Creating an added sense of warmth in your home with mirrors

Using mirrors is one of my favorite ways to lighten and brighten your home interior. Mirrors reflect light into a space to visually expand and enliven the decor. They are extremely versatile and can be used in just about every room in your home. Well-placed mirrors will visually increase the size of your home, making it feel larger than it really is.

Add mirrors to any room you want to visually expand. To make a room feel larger, place a mirror opposite a window wall. The mirror will multiply the view, creating the effect of another window. Be sure that the view the mirror is reflecting is a pleasant one that you want to see more of. For example, a colorful garden in your backyard will add color, beauty and light when reflected in a mirror.

Entries and foyers are a great place to add a mirror. This is the first place that guests see when they enter your home, so it's a great place to set a warm and inviting tone. Adding a mirror above a console table or chest will brighten your entry by reflecting light. A beautifully framed mirror will create a focal point in your entry, as well as a welcoming feeling. Add a buffet lamp for additional light, a vase of flowers for color, and a candle for atmosphere, and your guests will feel welcome the minute they enter your home. It's also a great place to give yourself a final check just before leaving home.

Bathrooms are another great place to use mirrors. A beautifully framed mirror will add personality and drama to your powder room. The powder room is often used by guests, and they will surely notice a mirror with a unique and stylish frame. You can use a bold and gorgeous mirror to create a focal point in your powder room or guest bath. Other bathrooms in the house will also benefit from the use of framed mirrors. The function of a mirror in a bathroom is to accurately show your reflection. Why not use that mirror to create a statement at the same time? And don't limit your thinking to rectangular shaped mirrors. Mirrors are available in many beautiful shapes including round, square, oval, hexagonal, and arched, to name a few. Just make sure that the mirrors you select complement your decor and are proportional to the space.

Hallways can definitely benefit from the addition of mirrors. Long hallways are often dark and visually boring. Groupings of mirrors help to distract the eye and brighten the darkness. Since these mirrors aren't needed to functionally show your reflection, think of them as art, and use smaller mirrors in groupings that have unique and unusual frames.

Another method of using mirrors is called fragmentation. You can place several long, narrow mirrors side by side, each separated by a couple of inches. This comforting repetition is pleasing to the eye and adds interest. Reflections in the mirrors won't capture a continuous view of an interior, but rather fragments of it, creating a unique effect. By using different shapes of mirrors dramatic effects can be accomplished.

Start by adding mirrors to one area of your home and continue from there. You'll be thrilled to see how much a few mirrors can do to add to the warmth and brightness in your home.