How To Choose The Best Size For An Entryway Mirror

As one of the more modest sections of the home, your entryway needs its decor to be particularly purposeful. Alongside the limited storage pieces it can hold, this is one of the best spots to install a mirror in the home, as they can offer several benefits without stealing space. They allow you to check your teeth, hair, and overall look before dashing out the door to work. For those entering, a mirror will create depth and add light for an impressive introduction to the home. There are plenty of factors to consider around the style, form, and function when picking the right mirror, but today, let's talk size.

Generally, the size of your mirror follows the size of the space. When you know where you want to place your mirror, you can use the wall and surrounding features to determine the mirror's ideal length and width. Taller ceilings can use a taller mirror, and wide walls should have a wider mirror to fit it, creating a more attractive even border around all sides. Furniture under the entryway mirror is also a classic pairing, helping to guide the ideal mirror's style and dimensions. To start, the mirror should be roughly two-thirds the width of the furniture below it. For instance, a console table that is 36 inches long would work best with a 24-inch-wide mirror. Easy and effective, these rules also aren't set in stone. Surrounding decor and the room's layout can impact what works. Although they may not seem to fit at first, you can still often use your favorite mirrors for the entryway by considering how you decorate around them.

Key concerns when choosing the best entryway mirror size are the sense of balance in the room and the desired effect with the mirror's addition. You can use mirrors to make the space look bigger, reflect attractive elements, direct the eye, and provide bold focal points. Mirror size also works hand-in-hand with the frame size, so you can swap a large mirror with a smaller one if it has a more substantial border.

Compare mirror options while remembering that the final hanging setup should have the mirror's center at roughly eye height if you want it to be both fashionable and functional. When putting it over furniture, various time-tested rules of thumb can help you calculate the best size for your mirror. Although the aforementioned two-thirds sizing is the sweet spot, your mirror can still blend seamlessly if you keep it within a range of roughly 50% to 75% of the furniture's width. An undersized mirror can look arbitrary and lost on the wall, and you don't want an overly large mirror eclipsing the furniture. Meanwhile, the mirror should also be properly sized to fit comfortably about 6 to 8 inches over a standard-height table (30 to 36 inches tall). If the furniture is shorter or higher, that distance can change to maintain the proper mirror height on the wall.

While the space largely dictates the size of the mirror to put in your entryway, you can adapt it to your needs to make a particular piece work. When you don't have any furniture to frame the mirror, choose a full-length style to sit on the floor and make a grand statement. Though larger mirrors will be ideal when by themselves to maintain balance and a suitable height, you can use decor to frame smaller mirrors that would otherwise look out of place. If you don't have a large mirror, set smaller mirrors at eye level for each family member. That way, everyone can give themselves a quick glance before leaving. Add pictures, sconces, and other hanging pieces as you decorate with mirrors to balance them in their space. Integrate your mirrors into a gallery wall if they're too small for a bare wall. When putting them over a table or bench, try doubling them up to get the right presence with a smaller frame.

A mirror on the wall is often better served with the table underneath. Still, you may have to get creative if you have a narrow entryway. For instance, you can make your mirror the right size by installing a floating shelf beneath it, adding function with a piece that's as low-profile as you need to stay out of the way. You can then decorate it with plants, candlesticks, and other decor to blend with the mirror and add interest. A basket or bowl could also be placed on the surface to hold keys and wallets.