Few of us can claim to have enough space in our homes and we're always searching for ways to stretch our rooms to meet our growing demands. But there's one element you might have overlooked that could magically enhance the space and add more light - mirrors.
If well-positioned, these can trick the eye into thinking that a room is double the size, whether it's a tiny bathroom, a cramped lounge or a narrow bedroom.
A room without a mirror is somehow a room without a soul. Bring several of them into a room and you will immediately introduce a kaleidoscope of light and colour into space. Mirrors are magical. They reflect images and refract light with the most bewitching and beguiling effects. Interior designers often use mirrors to alter perceptions of light and space - how often have you almost walked into a mirrored wall only to realise it's a cunning illusion?
There's so much more to using mirrors than simply hanging them in the conventional way over a fireplace or a bathroom basin. In the BBC Good Homes book 101 Ways To Make More Space, Julie Savill, former editor of Good Homes magazine, says: "Take a tip from the professional stylists who often simply prop a large mirror casually against a wall. It can mimic the effect of an open door, giving you the impression that you are gaining a glimpse into an adjoining room."
Crucially, mirrors also bounce light around a room and create new vistas. Adding mirrored tiles to a splashback can throw light into a kitchen and be a welcome distraction on a dull wall, while positioning a mirror opposite a window can reflect and enhance a stunning view.
There's no need to confine mirrors to the house. A large mirror placed at the end of a small garden, framed by greenery, is another designer trick to extend the space.
You could use plate mirror glass over a whole wall, which would have the effect of doubling the dimensions of a room, but this is not a do-it-yourself option. Seek advice from professional glass suppliers and fitters.
Mirrors are an asset in any room. Choose from wall mirrors to free-standing mirrors and don't overlook mirrored furniture or little touches of looking glass on items such as frames or candlesticks.
A narrow, dark hallway will be dramatically illuminated when hung with mirrors of varying sizes and shapes. Each one might be an inexpensive find, picked up for next to nothing, but the overall effect is a dramatic one.
Single mirrors, as well as collections of mirrors, appear more and more often on the walls of the ultra chic. They are such an effective medium.
There are no hard and fast rules about using mirrors, apart from ensuring they're safely hung. Well-placed mirrors can add a sense of space and light to even the smallest and darkest of rooms. Choose whatever suits your mood and money but make sure every room holds at least one mirror.
So instead of simply relying on a mirror to check out your appearance, attract admiration and compliments for your home by using mirror magic.
Top tips room by room
Bathroom: Mirrors are essential in a bathroom, but this should be a place for de-stressing so: Don't install floor-to-ceiling ones unless you have no hang-ups!
Hallway: If you have a high ceiling, find or make an enormous mirror that hangs from floor to ceiling. Put it in a position so it maximises the light and space of the area by apparently extending corridors and reflecting daylight from any windows. If there's a bit more space, a mirror can be propped against a wall, slanting upwards to catch the line of the stairs.
Living room: Place a mirror opposite an attractive fireplace as well as above it. This will catch the eye and make the room seem larger. Paint one wall a darker colour than the rest of the room and hang a mirror on it. This will have the effect of giving a dark wall more depth as it appears to recede to contain the picture."
If well-positioned, these can trick the eye into thinking that a room is double the size, whether it's a tiny bathroom, a cramped lounge or a narrow bedroom.
A room without a mirror is somehow a room without a soul. Bring several of them into a room and you will immediately introduce a kaleidoscope of light and colour into space. Mirrors are magical. They reflect images and refract light with the most bewitching and beguiling effects. Interior designers often use mirrors to alter perceptions of light and space - how often have you almost walked into a mirrored wall only to realise it's a cunning illusion?
There's so much more to using mirrors than simply hanging them in the conventional way over a fireplace or a bathroom basin. In the BBC Good Homes book 101 Ways To Make More Space, Julie Savill, former editor of Good Homes magazine, says: "Take a tip from the professional stylists who often simply prop a large mirror casually against a wall. It can mimic the effect of an open door, giving you the impression that you are gaining a glimpse into an adjoining room."
Crucially, mirrors also bounce light around a room and create new vistas. Adding mirrored tiles to a splashback can throw light into a kitchen and be a welcome distraction on a dull wall, while positioning a mirror opposite a window can reflect and enhance a stunning view.
There's no need to confine mirrors to the house. A large mirror placed at the end of a small garden, framed by greenery, is another designer trick to extend the space.
You could use plate mirror glass over a whole wall, which would have the effect of doubling the dimensions of a room, but this is not a do-it-yourself option. Seek advice from professional glass suppliers and fitters.
Mirrors are an asset in any room. Choose from wall mirrors to free-standing mirrors and don't overlook mirrored furniture or little touches of looking glass on items such as frames or candlesticks.
A narrow, dark hallway will be dramatically illuminated when hung with mirrors of varying sizes and shapes. Each one might be an inexpensive find, picked up for next to nothing, but the overall effect is a dramatic one.
Single mirrors, as well as collections of mirrors, appear more and more often on the walls of the ultra chic. They are such an effective medium.
There are no hard and fast rules about using mirrors, apart from ensuring they're safely hung. Well-placed mirrors can add a sense of space and light to even the smallest and darkest of rooms. Choose whatever suits your mood and money but make sure every room holds at least one mirror.
So instead of simply relying on a mirror to check out your appearance, attract admiration and compliments for your home by using mirror magic.
Top tips room by room
Bathroom: Mirrors are essential in a bathroom, but this should be a place for de-stressing so: Don't install floor-to-ceiling ones unless you have no hang-ups!
Hallway: If you have a high ceiling, find or make an enormous mirror that hangs from floor to ceiling. Put it in a position so it maximises the light and space of the area by apparently extending corridors and reflecting daylight from any windows. If there's a bit more space, a mirror can be propped against a wall, slanting upwards to catch the line of the stairs.
Living room: Place a mirror opposite an attractive fireplace as well as above it. This will catch the eye and make the room seem larger. Paint one wall a darker colour than the rest of the room and hang a mirror on it. This will have the effect of giving a dark wall more depth as it appears to recede to contain the picture."