If the purpose of the mirror is to see yourself in it, hang it so that the center is at eye level.

Hey Amy!

I'd hang the mirror where you can see yourself the best, then wait a month or so and see how you feel about.

May not bother you at all, and if it does, then you can add something to the space above.

Hang it for you, who else is living there or using it? it looked better lower then centered anyway....

I actually like it lower...centered it looks too high relative to the sink, like it's floating away. Reminds me of when art is hung too high over the sofa or something....

I like it lower, but would put lights above it. I guess you already have the mirror, but I think an oval would look better and handle that situation also.

I have exactly the same setup and had exactly the same problem... I put a nice light fixture over the mirror and it balances everything out very nicely. Be very careful about where you are going to put this fixture (in relation with your cabinets and your mirror); don't let your electrician decide. I had to do many tests before finding a satisfactory height.

Also make sure that the mirror is well centered. My husband hung it too much on the left side (only half an inch) and it drives me crazy. Because of the cabinets on each side, it shows as a big red pimple in the middle of the face. Since this thing is HEAVY, the idea of moving all the brackets for half an inch is terrible. Convincing my husband that it needs to be done is a tough sale (typical man... he doesn't see the big pimple!:-). I have to admit I haven't succeeded yet... better do it right the first time...

Yeah, an oval might have graced the situation. But I have a lot of circles going on in the room (shower handle, faucet, knobs) so I was trying to keep with the theme. The mirror itself is lighted (that's just a mock-up, not the actual mirror) so lights would be redundant.

I chose the lighted mirror because I could not find any vanity lights I liked -- functionally (lighting from the side does the best job) or aesthetically (vertical light strips would have crowded the mirror).

Glad to know no one here finds the lower position too terrible. Thanks!

Hi 1 mtl. I don't even want to consider how they're going to get it right. My project manager knows that symmetry is my middle name. It's a standing joke at the job site.

I will give the orders, say a prayer and leave the building...smiling all the while! :-)

Lower is where it's at. Form *follows* function--it would drive me *crazy* if I had it raised to meet some nebulous "should" rather than suit the actual needs of the people living in the house.

If you hate it, you can always move it up and the holes may even be covered, still. So there's nothing to lose with lower first. Consider it striking a blow for ergonomics :)

(And just *how* is that "craftsman", btw? :) I'm loving that look so far. Dying for pics.)

Hang it for your comfort, how many others need to care about how high or low it is....you'll use it every day!
Meeting the bottoms looks good to me, how does it fit you?

I think I prefer it lower, myself. I kept looking at the two pictures and decided that if it was mine, I'd hang it low (and by co-incidence I'm 5'2") and possibly put a stencil or hang a swag over the top.

A lighted mirror; how neat!

If you don't like it that low, try something in the middle of the two where you can still see yourself (dead dcentered looks too high). I think the one looks just a bit low and the other too high and too centered : ) You really can't have a mirror where you can't see yourself!

Any thoughts to a contemporary wood 'valance' piece of sorts, connecting the two side units since lights are out?

Lower looks better to me. Tell the contractor, you want the edge of the mirror to be even with the bottom of the cabinets, centered of course. A glass shelf is going to get very dusty & be impossible to clean w/ out a ladder.

Well, I am glad the votes keep coming in for lower. I agree with Fly that function is most important. But sometimes, I do give in to a little form to please my eye when I walk into a room!

Magothy, that's a good point about the glass and the dust. I think SH's idea about a wood shelf might be a better idea.

Today, DH was saying we might need to put lights up there anyway... that maybe the lights in the mirror won't be enough. Gyads. But it would give me something to put up there to fill the space if I feel compelled to do so.

I have a hunch this will be one of those things that just "goes away" after we move in and start living there.

amy, I don't think that the line means "all function, no form"...

And magothy, you saved me too! I was going to put up a glass shelf above a towel hook, but I'll try to think of something else. I didn't want wood, though, because it would look so heavy...although now that I think about it, maybe a frosted/etched glass? Dust wouldn't show then from underneath, would it?

To me, low but a tad higher bounces in there with a more natural feel/flow to it. If you can still see yourself, that is : )

{{!gwi}}

Yes Fly, I have to remember the verb!

SH, thanks for the PS. I can't get into the house for another day because they're finishing the wood floors. I really do have to take my tape measure over there are see what's what.

As an interesting exercise, and just because I tend to overthink things, I think I will see where my eye-level is and where DH's is and take the average and then see where the center of the mirror should be.

Then I get to figure out where to mount the swing arm magnifier! That will wait 'til we're in the house.

(I should get a life, I know.)

Here's a pic of the shower tile:
{{!gwi}}

Um, just me here, but I'd take the shorter person's eye level and work off that. The taller person can squat, if necessary, but the shorter person can't always jump and will resent it if *she* has to :)

Nice bath tile choices, too :) What's the floor?

Fly - happy to save you "seeing " the dust - we all know its there, we just don't want to see it! I can ignore it if I can't see it! LOL. A frosted shelf may work.
Amy- when you look at the spot to hang the mirror, consider the different heights of your shoes you'll be wearing , as well as viewing your reflection(s) stepping back and getting "up close". Also, if you opt for installing a light above the mirror, put it on a separate switch w/ a dimmer. You can then use this light for your ambient lighting in the room vs task lighting on the mirror for make-up shaving,etc.

On pure aesthetics the lower example pleased my eye more, and then I read your post! Imagine that .... I'll tell you what would please my eye even more -- being able to see myself! (vanity, thy name is ME)

I think it's a more interesting composition having the mirror lower, and I think it's even more interesting if you're able to see yourself.

But scrolling back up and reading others responses I am just one in a long line who feels this way.

How do you feel?

And on a totally different topic, I am so envious of your grand piano. I play exceedingly poorly and I've lived without a piano for years, but a girl can dream .... My two year-old has recently discovered the piano (at a little play class we take together), and watching him tickle (okay, pound) the ivories made me emotional. (I'm studying the banjo and already the two year-old makes prettier sounds on it than I!) So with your outdoor fireplace and your indoor piano I am going to live vicariously through you! amysrq, my hero!

I also would use the shorter person to figure out eyelevel with the caviat that the top should not be higher than the height of the taller person. I like best how squirrel PS'ed if that height works for you. Are you planning to do any crown on top on the side cabinets? I think that may also help things feel more balanced. Oh, and, I love the shower tile.