I like big mirrors with unique attractive frames and plan to use them in my bathrooms. It is really a matter of personal taste. They are mirrors that I can take with me when we sell our house if the buyers don't want them. I saw big mirrors and smaller ones in the parade of homes last year and the same in newer model homes. Big mirrors are traditional and will always have a place in bath design.

Was there something wrong with them? They provide better viewing, fewer changes of materials (hence easier cleaning, usually less expense to purchase and install), a good, inexpensive backsplash (again, ease of cleaning and economy).

I grew up with the small traditional mirrors and no one could believe how much better the big mirrors are. The builders all got on the bandwagon to cater to the market. And big mirrors became common. Therefore, less appealing to the people who want something "different", "more rare and therefore better", etc.

So, now, small mirrors. As in women's fashion, also in home decorating.

I think it is mostly a back lash of anti-80's style. That was the age of glitz and glitter, when 'everyone' put in a wall of large mirrors to 'make the room seem larger'. (Now we are just building huge rooms instead. Grin) If you are worried about current style and resale, I saw one of those home shows do a nice idea. They left the big mirror up (it was huge and filled the area corner to corner) and hung two smaller mirrors with gorgeous frames right over the top of it above the double sinks. I was surprised when I saw the finished product. It looked really, really nice.
It all depends on when you would want to sell as far as value, give it another 10 years and the shiny brass will be back with the large mirrors.

My home was built in 1991, and when I moved in 4 years ago, the bathrooms had wall-to-wall floor-to-ceiling mirrors. I associate that style with a builder wanting a cheaper wall covering than tile, and also trying to make very small bathrooms look larger. I think that was common in the late '80's and early '90's. I don't think there's anything wrong with big mirrors, but it became a problem with developers/builders who went overboard with them as a cheap way to finish a bathroom. And people now associate big mirrors as a generalization with that issue. My other problem with those mirrors was that, well, I don't need to see my full self doing *everything* in the bathroom.

Another issue is that when I took down down the mirrors, it was a big production. I hired people from a neighborhood mirror/glass shop, who came armed with goggles, gloves, boots, special tarps, etc. (they told me they do this all the time now, for all the people moving into homes that were built when mine was). Because the mirrors are so big, they needed to be cracked before coming down, which of course is dangerous, and they left the underlying drywall with holes, which needed to be repaired. So if you put up a big mirror like that, it's not very flexible if you change your mind later and want another look.

This is a great question and great answers for me in particular. We finished our master bath remodel nearly a year ago. Well, "finished" is a strong word. We didn't redo the full-wall mirror (a "mid-80s" holdover :)), so the area over the vanity is not actually finished, because now we want to change it. The difficulty of removing the mirror, along with the question of what to do in its place, has held us back. I'm going to look into the idea of hanging new framed mirrors over the existing one. I'll just get some inexpensive ones at Lowe's to see if I like the look, and then work on the actual design (new lights required too, I don't like the ones we put up).

Thanks, and if you have a suggestion for what frames to look for, I'd appreciate that, too (the cabinets are dark cherry, vanity is dark emperador).

dainaadele is right. We are now in the anti 80s design mode. anything that screams 80s is out with a vengeance.

here is my 80s list -
1. brass anything
2. wall to wall, floor to ceiling mirrors
3. carpet in bathroom
4. sink built into the countertop
5. dark tiles, high contrast tile such as black with white
6. fake flowers
7. toiletries displayed on a tray on the vanity
8. big flowery curtains in the bathroom

:)

Well for me, I HATE cleaning mirrors. The smaller I can get away with, the better, LOL!

Admittedly, microfiber cloths make it a lot easier, though.

My problem is that I have a townhouse that I'm trying to rent it out as a very nice SFH and my place is like the Pompeii of 80s decor and fashion. Years from now, when archelogists uncover my place, they'll find all these intact and preserved clues that will let them discover how people lived in the 1980s. Its got the brass chandeliers and had the lacquer black cabinets and black and white floor tiles.

I've already put thousands into the bathrooms, where I put in new vanities, marble countertops, and new faucets. But, it doesn't really renovated because of that big mirror and the the flourescent lighting above in a box. After spending this money, do I finish it or will that new look become as dated as that 80s look?

Can somebody post a pic of putting two new mirros over existing mirror? This type of stuff is not in my wheelhouse, and I just can't picture it.

Instead of putting 2 mirrors over the large one, why not just glue 2 large empty frames of your choice to the big mirror? :) You could use velcro, then take them off and on as you choose.

Hey, I think I might try that. I have 2 I can experiment with!

dgo, I think you're onto something :)

Here is a link that might be useful: Mirror Mates

We are in the midst of a kitchen and two bathroom remodel. The master bath is almost finished and I chose to leave the big mirrors. My vanity is about 100 inches long and has two sinks. The mirror is 3 foot high and runs the width of the vanity. The reflection of the mirror shows the two walk in closets and the wall between them. The corner 2 man tub and toilet are at the end (tub can be seen but not the toilet).

I considered changing out to two mirrors, but actually prefer the large mirror. It was removed by the contractors with these huge magnet hand grips and remained against the cedar chest in my master bedroom for almost 3 weeks. It is now back on the wall and the one from the other bath is now in my living room.

We did raise the vanity a little over 4 inches and I was a little worried about the height of the lights over the sinks. However, I just upped the size of them a little. I had had one large 5 globe bar there before and now have a three light globe above each sink. In addition, I have a nice size flushmount in the center of the ceiling.

In the other bathroom, the mirror has the bottom of it where it has discolored some (about an inch high over much of the bottom.) We were going to replace the mirror, but instead are having it cut down. My neice owns a glass company and they are coming out in the morning to cut this down. SHe looked at the mirror and told me that there was no need to replace it. They will shave it down in size and no one will know. Doing this also keeps us from having to raise the electrical light place to compensate for the higher vanity.

I did have them paint and finish out the wall behind the MBth mirror in case I decide to go with 2 mirror later.

Man! I had no idea big mirrors were dated. That's what we have in our bathroom. And, if you asked me, I much prefer the countertop-to-ceiling mirrors to all the marble on the floor, the countertop and the shower & jacuzzi enclosures.

Our bath is actually an extremely generous size. But it's on a side of the house that's heavily shaded so the 3 large, shuttered windows in the mirrored wall admit less light than you might imagine. The mirrors magnify the light in the room and make it very pleasant and spacious.

I know vessel sinks are very current but I can't help myself. I don't like them. I find them too too precious. Like the 20 year old who can't get her skirt short enough or her camisole tight enough so she's sure everyone is looking.

I know that's the minority opinion and it is, after all, just an opinion. But I'm glad to be brought up to date on how baths are supposed to be.

We quit spending our hard-earned money on those big old cheap mirrors and now spend it on granite and marble, fancy faucets, showers with many more heads, wall-to-wall hardwood floors, Oriental rugs. We now build big McMansions with all the wine cellars, wine referigators, six-burner ranges, sub-zero fridges, bespoke cabinets, large limestone walls, travertine patios. We like to look poor and anti-wealth. How silly is that; change out the devil of the 80s for the devil of the 90s and Y2K.

It actually has NOTHING whatsoever to do with periods of time except that the decorators tell us what was in style 20 years ago is no longer. It happens every 20 years. I have been on this earth far too long to think the shoes I wore in the 90s are going to be in style this year. It's called economics. The same people who are telling you blue and brown is so chic, in a few years will tell you how dated it is.

Making big mirrors smaller -

I liked the idea of putting false frames on the mirror to divide it. You can also overlay the mirror with stained glass designs around the edges or just at the corners. For fun we simply put window stickers around the borders.

Big fluorescent box lights - we ditched the box lights and now use any type of fixture with compact fluorescent bulbs.

I like the big mirrors, even in a large bath; we have them here and I was going to use them in the new house because of their benefits.

The only thing that's about to change my mind, after reading all the posts here, is that at my age I could do with seeing far less of me in every mirror. This is a major consideration.

However, I don't want the cleaning problem above the sink from all the stuff that lands up there. (I do my own cleaning.) So, I'm trying to figure out how to solve that problem. No tile (grout lines are hard to clean). Countertops will be solid surfacing. Although it's much more expensive than a big mirror going down to the backsplash, I'm thinking about springing for the thinner Corian (like they sell for shower surrounds) going from the backsplash up as high as I see splashes on our mirrors--that'll be about 5 feet off the floor.

Don't know how you join the thicker countertop/short backsplash to the thinner wall material, though.

pinktoes- I've got the mirrored wall and I'm very short. I just get up on the counter and wipe the mirrors down. Those microfiber polishing cloths are GREAT!

I guess I'm also lucky that I can just step up on the tub enclosure and then to the countertop. Just like two deep steps. It's so easy. I don't really need to do it more than a couple times a year anyway. The day to day stuff is something I can reach from the floor.

I just saw a make-over on HGTV (maybe Designed to Sell?) that used two decorative empty mirrors centered over the sinks to disguise a huge wall mirror. They used suction cups hangers, removed the hook part and drilled through the center where the hooks were, then screwed the suction cups to the back of the frame -- that's all they used to hold the frames on the mirror.

I've also seen "etched" designs around the perimeter of a large mirror . . . done with clear contact paper to mask off the design and stuff from Hobby Lobby or Michaels. Very pretty!

In or out, I'll be using a big wall mirror. We just took down one that was about 4ft x 6ft with finished edges but no type of frame. The new vanity will have an arch and wall columns on either end so that will frame the mirror. As for lights, can you have the glass cut for lights? Someone told me that the back of the lighting fixture's plate would show in the reflection.
Monica

I don't know how you could get a reflection of the wiring. The plate will fit up tight to the glass surface so that's all that can be reflected.

I totally disagree that they're dated. Don't know why you'd think that. Bathrooms need mirrors. If you want to talk about dated we can talk about the Pottery Barn/Restoration Hardware look. Or the really dumb vessel sinks.

rococo, rearrr! :) What counts as "really dumb", in your book -- does the Ikea Hollviken?

I'm 60, and when I remodeled my house, I kept the large mirror over the vanity. I did raise the vanity to 38 inches tall, to reduce how far I have to bend over the sinks. That, too reduced the size of the mirror, by a bit. I never considered removing the full width mirror because I like the light that is brought into the room, and the feeling of spaciousness the mirror creates.

When the mirror was removed to be cut down in height, I did have them bevel the edges before they re-installed it. I admit that I rebel at doing what designers tell me (and everyone else) to do. I've decorated my home around what I will like forever, and I truly don't care if it won't be on a designer's "Must Have" list in 5 years. I'm the kind of person who, when I fall in love with a look, is hooked for life with that look and is very comfortable living with the same surroundings. For me, it's not about acquisition and re-acquisition...much to the dismay of the merchandising industry.

The way I look at it, nobody is forcing me to look at my naked self in the mirror, and it's a great mirror for checking out the fully dressed version.

So, if you like a mirror, or if its large size helps bring light to a darker-than-desired-bathroom, disregard the experts' advice and install what you will be happy living with for years to come.

{{gwi:1455810}}

Beth, your bathroom is LOVELY! Do you have more (and larger) pictures on line?
Monica

Thanks, Monica! After remodel completed, I posted these on the Gallery portion of the Bath site....they're still there -- on page 3, I think. Click on link below to view photos.

Here is a link that might be useful: Photos of Remodeled Master Bath

I don't think it is big mirrors that are dated, it is the frameless mirrors, especially those held to the wall with clips (builder special).

sue, you are too funny *Builder special* :)

you can coin a new phrase 'Builder special chic'
;)

Well, we have long vanity area that comes into the corner and then comes back out and gives a three-sided view and the problem we had was that one of our cats would get on the vanity and he thought all those other cats he was seeing were trying to get into his world and he spent the entire day walking the vanity trying to find all those cats in the mirrors. Thus, we felt after 12 years, we would be kind to kitty, get rid of the big mirrors, have them cut to fit book cases and the remaining one was beveled and hangs on the dining room wall, no need to waste good mirror when I needed a mirror to make that wall look larger.

Beth- lovely bathroom, so calming. Have you been happy with your Aquatics tub?
tucgran

O.K., patricia, you win for best rationale for getting rid of big mirrors LOL! It's an animal-kindness issue :)

When you say you had them cut to fit bookcases, do you mean you put them on the inside of a bookcase?

Hmmm, we are doing a period bathroom with a large sheet of mirror. 80's meets vintage?

Couldn't bear the thought of 3 girls trying to get ready in the morning with one tiny mirror :-)

Flyleft -- that Ikea looks like a good sink.

I was referring to the ones that are as deep as ashtrays or not much bigger than mixing bowls and have wall mounted faucets 10" above. You need a mop to wash your hands. I used one of those trough sinks the other day at the hairdresser. When the spigot went on it was like a flat bathtub.

Tucgran,

Thanks for your compliment!

I very much like the Aquatics Whirlpool tub. It's the San Padre model. I added an in-line heater, and it does a perfect job of keeping the water at constant temperature so I can really take a long bath and not have to keep adding water. The heater works only when the jets are running.

Ah, *phew*! I've been checking and checking to see what your verdict was on it, seriously, rococo...not kidding at all. It works very well and is the biggest Kohler Ladena style (rectangular with curving bottom) I could find (that we could afford). It does sit on the counter but it's only partly a vessel sink-some of it is submerged.

I know those sinks you're talking about. I also have trouble with the flat kohler ones where the water runs *down* off the sides of a raised area to get to the drain. They make me very nervous.

Flyleft--Years ago I had a wonderful brownstone which we rehabbed. My first experience. We had a good architect who planned the whole thing and I didn't ask too many questions. I basically picked the bathtub I wanted, with a skylight over it hehehe, and focused on the kitchen.

When the bathroom vanity went in the sinks were so small I spent the next 8 years hating those sinks. Also, they were low and undermounted.

Since then I have a special bug about bathroom sinks -- they need to be big enough and high enough to be comfortable. I was very careful when we did our reno this last time. For me, the important part is the bowl size, followed by the deck.

You'll laugh but when I googled your sink I went right to the dimensions. They are generous, the bowl is deep enough.

I really do like vessel sinks. They are beautiful if they are large enough and work with the faucet well. Even the slab one could be a good idea for a his and her in a very modern bath. But whoever is designing this stuff needs to know what they are doing, which isn't always the case.

And sometimes things are styled for magazines and not really functional -- then people fall in love with the look and actually install it. Oy.

rococogurl, friends of ours did a bathroom remodel about 10 years ago and were adamant about everything being cutting edge. They had these gorgeous gooseneck faucets and tiny stainless steel sinks. And, you guessed it, everytime you washed your hands you got a complimentary shower.

Rococogurl - I totally get what you're saying about all the splashed water over the counter. It's so annoying! So, just out of curiosity, which sinks did you get for your bathroom redo?

As to the OP, I agree with the other posters who say that mirrors wall to wall tend to be a Builders Special look (although Budge1 has a great point, and under those circumstances, a big mirror is a good thing). For a builder/developer it is so much cheaper, and also much much quicker (which also means cheaper) just to put up big mirrors 1-2-3, than to tile. Yeah, they just buy a bulk order of mirrors, and put some glue on the back, and stick 'em up there. The glue ensures that when the homeowners want to take down the mirrors for a bathroom renovation, they'll have to look like a haz-mat team in order to do it.

Yikes! I didn't realize it would be that difficult to remove those mirrors. I like the idea about putting frames around it. Can you simply use molding and stick that around these mirrors?

And, what about vanities? Are vanities today considered outdated if they don't have frames around them?

Or, in this pic:

The walls, and thus, the mirror, is V shaped. Would it look wierd to put frames around that mirror? Or, do I need to take those mirrors out?