08 September, 2015: Who doesn’t have a mirror in their home? It is definitely a basic necessity in every household. Well, as everyone identifies the elementary functional use of the mirror; we are here to talk about its aesthetic aspects. With so many shapes, sizes, and styles, mirrors are a versatile decorative element that give instant polish to a room with little effort. Mirrors can add an extra decorative touch to a room. They are like art in that the style should coincide with other pieces in your home. They can do wonders—from illuminating dark corners to adding elegance and drama to an area to creating the illusion of space. There’s a mirror for everyone, whether yours is ultra-modern or ultra-classic. As there is no such strict formula on what mirrors to use and what not, but there’s definitely some tips that make mirrors your beauty accessory and not just some random thing to hang on wall. Here are some do’s and don’ts that you could consider while decorating with mirror.
Do consider about the surrounding. Wherever you intend to hang a mirror, be sure the view is something worthy of reflection. A mirror opposite a window will reflect a lovely outdoor setting and give the illusion of a second window.
Don’t place mirrors randomly around the home. Yes it’s understandable that it can be quite tempting to hang up a mirror to cover empty wall space, but make sure it’s reflecting something that’s worth looking at. We might often do a mistake of hanging mirror randomly and it reflects the casual things in our home. For example, you’d never want to place a mirror in a spot where it could reflect a pile of clutter, or even an unattractive piece of furniture. You want a mirror to reflect a nice view or bounce light.
Do make mirrors a focal point. A mirror can help focus the eye in the room. It creates a depth and gives perspective to the room. Add a trendy or decorative mirror as an art piece and make sure it reflects a clear and appealing view of your room, a good piece of furniture or an art piece in opposite side.
Don’t go overboard with mirrors in kitchen and bedrooms. Mirrors are not really necessary in kitchen. Though a reflective back splash is good it can still pose a problem such as water marks, so it would need constant maintenance.
There should also be limitation in the use of mirrors in the bedroom. If a mirror is in a bedroom and it reflects the bed, it is not considered as a good look. If you absolutely must use a mirror in the bedroom, it is recommended placing it in a spot where you won’t see your reflection as soon as you wake up. Like for instance above the head board. Or, if your wardrobe is inside the bedroom and it has mirrors make sure it is placed in a way that you don’t see the reflection of the bed.
DO use mirrors in narrow hallways and staircases. A smaller, horizontal mirror often works in a narrow hallway or staircase. This will widen the space, which creates a better flow from room to room in the use of hallway. A dark, narrow hallway can appear more spacious with a strategically-placed mirror that will help to reflect what little light there is.
Don’t use mirror in the ceiling. A mirror in the ceiling doesn’t work well in homes. It doesn’t provide a sophisticated look and can be seen tacky. The use of mirrored art and reflection is a very tricky business therefore it is safe to not use it unless you want to make it look like a tacky showroom.
Do obey the rules of Feng shui and Vaastu Shastra. There are some reasons to at least follow the simple basic rules of feng shui or Vaastu Shastra. And if obeying them results in good luck then why not. Some simple rules includes:
- According to feng shui the mirror should never reflect the bed, doors, toilet seat, another mirror, and flames in the kitchen.
- It is considered bad luck to use broken mirrors or mirror frames.
- Putting an attractive mirror at the entry way is a gracious way to welcome in the chi (good luck) but the mirror should not reflect the main door.
- For the prosperity place the mirror in the dining room where it reflects the food served in the dining table.
- Do not place the mirror where it reflects the sharp corners of pillars or furniture.
- Do not place the mirror in the staircase where your head is cut off. It should be placed in a way that while walking the head is not cut off in the reflection.
- Do not place mirror in your south wall. As the south corner has fire energy and mirror has water energy the clash between the two can give extinguish the fame and can bring bad name to your or your family.
- Lastly, always clean your mirror. A sparkling mirror attracts the positive energy.
Article by: Smriti Poudel, Freelancer Interior Designer
