Some people might say that you should only put mirrors in bathrooms or bedrooms and never in living rooms. I personally think they belong in dining rooms more, but some exceptions may apply, such as when a living room connects with a dining room.
Related To: Where Can You Put a Mirror in a Bedroom?
Pros of a Mirror In The Living Room
Again, a mirror probably works better in a dining room than in a living room. However, similar principles apply when having one in the living room. It may provide you some benefits, although you may have to have quite a large living room to make it worth your while.
Improves Lighting
Source: Wayfair
A mirror could make the room look brighter if you don’t have much sunlight coming through the windows. It will reflect a moderate amount of light, which multiplies its magnitude and gives you a lighter feel in your relaxation space.
A mirror in your living room may contemporize your place too. After all, many minimalist designs call for the use of at least a moderate-sized mirror in common areas. I think of a mirror in a living room as a way to update a rustic-style home or a farmhouse, which normally feels a bit “goth” inside it to me.
Illusion of Larger Space
“Mirrors create space in an otherwise cramped room by creating an illusion of extra space. Used right, they can also be great ways to redistribute both natural and artificial light,” says Melina Divani of Decaholic.
A mirror will reflect light and make the room seem brighter and larger. However, you must incorporate it in a way that it doesn’t become an interior design fatality. For example, if you have an entire wall that consists of a mirror, you might find decorating it to be a challenge.
Elegance
If you have a living room that is used for formal events, mirrors can provide a touch of elegance. I recommend one for a dining room connected to the living room, however. I don’t know if I’d want one directly in the place where I watch TV and movies or socialize with family or friends.
Cons of a Mirror In The Living Room
Can Cause Distractions
A living room mirror could cause distractions when you’re watching TV. If placed in the wrong spot, it also could reflect too much light from not only your TV but your lamps, overhead fixtures, candles, and mobile device back lights.
I don’t think you should place your mirror across from your TV or directly across the window. Let light reflect but at an angle, such as perpendicular to your windows and your TV if you can.
Can Cause Self-Consciousness
This doesn’t mean you or anyone you live with or your guests are not pleasant to look at. However, it may cause people to feel self-conscious. They might not want other people staring at them through it, for instance, while everyone gathers for drinks or a casual meal.
Feels Like a Privacy Invasion
Okay, so if you do go to a social gathering at someone’s house, you always have to be careful what you say. You don’t want eavesdroppers to find out secrets you never intended to share with people you may not know well.
However, it’s not necessarily that you did anything wrong at all. Still, maybe you’ll feel embarrassed if someone caught you in a mirror – just as shamed as if caught on a smartphone camera. If this happens to you in your place, imagine how your household and guests might feel if it happened to them as well.
My Mirror Recommendations
I have mixed feelings at best when it comes to living room mirrors. I usually think they’re more decorative than functional, and they should be smaller than the ones I’ve seen in dining rooms.
If you have a flat screen TV that takes up almost one wall and large windows in a living room, you might not need a mirror at all. However, I have found some distinguishable curved mirrors that may fit in spaces not reflecting directly off your TV. You also might find room for them in a place where they wouldn’t emit too much glare from the sun.
Source: Hungamastart
If I could get away with a mirror wall, however, I would. I found out that they’re apparently out of style. In fact, I’ve seen documentation for removing (or covering) them as of 2022. I didn’t find a good example of an actual mirrored wall, but I did find this decorative one.
In Dining Rooms
Source: Wayfair
If you have a living room that joins with a dining room, I think placing the mirror in the dining room will keep it far enough away from your TV and windows, yet it will still provide the reflection you need to make your place look bright.