Mirrors are great for decor. Not only do they look beautiful, but they can also make a room feel much larger than it is. When picking one out for your space, consider size, shape, and style.
You can combine beautiful metallic mirrors with canvas prints or metal prints on your wall or choose to have a stand-alone mirror to brighten up any room.
Whether you will be using the mirror for styling yourself or for decoration purposes only, there are a few things you need to keep in mind before placing it:
- How high do you need to hang a mirror?
- Where will it be placed?
- Will it be placed above any furniture?
- Will it stand on it’s own or will you hang other items alongside?
The key is balance. A small and delicate piece of furniture will look odd below a huge and overpowering mirror and a small, thin mirror over a large and heavy dresser will go unnoticed.
How High To Hang a Mirror?
The ideal space between a mirror and the furniture below it is six to eight inches if your furniture is approximately 35 inches high.
If the height of your furniture is below 35 inches, then an eight to 12-inch space is ideal.
If your piece of furniture is around the 40-inch high range, then you’ll only need about three to five inches between the bottom of the mirror to the top of your furniture piece.
If you want to choose a mirror to go above your headboard, make sure there is a five to 10-inch space between the top of the headboard and the bottom of the mirror. You’ll also want to make sure that what is reflecting from the mirror is visually appealing as it will also serve as “art” above your headboard.
If the mirror will be standing alone (without furniture beneath it) and is over 40 inches tall, you’ll want the top of the mirror to be 55 to 65 inches above the floor. Make sure you measure and tape the area for reference before you hang. This will ensure you are happy with the placement. The same goes for hanging a picture as well.
Another option is to lean the tall mirror against the wall. This will make the room look twice as big and serve as an interesting decor piece.
Ideally, you’d never want to place a mirror above eye level as seen in the image above. It won’t serve any real purpose and it won’t look balanced on the wall or amongst other items.
Also, keep in mind that when you isolate the mirror from the other pieces such as canvas prints or photos, they will act as two separate decor pieces.
See our chart below for reference on how high to hang a mirror.
How High to Hang Your Mirror Above Furniture
Where to place a mirror
When thinking of where to place your mirror, it’s best to figure out if it will be standing on its own or amongst other items on the wall. If you choose to position it amongst other items, there are several beautiful gallery wall ideas to choose from. However, it is important to make sure all the items go well together to create a cohesive look.
Rectangular mirrors work best on their own depending on the width. You never want to have a mirror that is wider than the furniture below it because it will overpower the decor. Rectangular mirrors are best when they are placed in the center of the width of the furniture.
Circular mirrors tend to look great with other pieces of art amongst them. You can either center the mirror and have items around it or have the mirror off-center and keep items to the right or left of it.
There is no wrong or right when it comes to the additional decor pieces around the mirror. Check out these living room wall decor ideas to find what works best for your space.
Now that you’ve figured out how high to hang a mirror, you get to move on to the fun part: decorating! Choose from a variety of styles and unique color combinations for every room in your home and figure out ways to display your vintage or modern mirrors. The possibilities are endless.
