The Different Types Of Mirrors And Where To Place Them To Brighten Your Home

When decorating your home, there's no piece more versatile than a mirror. They're a fairly neutral item that combines both functionality and style and with the proper placement, they can even make your room feel bigger, thanks to their ability to reflect natural light in the space. Generally speaking, placing any mirror across a south-facing window will help illuminate your room as the sun shines through, eliminating the need for artificial lighting throughout the day. But there are also ways to use the unique shapes available on the market to your advantage when designing and decorating your home.

Most mirrors available for sale fall into one of two categories: round and rectangular. Of course, there are plenty of outliers to this rule, like arches and asymmetrical shapes, but more involved designs typically function best as a statement piece or for a more specific purpose. Simpler shapes, however, can complement most homes, but you can use the softness or hard lines of the frame to help balance the feel of a room while brightening the space.

Despite simply reflecting what is in front of them, mirrors bring sharpness and smoothness to a space, creating a sleek and clean effect. This effect is further emphasized with a rectangular mirror with sharp corners and straight lines that can be used to balance spaces feeling too soft. If you're looking for a way to create an illusion of more natural light and windows in a space, you could also place a mirror with lines that mimic window panels across an existing window to reflect more light throughout the room.

If your couch has fluffy cushions and is frequently styled with a plethora of pillows and throw blankets, try adding a rectangular mirror into the space and angle it to catch light from your windows to keep everything looking tidy. Rectangular mirrors are also great to lean up against walls because of their flat bottom and low profile, so if you lack space and want a piece of renter-friendly decor that will make the room feel bigger, this is a great choice.

Round mirrors, on the other hand, are a good choice if you want to curate a softer vibe in your room. If you have a lot of angular furniture or hard materials in an area, a bit of roundness can help to create a balance between inorganic and organic shapes. This is great to keep in mind for a space like a kitchen, where hard materials like tiling and metal are the go-to's, or in the bedroom, where it's beneficial to keep everything cozy and relaxing to promote better sleep. Place these mirrors across your light fixtures, such as kitchen island pendants or table lamps, to better disperse light throughout the space.

Round mirrors are also great for awkward spots where other shapes may not fit, like the area above a console in a small entryway. If there's light streaming in from your front door or nearby windows, adding a mirror here will make the space feel more airy and welcoming. The rounded edges, unfortunately, don't make these mirrors the best choice to place on the floor or lean against a wall, though an arched mirror can create a similar yet sturdier effect.