusion of space, and they're functional. Here are some great ways to use mirrored walls
Amanda Pollard
29 July 2018
Senior Editor at Houzz UK and Ireland. Journalist and editor specialising in interiors and architecture.
Senior Editor at Houzz UK and Ireland. Journalist and editor specialising in interiors... More
Got a bare wall in your home? Before you get out the paint charts, consider others things you could be doing with the empty surface.
If you’re looking to open up a room, bring in light and add interest, try covering the wall with mirrored glass to trick the eye. Take a look at these schemes for inspiration.
If you’re looking to open up a room, bring in light and add interest, try covering the wall with mirrored glass to trick the eye. Take a look at these schemes for inspiration.
Go wall to wall
In this apartment, the mirrored wall behind the sofa was already in situ when the owners moved in. However, when the builders had to cover it up during the renovation, the designers realised just how effective it was at reflecting light and creating a feeling of space.
They decided to leave it in place to open up the living room and make it feel larger.
In this apartment, the mirrored wall behind the sofa was already in situ when the owners moved in. However, when the builders had to cover it up during the renovation, the designers realised just how effective it was at reflecting light and creating a feeling of space.
They decided to leave it in place to open up the living room and make it feel larger.
Try some tiles
The wall behind this basin is covered in mirrored tiles. Not only do they provide a handy reflection, they give the compact area a feeling of space. The basin looks almost space-age, as it appears to float in mid-air.
For practicality, mirrored tiles like these are a good option, as they’re easier to replace individually if one cracks.
Find bathroom renovators in your area
The wall behind this basin is covered in mirrored tiles. Not only do they provide a handy reflection, they give the compact area a feeling of space. The basin looks almost space-age, as it appears to float in mid-air.
For practicality, mirrored tiles like these are a good option, as they’re easier to replace individually if one cracks.
Find bathroom renovators in your area
Bring in other elements
The mirrors behind these basins serve two functions – they provide a useful looking glass, and they also form a design feature in the room.
By placing them from floor to ceiling, the designers have almost turned the vanity area into a piece of art.
The marble basins are framed by the mirrored panels, and the wood seen in the adjacent bedroom adds warmth to the space.
The mirrors behind these basins serve two functions – they provide a useful looking glass, and they also form a design feature in the room.
By placing them from floor to ceiling, the designers have almost turned the vanity area into a piece of art.
The marble basins are framed by the mirrored panels, and the wood seen in the adjacent bedroom adds warmth to the space.
Create opulence
With the Art Deco look becoming increasingly popular, mirrors are a great way to add a touch of the style’s glamour to your interior. Here, a recess at the side of the chimneybreast has been covered with antiqued mirror tiles to give the space a vintage feel.
The mirror reflects the glass lamp base in front of it and ties in with the coffee table and elegant mirror above the fireplace.
Why Architects and Interior Designers Love Using Mirrors
With the Art Deco look becoming increasingly popular, mirrors are a great way to add a touch of the style’s glamour to your interior. Here, a recess at the side of the chimneybreast has been covered with antiqued mirror tiles to give the space a vintage feel.
The mirror reflects the glass lamp base in front of it and ties in with the coffee table and elegant mirror above the fireplace.
Why Architects and Interior Designers Love Using Mirrors
hatch-construction.com
Divide a room
Make a feature of a zone in a broken-plan space by adding mirror to a partition.
The wall that separates this seating area from the kitchen beyond could have been left plain, but instead the designers have done something different. Panels of mirrored glass reflect the striking furniture and front window.
They trick the eye as you walk into the space, as you could think there’s a window in that wall with a view to a large room at the rear of the building.
Make a feature of a zone in a broken-plan space by adding mirror to a partition.
The wall that separates this seating area from the kitchen beyond could have been left plain, but instead the designers have done something different. Panels of mirrored glass reflect the striking furniture and front window.
They trick the eye as you walk into the space, as you could think there’s a window in that wall with a view to a large room at the rear of the building.
Brighten your kitchen
Is there a gap between the benchtop and wall units in this kitchen, or is it a reflection? That’s the illusion created by the mirrored splashback.
The strip of mirror reflects the natural light from the rest of the room for a crisp, spacious and contemporary feel.
How to Choose the Right Splashback for Your Kitchen
Is there a gap between the benchtop and wall units in this kitchen, or is it a reflection? That’s the illusion created by the mirrored splashback.
The strip of mirror reflects the natural light from the rest of the room for a crisp, spacious and contemporary feel.
How to Choose the Right Splashback for Your Kitchen
domusnova.com
Open up a galley kitchen
If your kitchen is narrow, try this trick to make it seem wider. The surface above the right-hand benchtop has been entirely covered in mirror, rather than wall units.
By reflecting the room, it creates the illusion of space, and the back-to-front designs on the blackboard wall add a quirky and interesting detail.
If your kitchen is narrow, try this trick to make it seem wider. The surface above the right-hand benchtop has been entirely covered in mirror, rather than wall units.
By reflecting the room, it creates the illusion of space, and the back-to-front designs on the blackboard wall add a quirky and interesting detail.
A similar trick has been achieved in this bathroom with two mirrors facing each other.
If you’re going to do something like this in your own bathroom, be careful where you put the mirror. Here, the glass starts in front of the toilet, not next to it.
Tell us
Have you used mirrors to play design tricks in your home? Share your ideas and photos in the Comments section.
More
Find an interior designer to help with your next home makeover
If you’re going to do something like this in your own bathroom, be careful where you put the mirror. Here, the glass starts in front of the toilet, not next to it.
Tell us
Have you used mirrors to play design tricks in your home? Share your ideas and photos in the Comments section.
More
Find an interior designer to help with your next home makeover
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Kathy, I have a mirrored splashback behind my 4 burner induction plate. It often gets splattered on. Just wipe over with warm water and polish off with Mr Sheen. Also, if I'm cooking something really messy, I'll put a chopping board (I use the thin plastic coloured ones available in Woolies for this) leny up against the splashback, which makes it much easier to clean. I love mine!
I used mirrors to liven up a large pool area i positioned themselves on the limestone walls to reflect mood lighting and maximise the garden which was minimal
the pool then reflects back into the mirrors creating lovely pictures frames
I love all of these designs. You're absolutely right, installing mirrors reflects light and gives a sense of space, we have also used mirrors to reflect a clients garden or water view, to great effect. They can add a point of difference when the area is not just filled with one mirror, but rather specially designed patterns or framed. Here are a couple of examples of mirrors we recently completed, one is created in silver mirror for a client in Balgowlah, NSW (pic to follow) and the interior (within mirror wall) even made Feb 2020 House & Garden magazine! This pic is a grey tint mirror on a balcony in Bayview, NSW this mirror reflects the water view.