I’m a mirror fan. I’m not particularly vain but having mirrors in the house is helpful. The key is knowing where to put mirrors in your house that looks great, is functional (check yourself out when necessary) but doesn’t come across as crass or that house of mirrors look).
We titled this “put mirrors” instead of “hang mirrors” because you can both hang or place freestanding mirrors in various parts of your house.
Where to put mirrors in your house
How many mirrors should you have in your house? If you put a mirror in every spot set out below, it’ll come to 10 mirrors (assuming two bathrooms). Of course, you might not have all the spaces set out below in which case it would be fewer but having ten mirrors in a home is not out of the question.
1. Front entry/hall
We have a large, full-length mirror hanging on the wall in our front entry. It’s where we exit the house as well. It’s the perfect spot to put a mirror in the house because it serves as a final check when leaving. I’m sure guests appreciate it upon entering when taking coats and hats off… just make there nothing is askew or looking weird.
2. Bathrooms
It goes without saying that every bathroom should have a mirror. It’s standard. Even tiny powder rooms should have a large wall mirror. I don’t think I’ve ever been in a bathroom other than an outhouse without a mirror.
3. Primary Bedroom
Every primary bedroom needs a full-length mirror. There are many places to put a mirror in a bedroom. Whether you hang a long mirror on the wall or place a freestanding mirror in your bedroom it doesn’t matter as long as it has one.
4. Guest Bedroom
Your guests will appreciate a mirror so spend the few extra bucks to give them one. Preferably a full-length mirror.
5. Mudroom/secondary entry
If you leave your house via mudroom or secondary entry, it’s a really good idea, if you have the space (I know these areas get really cluttered), hang a mirror. You’ll appreciate it when dashing out of the house to be able to a look at yourself quickly.
6. Hallway
If you have a long hallway or landing, adding small, decorative mirrors can be a nice touch. Larger mirrors might make the space look larger, which I don’t care for in main rooms, but can be a nice touch in a narrow hallway.
7. Living room (above a fireplace and/or sofa)
A mirror above the fireplace serves more as a decorative than a functional mirror. It’s kind of weird to look at yourself in a mirror in the living room especially if you have guests. While it wont’ really make the space look larger, it can serve as a nice decorative feature for the empty space above a fireplace. We have a round mirror above the fireplace in our family room and it looks really good there.
Another good place in the living room is above a sofa that against the wall. Check it out:
8. Dining room (above a buffet or side table)
If you have a side table or buffet in your dining room, a tasteful round or rectangle mirror can look good above it whether on the side or end wall.
9. Home office
I’m of two minds about putting a mirror in the home office but now that so many folks are working at home and doing video conferences regularly, it’s probably a good idea to have a mirror handy to check appearance before any important video conference meeting. You can place it above the desk or on the desk. Here are examples of both mirror placements in a home office.
10. Garage
You might be thinking why on earth place a mirror in a garage? There is a good reason for it. It’s not to check how you look but instead it’s a safety mirror to see if there’s anything behind you or coming from either side.
Where not to put mirrors
There are also places in a house not ideal for placing mirrors. They include:
Any kids room
Kids are rough. They throw things. Crash into walls. Mirrors around kids is just asking for a broken mirror. There’s no need for any kid’s room to have a mirror.
Kitchen
The kitchen is jam-packed as it is with stuff. There’s no need, decorative or function, to take up wall space or surface space with a mirror. It’s just not necessary. Interestingly, some kitchens use a mirror for a backsplash. Check it out (seems a bit hard on the eyes to me):
Family room
Okay, if the family room has a fireplace, a round or some type of decorative mirror works well but otherwise, it’s not necessary. I really don’t like the look of large mirrors or wall mirrors. Yes, it makes the room look larger but it’s kind of obnoxious.
