More Home Tips from Confused.com
Mirrors are the ultimate accessory when it comes to bringing beauty and drama into a room.
As well as looking great and being functional, they also create and reflect light whilst adding an illusion of space. Even the smallest of rooms can look bigger if you know what you’re doing.
And what’s more, they’re a big trend. Try panelling a whole living room wall with different sized mirrors, or simply propping up an oversized design in the hallway. Mirrored furniture adds sparkle and style too, and the high street shops are full of it.
Martin Waller, managing director of Andrew Martin interiors, says the power of mirrors cannot be over-estimated. “Mirrors are a wonderfully easy way of filling up a space. Many people have such a struggle buying pictures or art for their rooms, but mirrors are a perfect alternative. They look great without overpowering the space, or becoming boring to the eye.”
Gilded Chippendale style mirrors, or highly decorative French period mirrors work well, particularly when contrasted with sleek, modern furniture. They can provide a classic contrast when it comes to a room’s texture.
“I love to paint a room in a dark, glowing colour like red, and then use a huge mirror, almost a ‘ballet studio’ size,” Waller continues. “With this on one wall, the room opens up and the mirror prevents the colour being overpowering and makes the whole effect dramatic.”
If you have a good sized wall, ‘cloning’ - putting identical mirrors together – looks great in today’s interiors. “Repetition works so well with them,” he comments, “and I like propping two or three oversized mirrors against a wall, which immediately makes them a focal point. Alternatively, using smaller, but matching mirrors in a row, along a long, narrow corridor, adds width and is an easy way to enliven what could otherwise be a dull area.”
If you’re going to spend out on mirrors, make sure you have good home insurance cover in place. There are few things more frustrating than smashing a mirror, especially if it’s brand new and set you back a few bob.
The power of mirrors
Barty Phillips, author of Minimum Space Maximum Living, loves incorporating mirrors into the home. She says: “Mirrors have magical effects and can open up dark corners, illuminate gloomy basements, and provide optical surprises. A large, well-placed mirror can almost double the amount of light in a room if placed opposite a big window, and that in itself always makes a room seem larger.”
Barty’s top tips for making rooms appear bigger or more spacious include placing a mirror on a wall adjacent to an interesting view or picture, positioning a large mirror opposite the fireplace as well as above it and adding mirrored panels to the inside of window shutters.
The big sell
Europe by Net is a company which specialises in European furnishings, stocking a fabulous selection of mirrors. Julie Edwards, managing director of the website, says: “Mirrors are one of our biggest-selling accessory items, and it seems people ignore the ‘less is more’ golden rule. With mirrors, people are confident that they can’t have too many. They’re particularly popular with men who often opt to make a statement with a mirror rather than a work of art.”
The beauty of mirrors is that they’re so accessible. From cheap and cheerful high street brands to top of the range bespoke pieces, everyone can benefit from their style.
If you’d like to free up some much-needed cash in order to buy a few mirrors to transform your home, try using Confused.com to find a cheap home insurance quote – you could save a great deal on what you’re currently paying.
