We had a great mirror thread here last year, but since GardenWeb isn't doing such a great job of archiving the threads right now, (and nothing much shows up in searches!) it's probably gone. I am sitting in my living room as I type and have 3 mirrors in here....a big vintage framed mirror on the back wall, a small vintage over my barnwood cabinet, and a metal arched vintage in the area leading to the entry. My entry has one big gilt mirror over the sideboard. Dining room has a mirror on the armoire. Kitchen has one in a red floral frame. My bedroom has 3. If I find more, they will be hung too. I love them and they add light and sparkle to a space.

Red

I think it depends on the size of your room and also I think you shouldn't mix totally different types in one room. For example, a sunburst mirror with a big old wooden mirror in the same room would clash IMO.

I have heard Martha Stewart say, she would rather decorate with mirrors than art.

I happen to love mirrors, and when you look at them they always have a pretty picture inside. (lol)

....Jane

Count me in as "you can never have too many mirrors".
Hallway....2 mirrors
Living Room....4 mirrors
Dining Room....2 mirrors
Bedroom......3 mirrors
I do agree with newdawn that they should "go well" together, but mirrors reflect light and beauty, so they are artwork in themselves!

Count me in on the "loves to decorate with mirrors" group! I also find them much easier to decorate with than art. I have them in most all of my rooms and I am getting ready to hang another big beautiful mirror in my office!

Elaine

mustangs.....I personally love your grouping of mirrors.
Don't let the naysayers get you down. If you love it, that's all that matters.

I think multiple mirrors are fine when you have a grouping of smaller ones together, or have wall art that has a mirrored background. That being said, for me, one large mirror per room is enough. It gets a little weird if you have mirrors facing each other in a room.

Mustangs, your corner looks so chic! I hope you don't mind, but I saved your pic to my inspiration file.

Let's see... how many mirrors... Can the answer always be, one more than I have now? Make that two in case I find another. :OP

wow!!! i must admit i'm pleasantly surprised by all the responses. i actually thought i'd get more negative comments than positive ones. glad to hear it.

mustangs - i think your corner looks fabulous!!!! i have a bunch of different sized gold mirrors that i'm planning on using in a grouping. i never would've considered something on a corner. brilliant!!

mustangs- your grouping of mirrors looks fabulous! That photo inspires me too!

A famous designer once said at least one mirror is needed in every room and I agree. A room without a mirror is missing something important. As for multiple mirrors I think it has to be done just right (as mustangs has done above) otherwise the room loses harmony.

As mustangs proves, it's all about how they are arranged and how well they work together. My sister has a grouping of mirrors in her powder room that really dress up the space. They're all different and one might not have picked any one of them to "go with" any of the others, but all together (there are maybe 8 of them or so) they work.

They are on the wall opposite the vanity area so they are just meant for decorative purposes. I think they work well as art in and of themselves.

Hey, are you all just trying to make me feel better?? Thanks for the comments!

Two things: Until some years ago, I wasn't conscious of what was being reflected when I placed mirrors; that was a great decorating tip. The other thing is that mirrors can be more bang for your buck as usually they are relatively inexpensive. IIRC, that whole grouping cost under $40 between consignment shops and Big Lots.

I think the group of mirrors is great, but I wouldn't want to see one in every room. If you choose mirrors because you're either unsure about your taste in art, it might be a good idea to wander through some art shows, galleries or museums and see what you're drawn to. I don't think art has to match the sofa or coordinate to a theme ( Tuscan, Southwestern, French Country, MCM)--I'd rather see what interests or excites the person choosing the art.

Ideefixe, I agree about incorporating artful pieces and have a number of collages throughout. I just put up a grouping of Chinese calligraphy brushes. I like the colors and materials in each brush. One of my favorite pieces is a lavabo that belonged to my mother (it has a family favorite story attached to it).

I like mirrors too and at times wonder how many is too many. I like the photos shown.

I saw in a blog (shabby chic style - I'll have to check my blog list later) where they painted a bunch of different mirror frames all white and stacked them down the stairs. I thought it was different and very neat.

Not to hijack a thread, but a comment up line made me think of my own situation in a bathroom I'm renovating. This bathroom is for my four daughters, ages 10-20. It will be a black and white bathroom with pink, pink shower curtain, towels, etc. Black floor, white cabinets. damask wallpaper (I thinkÂnot sure on that either). But back to mirrors....

Currently there is a huge full-width mirror over my 56" double sink vanity counter. The new cabinets will be white maple with a Cambrian Black top. I am planning to install two Kohler recessed medicine cabinets in place of the gigantic mirror so that we have some where to put stuff (the vanity cabinets have no drawers at all, it's a tight space even to fit two sinks into!). Anyway, as you might see in the link, a pair of these is not a lot of mirror for four girls. So I was thinking of placing an enormous mirror (say 30" by 42" on the wall across from the sinks, so that when more than two girls are getting ready, everyone can look into some sort of mirror. However, since this room is only 85" wide by 56", you could potentially see one mirror reflected in the other mirror. Is this a bad thing? Should I have two medicine cabinets on one side of the room and then a huge mirror on the wall a few feet away? Also, the toilet and the bathtub are in a separate little room adjacent to the sink room. there is a window in the toilet part of the bathroom, but not in the sink room, a Solatube illuminates this room during the day. What do you think? Thank you and thanks to malhgold for starting such a great thread!

Here is a link that might be useful: Kohler Medicine Cabinet

Well, I have a weakness for mirrors and chairs.

Yes, I have multiple mirrors in rooms.

I love mirrors too. Mustangs I like your corner full of mirrors! Mirrors create a feeling of extended space if that makes sense and since my home is small it's a great way of not feeling so closed in. Also, I think artwork can sometimes conflict with one another if the choices aren't right.

Demifloyd:

Your rooms are gorgeous. Each one is so unique. You have great taste and all of the mirrors are so lovely. Thank you for posting such inspiring pictures.

I'm so glad to see all the mirrors. I'm always drawn to them in stores. Mustangs-That is so clever! I would never have thought to to that, but I love the look! Demifloyd--Those mirrors are gorgeous!I've been on the fence about a couple of mirrors in my living room, but after this post, I'm hanging them! I read somewhere lately that you should not have a mirror in the dining room. Does anyone know why? Maybe feng shui or something? I have a wall in mine that would look great with a large mirror.

Demifloyd, How stunning!! Both the mirrors and your placement.

Sjt, Thank you for the comment! I heard Martha Stewart explain that people shouldn't have to see their self while eating. I do have a mirrored wall in my dining room; with Martha's words resonating in my head--I hung a large picture on the mirrored wall (picture posted in a previous thread) so the diners seated across from the mirrored wall wouldn't see their reflection.

I like mirrors too. I like mustang's because they all coordinate and are balanced. Demifloyd's are gorgeous and fit the style of her house.

I only have one spot where I hung multiple mirrors, on an angle wall leading from the kitchen to the mud room. (The angle was deliberate because I didn't want too much mudroom view from the kitchen.) I think it worked for me in this small spot because the mirrors all have the same kind of frame but different shapes. It's also a handy way to check my lipstick on the way out to the garage! I've actually thought about getting another set of 4. What do you think - too much on that little wall?

{{gwi:1397962}}

I think one mirror in every room is not only *not* excessive, it's almost mandatory! I have used 2 and sometimes 3 in a room, albeit a large room. My only 'rule' is that they not reflect each other and do reflect something attractive.

Mustangs, your corner mirror arrangement is brilliant. I've saved the pic with your name so I don't post it elsewhere even tho it is very inspirational.

Stairway walls with many mirrors are very often seen in cottage and shabby chic homes altho I think suitable for any style depending on the frames.

Mirrors on stairway wall: http://www.chichomeblog.com/2009/02/23/shabby-chic-style-monday-inspiration.aspx

Here is a link that might be useful: stairwell mirrors

Drat! I thought my rooms were done, but now I realize I have a mirror shortage! I also like mirrors because they add light and sparkle and make smaller spaces feel larger.

Demifloyd: Your mirrors and home are just stunning.

Mustangs: What a lovely arrangement of mirrors. I think we've all been there when someone makes a negative comment about our space or suggest we change something that we've just put a lot of time and effort into putting together.

I'm another one who likes mirrors. I have no fear of buying art and have plenty of that, too, but mirrors are great and often very nice ones are dirt cheap at second-hand and thrift stores.

I've had some of my mirrors for 25 years and they were already antiques when I got them. A lot of the art I've had on my walls during those 25 years hasn't held my interest the way the mirrors have ;-)

Here's the blog I was talking about with the mirrors. If you scroll down you can see them a little in the one photo. I can't find the search on her blog but there's better pics somewhere.

Here is a link that might be useful: Romantic Home

I like mirrors -- interesting ones -- but I like art more. We have limited wall space in our house (too many doors and windows) and most of the available wall space is taken up with art. I think we have an average number of mirrors: front hall; back hall/mudroom; bathrooms; and master bedroom. My kids don't have mirrors in their rooms. Is that weird? They just use the bathroom mirror. (Two of them are boys who don't care too much how they look!)

Gad Mustangs...I can't believe you posted that mirror picture after I told you how bad....ummm wait that wasn't me :oP (I love the corner LOL) Wonderful idea to add interest to a space that would be difficult to decorate otherwise :)

How many is too many? I learned the definitive answer to that while in decorating school (two quarters then I flunked out because my son kept eating my homework...)

When they reflect themselves.

I think that was the answer right above D) None of the above.

Really, mirrors are wonderful and interesting (demi dang woman I want a tour of your gorgeous home...I lust for a couple of mirrors you posted).

Or the answer might be 7, which was choice A.

Dang I flunked out again :oP

(I have mirrors in all three of my dining rooms LOL)

Mirrors - The more the mirrior if you ask me. That corner that mustangs showed us was awesome!

WOWSA Demi, great mirrors, great rooms! I have to tell you I have two of the Schonbek Bagatelle fixtures in my master bath hanging over the vanities, but they're in the antique brass finish. I just *had* to have them!!

When I was in my condo I had 12' ceilings in the LR. The TV was in an armoire, and on one side, starting approximately 2' down from the ceiling, had a wall of nine mirrors in various sizes, none under 10". I liked it since it wasn't the usual wall of pictures. Most of them I found at fleamarkets! ;o)

Well, it's easier and far cheaper to find a wonderful mirror than wonderful art. Unless they are done as a design ploy, (i.e. Mustangs great grouping)they should reflect something lovely. Almost all of mine are antique. I dislike the really bright, shininess of the new and also like a patina on the frame. Let's see, I have two large in the foyer, two in the living room, one in family room and two in dining room, one in the kitchen. I also love the way a print under glass reflects the beauty of outdoors, but must be really careful re. the sunlight. Oh! I fell in love with a mirror on a mirror at a to-die-for design house. Huge one in an old-gold frame over the mantle,topped with a splotchy-silvered one, framed in bronze-silver-gold wash.
I asked on here how to get the splotchy effect with a new mirror and think the answer was a scary acid deal. Never tried it.

thinking of doing a "mirror collage" on this fireplace wall. The chairs, vases and glass are gone.

Here's a partial redone view:

I love mirrors. Have two in living room, one in dining room all vintage.Two in waiting up in the attic.
Mirror mirror on the wall....

Oh shoot forgot-
Demifloyd your mirrors and decor are to die for. I am glad to see your rooms again. Hope to see more.

The answer is 23. However, 22 is okay.

I have a passion for mirrors too! Glad to see that most folks here agree...

I tend to choose mirrors over art. I like the way they play with light in our little cottage and reflect the outside views. I can count art on one hand, but I can't the mirrors!

Mustang, your wall reminds me of something we did in our daughter's room. I started with them different finishes, but I ended up painting them all the same shade of white. It bounced the light beautifully. (BTW, I love looking at pics but am scared to death when it comes to sharing. This has always been our "we'll only be here awhile" house, so I've decorated with whatever I can find for pennies instead of what I want. Read: hodgepodge!)

In our living room I've actually lost track of how many different mirrors we've used for a little while then moved. That room has great morning light, and I just can't help but fill it with mirrors.

This was taken before everything was in the room, but...

I love mirrors and I do have one in all rooms of my home except for one (have to work on that!).

This is one of my inspriation pics - I think I may have grabbed it off of this site.

I love the same color mirrors collages you all have made and the link the staircase. My mirrors are cheapos but some of yours are b-e-a-u-t-f-u-l!

I saw a stacking of mirrors in a model home and copied it on my dresser.

We have a huge mirror in the dinning room and one in front of kitchen sink....I wanted to put one in the living room but the mirror guy said, "it is not a good idea...."

I believe that the only time you can have too many mirrors is when you have multiple reflections refracting into multiple mirrors and you get a Funhouse effect. Short of that mirrors are wonderful!

I wish the old photos in this thread were still available. I really appreciate mirrors for adding light and shine to rooms in my 1969 batcave, and I have three in my living room: one very large, one large, one small. But I also love them in my mother's sun-filled house. The only rooms where I don't have any are the kitchen and dining room, and in the dining room it's just because there is no place left to hang one without having to watch myself chew!

I disagree with many here. I think you can have too many mirrors. They are nice here and there as a decorative accent, but decorating with multiple mirrors is a trend that's not to my taste. I much prefer art for the color and texture it adds to a room.

I'm going to tell you straight up I love my mirrors just don't go too small. if it's a small room use a large mirror and put some vertical and some horizontal if you'd like as long as they're all complementing each other I have a small house but everybody wants to put all this artwork up and usually it's garbage. nice frames or no frames beveled is beautiful and paint the frames the same colour as the wall if you have a small space extension to your room