Contemporary Mirrors: Choosing Mirrors to Suit Your Home

Light, space and atmosphere: three words which should be at the forefront of your mind when designing, redesigning or modifying a home. Amazingly, the ideal level of each can be created simply with mirrors. Now, we all know mirrors. We brush our teeth in front of them, straighten our glasses with their help and blame them for minor (or major...) weight fluctuations. Mirrors aren’t just every day decorations. There are specific ways in which we can use mirrors in order to create space, brighten up a room or attract attention to certain areas. It’s just a question of choosing the right mirrors for the right home. There are so many styles of mirrors, with nearly limitless versatility.

Smoke & Mirrors

Most of us have mirrors in our homes. They sit on the wall looking pretty, but generally their potential isn’t utilised. The style and placement of mirrors can completely transform a room; Mirrors can turn a cramped, dingy space into a more spacious; light and relaxing area in which to unwind. In small rooms, the key is learning how to manipulate light. If there is a small window, make sure that you place your mirror so that the window is visible in its reflection as you walk in the room. Suddenly you have two windows! It really is that simple; find the best light source and squeeze every ray of sunlight out of it.

Mirrors aren’t just great for emphasising light; they are great for downright lying about it! If you walk into a small room and are confronted by a big, plain wall, you will instantly get the sense of a dead-end as there isn’t enough light being returned to your eyes. A large wall mirror will recycle the light and throw it right back at your eyes. Magic.

The illusion of space really doesn’t have to stop at simply emphasising the light of a mirror or brightening up a box room. You may have a large space which you aren’t quite able to control. A common problem with large spaces (especially living rooms and bedrooms) is that the sheer amount of floor space can lead to areas of furniture feeling really separated and detached. Use mirrors to draw attention to central areas and distract from open space. This technique will enable you to enjoy your space, instead of battling against it.

Mirror, Mirror...

There might be some terrible mirrors out there, but there certainly isn’t a ‘fairest of them all’. A mirror should be viewed exactly as a piece of furniture or a painting would be; in keeping with the style of the home, or the style you are trying to achieve. There are traditional mirrors with renaissance-influenced frames, ultramodern mirrors with irregular contemporary shapes, pop-art style mirrors, minimalist simple mirrors and so much more. It really is just like choosing anything else in the home. A mirror has to be viewed as one of the most important components of the room, not just ‘a mirror’.

Break the Mould

Mirrors aren’t just boring rectangular pieces of glass, which we plonk in bathrooms and on dressing tables. Mirrors have a whole world of weird and wonderful designs. Contemporary designs with innovative colours, shapes and sizes make choosing the right mirror a really exciting process. With contemporary mirrors, you have to choose how much of a statement you want them to make. For example, if you are adding a mirror to a minimalist room, you’ll probably want a simple contemporary mirror with clean lines. However, the beauty of a contemporary mirror is that it can be loud, boisterous and exciting; a mirror divided into rectangular shapes, reminiscent of a Mondrian, can be a beautiful contemporary design statement and can be a real expression of your own personal style.

A conventional mirror will be a simple reflective glass surface, and most of the time, that works. However, different coloured glass can completely change a seemingly ordinary mirror and transform into an eye-catching contemporary piece. Try and match the colour of your mirror with the colour of your interior in order create a constant flowing colour scheme. Light is the best way of giving a sense of space, which is way many contemporary homes have monochrome designs, with black furniture contrasting white walls. Black glass is a great way to add mirrors to a sleek, sophisticated monochrome style. If you want to have ordinary mirrors as well, smaller symmetrical mirrors look great when sequenced across the wall; simply alternate black glass with clear. Alternatively there are some beautiful contemporary mirrors with black glass frames. The black glass frames create a consistent reflective surface, which also contrasts beautifully with the mirror face.

Get Creative with Classics

Imagine a world where you can only listen to music that is currently in the charts. Where’s the fun in that? There will always be ‘latest’ trends, but we can’t let that detract from the classics of the past. Whether you’re partial to The Beatles or 90’s Hip-Hop, everyone can appreciate a classic. You shouldn’t look at your interior any differently. Try and show off these classic styles in all their glory.

Try using vintage styles to create a stylish juxtaposition in your contemporary home. A full length mirror with vintage a vintage detailed wooden frame and gold leaf finish is a timeless design, which looks great alongside linear and contemporary furniture. When selecting a classic mirror with a wooden frame, it can sometimes look a little too ornamental and attract the wrong kind of attention. Try and go for a gold or silver leaf frame with distressed edging and go for more of a ‘shabby-chic’ look; this will turn a traditional design into a stylish vintage statement piece. If gold leaf is a look which appeals to you, but not to your bank manager, have no fear. Check out your local antique shops and car-boot sales for a bargain mirror with the frame that suits your style. Simply find some cheap metallic gold or silver paint and brush away. Finish the mirror off with some sandpaper to create the distressed look.

Mirrors come in so many shapes, styles, materials and colours. The normal household mirrors you see are merely the tip of the iceberg. Contemporary mirrors, vintage mirrors, traditional mirrors and simple mirrors can all be a huge part of improving the feel of a home. Whether it’s a full length mirror in which to brush your hair, a sleek wall mirror which spreads light to the darkest corners or a statement mirror on the mantel, every mirror has its own individual beauty and purpose.

Contemporary Mirrors 4 Living sell a wide range of contemporary mirrors for the modern home including round mirrors, square and rectangular mirrors, full length mirrors, black and white lacquer mirrors and solid wood mirrors made from teak, oak and bamboo. Visit our site now to buy online!