Guest Blogger: Choosing the Right Fireplace Mirror for your Home

Guest Blogger #380, Entry #974, February 24, 2012

For hundreds of years the overmantle mirror has had its staple in households everywhere.  The idea first arose when large sized homes began widely integrating fireplaces into their floor plans.  Most of these fire places were designed for function and were not attractive at all, and the space around them was often plain as a result.  Since these were often not good places to put paintings since smoke and heat could cause problems, many decorators started to place these large sized mirrors in their place instead.  This decorative idea became popular because it was an attractive look where the options were severely limited otherwise.

What type of fireplace mirror is perfect for your home?

Image via: Young House Love

Given the large size of these mirrors they often create the feeling of a large amount of space for any room they are placed within.  The frames that surround the mirrors are often very elaborately designed and come in more shapes and sizes than one can count.  The style that one uses is often reflective of the materials and designs the rest of the home incorporates to work with everything instead of contrast it.  Even with these ideas there are many different options a household has to either work with or strategically stand out from everything else depending on the need.

Deciding on your mirror

The first thing one must do is decide where they are going to place it.  Overmantle mirrors are of course used mainly over the fireplace, but they serve a purpose in different parts of the room as well.  They are often most effective at transferring light and opening up lights given their massive size, and they should be placed for their intended purpose.  Installing these mirrors in a room opposite the mirrors is a good way to brighten the room with natural light instead of always running light bulbs.  Placing the mirror between windows can serve the same purpose, instead reflecting the light from the back wall to the ceiling and floor.

Enlarge your space with the addition of a fireplace mirror

Image via: Remodelista

The last thing to do is decide on the shape and design of the mirror.  Wider mirrors are typically best in rooms that require the feeling of more space, and taller mirrors are better for decoration.  Lighting is not affected by the shape as much as its placement so that should not be considered here.  The type of frame is strictly up to the individual, but commonly plays off what other furniture styles are placed in the room.  Areas that do not have a defined style can get away with using simple white wall mirrors with minimal designs to blend in with the walls.  Black wall mirrors are good to add a sharp contrast to white walls to heavily define the presence of the mirror and go with everything else.  Colored frames are also good, but can easily ruin the look of a room if a non-neutral color is chosen.

Large oval mirrors and large round mirrors are what you will find when visiting Oval & Round Mirrors’ website. You’ll be able to pick from a wide pallet of styles, finishes, widths, and colors.

For more mirror ideas on Stagetecture, click here.