The modern world of design when decorating the interior of a living room allows you to choose a large number of decorative elements, among which mirrors are the most sophisticated and functional of them. Today, no one perceives a mirror as an object in which one can only see a reflection of one’s appearance, since it can perform completely different functions in the living room. It is important to fit it correctly into the interior, place it in the right place and play with certain details. What types of mirrors are relevant, how to choose the desired shape, location and not make a mistake - read on.
Benefits of placing a mirror in the living room
Existing types of mirrors can improve the appearance of a room. It is important to choose the appropriate model. Also, the layout of the room plays an important role when choosing the location of the mirror. There are so many mirrors! Large and oval, round and rectangular, square and curly. Using each shape, you can create a non-trivial appearance of the living room, place stylistic accents and create the right mood. Using different shapes of mirrors, you can visually enlarge a room or hide repair errors. But in any case, a mirror will make your living room feel freer and more modern.
Proper placement will expand the space, especially in a small living room. Also, you won’t have to clutter the room with unnecessary decorative elements, since the reflection in the mirror will fill the space. The choice of mirror shape will visually change the perception of the proportions of the room, for example, a long mirror will create the illusion of a high ceiling, and a round one will expand the room.
Mirror framing
Framing plays an important role in shaping the interior. The overall perception and mood of the space depends on it.
Related article: How to choose the color of the ceiling plinth?
Note! For small rooms, you should give preference to mirrors without frames.
A frameless mirror may seem boring, but it's not. It is not necessary to use classic shapes - squares, rectangles or ovals; you can choose more original options . These include silhouettes of female figures, flowers, butterflies, waves.
Mirrors on the wall in the living room
The composition of mirrors looks elegant in a large living room. You can use the same style of frame, but modern options allow for a variety of frames. You can dilute the composition of mirrors with photographs, floristry, paintings or other wall decor.
Imitation of a mirror window is a novelty in the modern world of design. The frame of such decor in the living room will highlight the chosen interior style, for example, a wooden frame creates a rustic atmosphere, and a white frame creates an aristocratic one. A mirror on the wall makes the living room feel truly homey and cozy.
Visual expansion of the hallway
The first room in the house is the hallway, which has a very small area. Sometimes nothing else fits in it except a wall hanger. But even in the most disadvantaged version, you can always visually adjust the area. A mirror in the hallway is an essential attribute. In addition to its intended use, it can be used to easily move walls apart.
Photo: Alexey Trofimov
For example, a door with a mirror is an effective tool for this. This method is suitable if the hallway is not elongated and does not smoothly transition into a long corridor.
A wardrobe in the hallway with a tall mirror will not only help you dress up before going out, but also visually improve the interior. Even an ordinary wall mirror in a modern hallway interior will adjust its area.
Large mirror in the living room
The larger the size of the chosen mirror for the living room, the greater the effect of expanding the room. The presence of living plants located near the mirror looks incredibly impressive. You get the effect of a winter garden. It is better not to leave a large mirror with a frame leaning against the wall without fixing it if there are children or pets living in the apartment. In this case, choose a special stand or mount.
An optical illusion or a good decision?
Designers use the property of mirrors to visually make the space wider and much lighter, which will be of interest primarily to those who live in small homes or with rooms as narrow as pencil cases. Then a wall completely covered with a mirror will help, as if by magic, to visually add additional square meters to the room.
If a mirror in the interior is placed in such a way that it reflects the window, a small and dark room will become completely different: spacious and bright.
To avoid discomfort from the “abundance of mirrors”, it will be enough to place mirror blocks on the entire surface of the wall behind the back of a sofa or chair, which will also help expand the room and neutralize the frequent and therefore irritating contact of your reflection with your eyes.
Mirror above the sofa in the living room
Installing a mirror above the sofa in the living room should only be entrusted to professionals. Saving on specialist services does not guarantee quality and may become unsafe. For example, if a mirror needs to be attached with glue, then professionals will use only special materials that will not allow dark spots to appear on the mirror surface in the future.
If you place a mirror above a sofa, chest of drawers, fireplace or other surfaces, then make sure that no more than a couple of large interior items are reflected.
A mirror above furniture only works in combination with light. Without the necessary lighting, the mirror will not fulfill its decorative purpose, so be sure to provide lighting or decorate the mirror with a table lamp.
The placement of a large mirror surface opposite the sofa in the living room creates an uncomfortable psychological atmosphere. Neither guests nor hosts should constantly see their reflection. Above the sofa is the best place for a mirror!
Mirror mysticism
The surface of any mirror used in the decor of the living room must be clean and intact, without a network of cracks and chips
You can believe that mirrors are magical objects or be skeptical, but stories about their mystical properties have been known to us since childhood. Well, who among us has not heard about the seven years of troubles that will haunt the household if a mirror breaks? And about the fact that you can’t look like shards? Fortune tellers and soothsayers generally consider the mirror surface to be a guide to another world that is closed to us, so they use their help when conducting their mystical rituals. Psychics are sure that a mirror, like a sponge, absorbs the energy of the person looking into it and can tell a lot about him. If you believe all of the above, it turns out that the looking glass still exists. And even though science does not recognize this, we treat superstitions with a degree of respect and try, if possible, not to violate the mirror rules.
a composition of chaotically located mirrors in the living room performs decorative functions
Whatever the mysticism, the fact that the surface of any mirror used in the decor of the living room must be clean and intact, without a network of cracks and chips, is undeniable. If a mirror breaks or bursts, it should be replaced immediately, not because you are afraid of otherworldly retribution, but solely for aesthetic reasons. You cannot attach these decorative elements in such a way that they only reflect half of you, cutting off your face and figure, and the reflection itself should not be distorted. This is also ugly and annoying.
Modern mirrors in the living room: creating a stylish space
In an aristocratic modern room design, it is advisable to insert mirrors into the bowserie. This way you can play up the interior with color and create an impressive spatial effect. To visualize the living room interior, you can place horizontal or vertical stripes of mirrors. For example, thin stripes in the form of a sofa edging create the effect of floating furniture, and mesmerizing longitudinal lines up to the ceiling increase the height of the room.
Panoramic placement of floor-to-ceiling mirrors will not only help to visually increase the space, but will also add some charm to the interior.
Transforming a narrow corridor
There is more than enough space for a mirror in the hallway. Before going on a date or to work, we are unable to resist the temptation to take another look at our appearance. The corridor is usually narrow and cramped.
- Transforming a narrow corridor. To extend it, you can place a vertical mirror at its end. Although the length of the corridor will remain the same, our eyes will look into the virtual distance.
- We are expanding the narrow corridor. If we want to expand a narrow corridor, then along one of the walls it is worth placing an oblong mirror, which will ideally fulfill this task. It can be placed, for example, on the door of a wardrobe.
Mirrored wardrobe in the living room
A wardrobe with a mirror surface is a fairly rational solution in the living room interior. So the mirror plays not only an aesthetic role, but also a practical one. A mirrored cabinet makes the room spacious, bright, and original. A sliding wardrobe with a geometric pattern on the mirror is an interesting solution that will attract the attention of guests. This option will never spoil the design of the room.
Where and what kind of mirrors to hang
A floral abstraction or even a natural landscape can be applied to the surface of the mirror in the living room.
We don’t hang it, we put it up. Interiors in which large mirrors are simply placed against the wall are not uncommon today. For a family room, this technique is really safe. They are quite massive, so the chance that the “hulk” will fall is practically zero.
two mirrors in a rectangular living room visually expand the space
Why not just hang a mirror like this in the living room? The answer is trivial. The problem is that often interior walls are not strong enough to support the significant weight of a piece of furniture. This, in fact, gave the designers the idea of simply placing mirrors against the wall. Usually in decor they use a pair of mirrors symmetrically installed next to some piece of furniture. They can surround a cabinet, chest of drawers, table with a lamp in a beautiful lampshade and other objects.
Exceptional beauty. Modern mirrors can be stunningly beautiful. No, don't think that we are talking about frames. The conversation is about the mirror canvas itself. Agree, few people need a mirror in the room for receiving guests in order to look at their reflection in it, therefore, it is not at all necessary for it to perfectly reflect reality.
a mirror decorated with a sandblasted pattern always looks original in the living room
Several techniques are used to decorate mirrors:
- painting;
- mosaic;
- pasting with film;
- fusing;
- sandblasting.
A floral abstraction or even a natural landscape can be applied to the surface of the mirror in the living room. It may well be an imitation of stained glass or a panel.
Such versions of mirrors are already available for sale, but if you want to become the owner of an exclusive one that is ideal for your interior, then it is better to order it from companies specializing in fusing design. In small towns there may not be such companies, then furniture manufacturers, in particular wardrobes, will help out. In their activities, they always use mirrors and know how to cut them correctly and decorate them beautifully.
an unusual solution for decorating the living room interior – a mirror in the shape of a puzzle
If you are the owner of a luxuriously decorated room with natural wood floors and furniture, a leather seating area and other magnificent accessories, then you can safely add a stained glass mirror to your living room decor. This will be in the spirit of the main style and will emphasize the richness of the decor.
For minimalist interiors, the ideal solution would be mirrors with sandblasted paintings.
in minimalist interiors, a non-standard shaped mirror looks chic
Fireplace area. Fireplaces in living rooms are not uncommon today. Installing them is not difficult, but you have to try to fit them correctly into the overall environment. According to tradition, chairs, props, such as pokers, tongs and other small items are placed near the fireplace. Knickknacks are placed on the mantel... But the space above it remains empty, which is not very attractive.
Once again, a mirror will save the situation. Why not a picture? Because the living room must certainly be bright and light. Place candlesticks on the fireplace and let the fire of the burning candles be reflected in the mirror surface. In addition to the fact that this will improve the lighting, it will also become a mesmerizing action. The reflected glare of the flame will help you detach yourself from pressing problems, relax and calm down. By the way, a mirror placed above the fireplace in the living room will fully reflect the figurines, watches or other collectibles displayed on its shelf, so you don’t have to pick them up to look at them from all sides.
mirror above the fireplace - traditional interior design in the living room
Mirror wall. This solution will greatly help create a comfortable interior in a small living room. One of the wall surfaces can be completely or partially hidden under the mirrors. In the latter case, you need to make sure that at least a quarter of the designed area is covered with a shiny finish. Ideally, mirrors are used to decorate the wall opposite the window, because this will make the room brighter and fill it with space.
It is not necessary to glue a solid mirror to the wall in the living room. It is quite possible to install a wardrobe with textured doors, although for small rooms this is not a very logical solution. No matter how ergonomic such a cabinet is, it will still take up some of the space.
the mirror wall in the living room looks stylish and modern
Interiors that use mirror tiles look good. The only “but” in this option is that such tiles will most likely have to be ordered privately. It is not difficult to cut the material according to the provided sizes, so this interior delicacy will cost you inexpensively. Yes, and you can decorate the wall yourself if you wish. The tiles are simply glued to a specific adhesive composition or liquid nails.
Mirror on the ceiling? A mirrored ceiling is the best way to “grow up” a room. Of course, attaching huge mirror sheets to it is nonsense. In this case, you need to act more subtly. The coffered design will help not to overload the ceiling space. It is much more convenient to work with small pieces of mirrors, and the resulting finish always becomes a real decoration of the interior. If you are afraid of being reflected in many small mirrors, then try to “raise” the oppressive ceiling with a mirror cornice running along the upper perimeter of the room.
mirror ceiling visually increases the height of the living room
Mirror gallery. This option for using a mirror in the decor of a living room is akin to the above-described method of decorating a wall, only the consumables in this case do not look like pieces, but real full-fledged mirrors framed in a frame. This technique is good in rooms with too high ceilings, because the chaotic arrangement of decorative elements helps to “break” the wall into separate sections and make it somewhat shorter. A living room decorated in this simple way will immediately become much more comfortable.
Compositional techniques. Mirrors can become part of decorative compositions. Enclosed in the same type of frame, they can be included in a block of photographs hanging on the wall. You can also make a large mirror already hanging in the living room the center of the composition . It is simply surrounded by photographs within different shapes, but of the same texture. It turns out very stylish.
a composition of mirrors decorates any living room interior
Mirror furniture. To become an interior decoration, mirrors do not have to hang on the wall. Furniture can sparkle with such magnificent surfaces. The traditions of its manufacture came to us from Venice. It was there that they first tried to line the walls of cabinets and chests of drawers with magic glass and cut tabletops out of it. The Art Deco era improved the endeavors of Italian furniture makers and gave the world furniture made entirely of mirrors. It’s nice that their relevance has not diminished today.
Basic rules for placing a mirror in the living room
- You cannot place mirrors opposite each other. This interferes with orientation and does not in any way affect the visual expansion of the living room.
- If you need a mirror without a frame, then pay close attention to the processing of the edge.
- Mirrored ceilings in the living room are inappropriate. This solution is more suitable for a bedroom, bathroom or low rooms.
- A gallery of mirrors will break up the living room wall and reduce the height of the room. The effect of making a room larger or smaller also depends on the frame of the mirror.
- Mirrors leaning against the wall look interesting, especially near furniture. Moreover, if the mirror has a massive frame, then floor installation will prevent the risk of the mirror falling from the wall due to the load.
- A mirror opposite the window makes the room brighter.
- Reflections of beautiful objects, colorful flowers, and photographs of happy moments in mirrors create a positive mood.
Dimensions and location
Before installing any type of mirror in a room, it is very important to familiarize yourself with all the nuances that may appear during installation.
- the dimensions of the large mirror are within the range of 1.7-1.9 m;
- to display in full height, a surface with a height of 140 cm is needed, to the knees - no more than 120 cm, to the waist - 60 cm is enough, only the head - 40 cm;
- a ceiling-to-floor mirror will significantly enlarge the room;
- the smallest in width - no less than 0.3-0.4 m;
- when located in a work area, we will encounter trouble - a constant struggle with fingerprints and other contaminants;
The mirror becomes the final detail when creating an interior
- we raise a composition of several small accessories from the floor by 1.5 m;
- We install wall structures at eye level so as not to bend over trying to look at the reflection;
- It is a mistake to place mirror surfaces opposite each other, so the apartment will turn into a labyrinth, instead of visually expanding the space;
- we avoid working with fragments with raw edges to avoid injury;
- If hung in an area of direct exposure to sunlight, the surface will quickly become cloudy from heating. Lighting should not fall on the accessory, but on the interior items that are displayed in it.
To decorate rooms, the property of mirrors to display streams of light is used . Properly placed interior details will transform dark rooms and add volume to narrow corridors. If the accessory is not hung straight, but at a certain angle, the amount of furniture in the room visually increases or an endless corridor is created.
Exquisite and original doors
Photo gallery of mirror designs in the living room
The presented photo review of living room design proves the practicality, originality, beauty and functionality of mirrors used in the interior. Today, the shape and color scheme allow you to choose a mirror to suit every taste. This will make the living room design more elegant and organic. Graphic reflection and lighting will create some zest and an impressive effect.
Increasing kitchen volume
A kitchen of 6 square meters and other similar areas look much more interesting when the kitchen apron is made of mirror tiles and mosaics. The mirrored kitchen in the interior is supported by a refrigerator, microwave, stove and oven in metallic color. This design technique is perfect for a Scandinavian-style kitchen.
The design in a classic style will qualitatively complement the panel near the dining area. Fragmented using bevel allows you to achieve increased aesthetics. The diamond-shaped shape will add nobility to the interior.
For a high-tech style, a mirror, as well as chrome furniture parts, emphasizes the design.
Effective separation with mirror walls
Mirrors can be used not only as a solid sheet, but also as individual elements. The separation effect smoothes out the irritating effect of reflection, without losing the ability to enlarge and brighten the space. The distances for such crushing are different. They can be equal in size to the border of mirrors (suitable for rooms with a small area), wide mirrors at a narrow distance from each other (for a large room) look aesthetically pleasing, and vice versa (a large distance between narrow mirrors sets off the pastel color of the walls).
By adopting one of the proposed methods, the apartment owner will create an effective, non-standard and bold design for his home, for example:
- reflection of light rays at different angles and in different directions, like many small prisms;
- combination of different reliefs, shapes and textures;
- eccentricity and originality of both the home and the owner.
Chest of drawers and interior
In addition to their practical function, the first chests of drawers also had a decorative function: they decorated the courts of kings and aristocrats. They had drawer fronts that were ornate and supported by carved wooden legs.
It is worth preserving this tradition and choosing a chest of drawers that will fit into the interior of the bedroom. To make the composition consistent, you should choose a chest of drawers for the bedroom in the same style as the rest of the furniture.
If you want a chest of drawers to attract attention, let it stand out from the rest of the furniture in style (to match the eclectic fashion trend), color (bright and dark colors are in fashion lately) or age (the combination of old and new is a trend that is always in fashion ).
Interior design loft
Factory loft style is a combination of wood, metal and brick.
What jewelry to choose for this style? In this case, simple shapes are best.
Therefore, it is worth betting on minimalism. In formal industrial living rooms, framed posters placed asymmetrically on the chest of drawers look beautiful.
You can also find a night light here, which in shape and character corresponds to the loft style.
Interesting details. Complementing the mirrored interior
Large and bright rooms need mirrors no less. The mirror here, first of all, becomes a decoration of the interior, its “highlight”, gives a certain sophistication, elegance, and adds luxury. To create such an atmosphere, sticker mirrors or ordinary ones, but always in frames, are perfect.
Unusual, avant-garde forms and decorations in the form of drawings or ornaments are in fashion. You also need to know one rule: in this way it is worth decorating rooms with a minimum amount of furniture, with walls in soothing colors, otherwise, otherwise, the reflections of many shelves, sofas and armchairs can cause an uncomfortable feeling of incomprehensible irritation.
Advantages and disadvantages of coating
The main advantage of a mirror wall is its ability to visually enlarge the space. But for the effect to be maximum, the coating must reflect the sun's rays. Therefore, it is better to place a mirror opposite a source of natural light - a window.
The second plus is that the coating will be an accent, but not too bright. Unlike a painted or wallpapered surface, a mirror attracts less attention. Finally, third: the panels can be used in any room. Often designers decorate living rooms combined with dining rooms, entrance areas and bedrooms in this way. In the kitchen, finishing is less common. The environment here is too harsh. However, there are examples of projects where mirror tiles are used on the apron and walls; in the photo it looks impressive, but may not be very functional in life. But, if you cook infrequently, you can consider this option.
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Mirrors also have disadvantages. The first and most obvious is the fragility of the coating. Despite modern technology, this is a very delicate material that is not easy to work with. And in life, you should be more careful with such finishing, any blow threatens to crack or chip. Therefore, it is not suitable for children.
The second drawback is soiling. Be prepared for the fact that you will have to wipe the surface at least a couple of times a week - it all depends on the area where the panels, slabs or panels are installed. In the hallway you will have to do this more often, in the bedroom - a little less often.
The complexity of installation is the third disadvantage. Unlike wooden panels, it is difficult to install a mirror yourself. You will have to contact installers, which increases the already not the cheapest finish.
- Bathroom, toilet
Everything about mounting adhesive for mirrors: advantages, methods of application and removal from the surface
