Mirrors are present everywhere in our lives: they are in almost every room. Mirror in the living room — the item is unique. It performs many functions, is ideal for decorating a room and is absolutely neutral in nature.
Such an element can successfully replace a painting or artistic photograph, without imposing a certain mood and bringing practical benefits, unlike images.
Content
- Functions of mirrors in the interior
- Principles of mirror placement
- Interior style and mirrors
- Living Room Placement Ideas
- Light sources and mirrors
- Furniture and mirrors
- Choosing a mirror
- VIDEO: Mirrors in the interior or how to decorate your home with mirrors.
- Interior decor with mirrors – 50 photo ideas:
Functions of mirrors in the interior
In skilled hands, mirror surfaces can work wonders of transformation. In order to fully reveal the potential of mirrors in the interior, it is necessary to understand their main functions. With the help of a reflective surface, you can achieve the following effects.
- Visual expansion of space.
This is the main function most often used by interior designers.
- Light scattering.
If the room lacks additional lighting, then a mirror in the living room can help with this too. To use this function, you need to place the reflective surface opposite the window or artificial light source.
- The abundance effect.
Some stylistic trends involve filling the interior with a multitude of decorative elements.
- Correction of the room shape.
By placing a mirror in the right place, you can correct the proportions of the room and visually raise the ceilings.
- Placing emphasis.
You can easily highlight any object using reflection and a little backlighting.
- Decor.
In addition to highlighting individual interior details, a mirror can be an independent decorative element.
Principles of mirror placement
In order to use the capabilities of mirrors as effectively as possible, it is necessary to adhere to simple rules that have long been used by design specialists.
- Rule of symmetry.
Mirror surfaces located on adjacent walls — fine art. The effect of an endless corridor would be appropriate for an entertainment labyrinth, but not for a living space.
- The rule of light.
A mirror reflects light and diffuses it. But if you place it in a dark corner, it will only make the situation worse.
- The rule of reflection.
To prevent the room from looking sloppy, it is necessary to place only a small number of large details or one main accent opposite.
- Rule of arrangement.
If you place a mirror in a visible place in the interior, sooner or later it will start to irritate the household.
- Rule of increase.
If you place a mirror at the end of an already long corridor or place it on a high ceiling, it will only worsen the perception of space.
- Door location rule.
According to Eastern teachings, mirrors are not placed opposite doors.
- Frame rule.
The use of a frame is only appropriate for canvases of regular shape.
Interior style and mirrors
Another unique feature of this interior element is the ability to use a mirror in a room made in any stylistic solution.
How to successfully fit a reflective surface into each popular trend? A simple table with recommendations will help you with this.
| Style | How to apply? |
| Roman style | An invariable attribute of the Roman era is rounded shapes. When decorating a mirror, a massive light frame with a characteristic ornament is best suited. |
| Baroque | The main feature of the style will be pomp and expensiveness. Gold and its shades will be the best option for the frame color. |
| Provence | French style suggests a romantic motif and some weightlessness of each element. Avoid sharp corners in the frame, decorate the mirror using the artificial aging method. |
| Minimalism | It is necessary to adhere to a laconic design, use straight lines, and avoid unnecessary elements. Large mirror surfaces will fit perfectly. |
| Classic | A rectangular frame shape would be ideal. You can decorate the element with gilding or a floral motif. |
| Country | The rustic style will be emphasized by using natural materials. The best choice will be a wooden or wicker frame. |
| Modern | The most extravagant design ideas are applicable. It will be appropriate to use disproportionate turns, streamlined shapes and modern materials. |
| Victorian style | The ideal solution would be to decorate the element with patterned forging. The style is characterized by oval shapes. |
| Nautical | All kinds of shells are suitable for decorating a mirror. The most successful is the use of light tones, gradient, wave-like color transitions. |
Living Room Placement Ideas
Placing a mirror in the living room interior – what could be more trivial? In fact, there are many ways to successfully “fit” them into the design.
- Fireplace area.
A fireplace in the living room is a historically established tradition since ancient times. But now it is more of an artificial decorative element than a functional structure.
- Mirror wall.
This solution can be a real salvation for a small room. It is best if the reflective surface is fully or partially placed on the facade of built-in furniture or a wardrobe. Then this technique will not only enlarge the room, but also hide the wardrobe.
- Mirror ceiling.
The rays from the lamp reflected in such a ceiling will be scattered, providing additional lighting. It is best to use a multi-level ceiling in this case.
- Mirrored furniture.
Mirrored tables look modern.
- Compositions.
Those who like to experiment will love the idea of creating a mirror gallery from individual frames of different shapes.
Light sources and mirrors
A good mirror placement in the living room is not everything. The combination of a reflective surface and rays of light can create stunning effects, distract from the shortcomings of the layout and emphasize the advantages.Initially, you should set clear goals for yourself.
If the main goal is decoration, then placing the lighting around the perimeter of the frame is an ideal example of a stylish look.
You can create a mirror with backlighting yourself using a special LED strip. If the reflective surface is located on the ceiling, a functional option would be to use spotlights.
Furniture and mirrors
When placing a mirror in the living room interior, it is necessary to take into account the presence of other furniture in it. The choice of upholstered furniture is quite simple, it is enough to adhere to the general stylistic direction of the room. The only nuance is that if the sofa is opposite the reflective surface, then it is worth using bright and colorful colors for the upholstery.
Cabinet furniture, the facade of which is partially or completely covered with a mirror surface, deserves special consideration. Let's consider the pros and cons.
| Advantages | Flaws |
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In the furniture industry, both mirror patterns on a matte surface and vice versa are used. Stained glass art and sandblasted patterns are widely used here.
Choosing a mirror
In order for the mirror hung in the living room to serve for a long time, it is necessary to take care of its quality at the stage of purchase. The first thing you need to know is that any mirror surface must have a quality certificate.The next step in choosing will be a simple trick: you need to quickly walk past the mirror. A poor-quality product may have ripples or the image may "float".
The best choice would be a living room mirror that is thicker than 4 mm. It should be smooth, with no stains, scratches, dots, unevenness or air bubbles in the glass.In the modern world, the most common coatings are silver and aluminum.
The edge of the canvas deserves special attention. It not only affects the appearance of the product, but also performs a protective function for the coating layers.
VIDEO: Mirrors in the interior or how to decorate your home with mirrors.
Interior decor with mirrors – 50 photo ideas:
