Besides being useful, mirrors can often be used as decorations around the house. They help make rooms appear more spacious and airier and a good-looking frame goes a long way so in a lot of ways mirrors are similar to an artwork.
You can also hang a mirror in a strategic place so it reflects beautiful scenery or a great decor feature that you like.
5 Tips For Bringing Mirrors Into Your Interior Design
Mirrors can be very useful when decorating a space but it helps to know how to use them in order to take full advantage of their unique particularities. Here are five tips that come in very handy in the future:
Place mirrors opposite or next to windows
Mirrors can be used to brighten a space and this is something you can figure out without any outside help. But if you want to put an emphasis on this and to increase the actual amount of natural sunlight that enters the room then place the mirror either opposite to a window or next to one. Similarly, you can place a mirror close to a lamp or another source of light to amplify the effect.
Use mirrors as window alternatives
Another cool trick is to use mirrors in rooms that either have small, few, or no windows at all. Mirrors make them feel more spacious, more open, and brighter because they reflect and emphasize the artificial or natural light in these spaces. Additionally, you can make mirrors actually look like windows, creating a cool optical illusion.
Consider different shapes
Most mirrors are either rectangular or circular but that doesn’t mean you have to stick to the norm, especially in cases when the mirror is not necessarily meant to be practical.
Mirrors can be used as decorations and this gives you an opportunity to use a shape that might not be practical but that looks cool or interesting. Pick the shape of the mirror in relation to the rest of the room and the overall mood or ambiance that you’re trying to create.
Hang mirrors in groups
Mirrors are fairly similar to things like framed pictures or paintings in the sense that they can be used to make a plain wall look interesting and to add character to a room. A nice tip in this sense is to display mirrors in groups. Instead of a single large mirror consider several smaller ones instead. It could also be fun to mix and match mirrors that have different shapes and sizes.
Use mirrors outdoors
Believe it or not, mirrors are not just for the inside of the house. We don’t usually think about this but the outdoor areas like patios, terraces, and even gardens are basically extensions of our homes which means they too can be decorated in all sorts of fun and interesting ways.
Outside, mirrors can be used to make shady areas look brighter or to expand a beautiful view towards the horizon and to make an area seem bigger. This by extension can amplify the beauty of nature.
DIY Picture Frame Design Ideas
Build a frame for your mirror using wood
You don’t necessarily have to mount your mirrors to the walls. In fact, casually leaning them against the walls or displaying them on shelves can often turn out to be a better option with more versatility. You can even keep a mirror on the floor. Building a floor mirror frame is pretty easy as long as you keep the design simple.
Make a statement with a gem-inspired mirror
A simple mirror can make a great statement piece and an eye-catching design or an unusual shape definitely helps. On that note, you could make a gem mirror a lot like this one which you could display on the fireplace mantel, on one of the wall shelves, in the entryway, the living room, or wherever you think it would add a plus of style. The metallic spray paint is your best friend in this case.
Display a multi-panel mirror
In many ways, it’s reminiscent of vintage windows and you can use that to your advantage when you’re displaying the mirror. Also, there are plenty of ways in which you can customize the design.
Put the focus on the frame
The actual mirror part doesn’t necessarily have to be the main focus of your piece. The materials used here include an old Tiffany lampshade, plywood, a round mirror, craft paint, glue, and a few other accessories.
Go oval instead of round
You can be really creative with the design of your mirror frame and make something super cool and ingenious without overcomplicating the project.
This wooden eye mirror from abeautifulmess is the perfect example. If you decide to make something similar you’re going to need an oval wood frame mirror, wooden dowel rods, drill bits, wood glue, a saw, glue, paint and a gold ring.
Combine the mirror with a stylish shelf
Another really great idea for a DIY mirror project that’s both stylish and simple comes from paulsvera. This is a combo between a round mirror and a slender wooden shelf. The shelf has a slot that lets the mirror fit snugly inside without the risk of wobbling or going all the way through.
Use a mirror to upgrade an accent shelf
Speaking of mirrors and shelves put together, check out another great project featured on blissmakes. You’d be surprised how easy it is. The supplies needed for it include wood, a saw, strong adhesive, a round mirror, 3 nails, clamps, sandpaper, and 2 large mounting strips. The design is simple, modern, and highly versatile.
Make a starburst mirror frame using paper straws
This starburst wreath featured on designimprovised is a pretty nice source of inspiration if you ever decide to make a starburst mirror frame.
Paper straws are easy to find and come in all sorts of colors and patterns so there’s plenty of room for creativity and originality in this case. Also, you can simply make the frame (which is basically a wreath) and display it without an actual mirror at the center just to create an illusion.
Make a mirror frame out of expanding foam
Sometimes inspiration comes from where you least expect it. For example, did you know you can use expanding foam in your DIY projects to make some cool-looking decorations and accessories?
That’s right, expanding foam projects are a thing as well explained on monsterscircus so go ahead and make an awesome mirror frame, unlike anything you can find in stores.
Decorate the mirror frame with shells and pebbles
One of the coolest things about building your own mirror frame is that you can decorate it with pretty much anything you want such as example some of those beautiful shells you’ve been collecting when you last visited the beach.
Forget the frame and add a trim instead
Not a fan of big mirror frames? That’s ok because there are many cool DIY mirror projects that don’t really focus on the frame but more on the actual shape of the mirror. One example is the design featured on thethingsshemakes. This geometric mirror has a very slender trim which gives it a very stylish look.
Make a coastal-themed frame using driftwood
Now let’s get back to the unique DIY mirror frames that you can make. A driftwood mirror might be something that appeals to you, especially if you’re planning to display it in a coastal-inspired decor or a beach house.
Bend a copper pipe into a frame for your mirror
If you like a little bit of industrial flair in your home decor, check out this DIY copper-edged mirror project from abubblylife.
That’s right, the mirror frame is actually a copper pipe. Bending it in shape is not exactly easy so you’ll most likely end up with something that’s not perfectly round but make sure the mirror fits inside because that’s the most important thing.
Frame mirrors with old leather belts
You may already be familiar with this idea so we’ll spare you the details and just say that turning an old leather belt into a mirror frame is easy. This trio of mirrors is looking amazing and we really like the finish on them.
Make an oversized frame with built-in shelves
Floor mirrors can be very practical and we found a way to them even better. The idea comes from themerrythought and is quite simple actually.
The frame of the mirror is a piece of plywood that is considerably larger than the mirror itself, forming a side panel that lets you add small shelves for storing little things like makeup products.
Repurpose a doormat into a frame
Creativity knows no limits and projects which supports that comes from cassiebustamante. Behind this round, the mirror is a doormat. Of course, the design and shape of the mat complement the mirror just right so it’s important to find the right combo that works for you and your home decor before starting the project.
Put together a simple wooden dowel frame
The dowel frame idea featured on themerrythought is just right for a floor mirror and can adapt to the dimensions and proportions that you prefer. You can use scrap wood pieces or reclaimed wood if you have any. In fact, it would give your mirror frame lots of character plus it would have a story behind it.
Decorate a frameless mirror with fringes
This fringed mirror project from hunker is a bit more unusual but not necessarily more difficult. The basic supplies required for it include a frameless mirror, fringe curtain panels, a square wooden dowel, a saw, tape, and two types of adhesive (fabric glue and construction adhesive).
Display mirrors in groups of three
Of course, sometimes the best design option is also the easiest ones to make and the most common so check out these DIY rustic mirrors from shanty-2-chic.
The frames are simple and just what a rustic interior decor needs to look complete. Overall, a lovely project for spaces such as living rooms, entryways, dining rooms, and even bathrooms or bedrooms.
Try this constellation-inspired design featuring tiny mirrors
Isn’t this mirror just amazing? It has a lovely constellation-inspired design and it’s surprisingly easy to put together.
For this particular version from beatrice4273 the supplies used include 48 wooden skewers, 24 x 20 mm round mirrors, 24 x 15 mm ones, 24 x 10 mm ones, a 20 cm round mirror, double-sided tape, white paint, a glue gun, sandpaper, and a few other basic tools.
Build a living mirror frame with succulents and moss
The last DIY mirror project we want to share with you today comes from dwellingsbydevore and is one of our favorites. This is a cool combo between a mirror frame and a planter, with little succulents and moss growing inside the wooden frame and giving the mirror a very interesting and eye-catching look.
DIY wooden starburst mirror
Starburst frames are really popular because they match round mirrors so well and they can be made out of all sorts of different materials.
There are quite a few interesting ideas you can try, like this design featured on abeautifulmess which requires a pack of contractor shingles, a round piece of wood, a mirror, and some glue.
A retro mirror for the bathroom
Making a custom mirror frame or decorating the existing one are both really nice ways of making your bathroom look more inviting and making it feel more like part of the home.
It doesn’t need to be a very complicated project. A simple mirror made out of wood can look really nice, especially if you give it a slightly worn finish like this one. Check out the full project on thehouseofsmiths for more details.
Decorative mirror from repurposed supplies
If you’re looking to make an original mirror design, something special and crafty, keep an open mind when you’re out shopping. A lot of items can be repurposed and you never know where the inspiration can come from. This decorative mirror from createandbabble was made with supplies from the Dollar Tree Store.
Rope-wrapped mirror
The rope is a really cool material that you can use for all sorts of DIY crafts. One idea is to use the rope to decorate a plain mirror or its frame.
A circular mirror like the one featured on findingsilverlinings would be best because it’s easier to wrap the rope around it in a smooth pattern. Use this technique to create a beautiful coastal-themed mirror or to add some texture to your home’s décor.
