Mirror, mirror on the wall. Many of us would like to achieve more light and space in our homes. In today’s Blog I discuss five ideas for achieving this by using mirrors.
Let’s have a quick look at the history of mirrors – the first mirrors, from around 600 B.C., were very simple. They were polished surfaces from natural materials that could reflect an image. People then started making mirrors from copper, bronze, gold and silver. These metals are heavy, so the mirrors were very small. They couldn’t really be used to see a reflection so they were mostly for show.
Glass mirrors like we have today were first made in the Middle Ages. They didn’t have the modern technology used today, so the mirrors were difficult to make and expensive. In the Renaissance period, the technique of making mirrors developed. They were still very expensive so only the rich could afford them. The process for making modern mirrors was developed in 1835.
I love using mirrors, they have such a range of uses and add so much to the look and feel of an interior.
Five ideas on how to use mirrors:
1. Reflecting a view
Mirrors are wonderful for reflecting a view from one side of a room to another. Place a mirror either on the opposite wall to the actual window or on the perpendicular wall. This will reflect the view from the window and also add more light to the room. You need to play around with the placement of the mirror (have a couple of people holding it for you) so that you can maximise the view reflection.
Everyone knows you can make a room look bigger with mirrors, but when it comes to actually hanging one in your home, it can be tough to make the right mounting moves. “Yes, mirrors are the cheapest way to brighten up a dark room or give the sense of more square footage, but you really have to know how to use them if you’re trying to achieve these goals,” says design pro and HGTV host Vern Yip, author of “Vacation at Home” and “Design Wise.”