There’s a reason the saying is “it’s all smoke and mirrors”. You see, a well-placed mirror will light up dark corners of the house, make small spaces seem much larger, offer a new decorative feature, and most importantly, allow you to indulge in those moments of vanity.
However, choosing the right wall-mirror can be difficult, after all, fashions come and go, and no-one wants to be repurchasing every couple of years. On top of that, you'l need decide on the right shape, size and frame style to match your existing home décor. In this article, we go over the do’s and don’ts of picking a wall mirror, before sharing our ranking of the top 10 best on Amazon, eBay and John Lewis!
While a lot is down to appearance and personal taste, the best wall mirrors will combine both style and practicality. In this section, we’ll look at the different hanging options, the shapes of mirrors, the ideal sizes and finally the frame materials to help you find the right one.
When it comes to the shape of wall your mirror, the possibilities are endless! In the name of organisation, and to prevent you quickly becoming overwhelmed, we’ve ranked them into three easy to distinguish groups - round, rectangular and abstract.
Round mirrors are highly functional and will look great in pretty much any room of the house. They have a contemporary look and really come into their own when used to add a little softness to angular rooms.
While they work well with most home décor, just be sure to consider the type of frame you select. But, we'll elaborate more on this later.
Rectangle or square mirrors are another functional choice due to their larger reflective surface areas. As with round mirrors, they also look great in most rooms in the house, but are much easier to fit and position on your wall.
Rectangular mirrors are also generally the best option if you are after a full body mirror, or one to fill a wider space.
Abstract mirrors unfortunately sacrifice a bit of the functionality, instead prioritising their more decorative qualities. These mirrors can come in all sorts of styles, from teardrop to geometric shapes. Some even incorporate artwork into their design.
We recommend choosing an abstract mirror if you're looking to add the finishing touches to a room, or for use as an attractive talking point or centrepiece.
By their very definition wall mirrors are going to need to be hung from the wall, as unfortunately, as a species we haven't quite mastered the art of making things float yet. Therefore, make sure you're aware of which type of fixtures come with the mirror.
When it comes to hanging, there are many options, from D-rings and picture hooks, to straps and comb hangings. They all work in relatively the same way, albeit with different aesthetics. However, you'll still be required to drill into the wall before connecting the hanging to your newly-placed screw. So it's important to know where to position it, and how much space you will need.
It’s vital to consider the type of wall you’re hanging the mirror from. You see, plasterboard and drywall have a much lower maximum weight limit than masonry walls.
Regardless of your walls, choosing a mirror under 10 kg shouldn't cause too many problems on it's own. However, you’ll want to consider the total weight of your wall hangings if you already have other objects like shelves or artwork on the same wall.
The next factor you’ll want to consider is how big the mirror should be. Too small and it could appear a little lost, but go too big and it will overpower the room. As a general rule of thumb, the size of the mirror should be around two thirds the size of the furniture it is hanging above.
However, as with everything in interior design, there is no hard and fast rule. For instance, if you have a particularly dark room, it may be worth looking for a mirror that's slightly larger to give the illusion of additional light.
Last but not least, you’ll want to think about what type of frame would best suit your home. For example, wood frames come a wide variety of styles, from light finishes for a minimalist Scandinavian look, to solid, dark stained oak that are best suited to traditionally decorated homes.
The term 'glass frame' refers to a mirror that comes with no apparent frame, or a frame engraved onto the mirror itself. These are best suited to contemporary style homes, and while initially seen only in bathrooms, they’ve started to creep in all around house.
Metal frames can add a bit of an industrial feel to the place, and are becoming quite popular in trendy 'hipster' cafes and bars. When it comes to the eye-catching metal frames, you might want to choose one that matches with other metal furniture and decorations around the room.
Plastic frames are a good way to keep the weight of the mirror down without compromising too much on aestetics. They come in a wide range of colours and finishes, including metallics to mimic gold, silver and bronze frames.
Now on to the fun part, the shopping! We've found options for every home that range from the classic to the crazy (in a good way), so let’s delve right in to the top 10 best wall mirrors in the UK.
£375.00
Shape | Round |
---|---|
Hanging Fixtures | Strap |
Weight | 10 kg |
Dimensions | 76 x 76 x 3.8 cm |
Frame Material | Metal, brass |
£230.00
Shape | Abstract |
---|---|
Hanging Fixtures | Strap |
Weight | 5.9 kg |
Dimensions | 54 x 59 cm |
Frame Material | Metal, brass |
£12.99
Shape | Round, abstract |
---|---|
Hanging Fixtures | D-ring |
Weight | 700 g (each) |
Dimensions | 24 x 24 x 1.5 cm |
Frame Material | Plastic, gold colour |
£63.90
Shape | Rectangular |
---|---|
Hanging Fixtures | D-ring |
Weight | 9.7 kg |
Dimensions | 91 x 61 x 5 cm |
Frame Material | Glass |
£25.00
Shape | Round |
---|---|
Hanging Fixtures | Hooks |
Weight | Unknown |
Dimensions | 50 x 50 x 1 cm |
Frame Material | Glass |
£199.00
Shape | Abstract |
---|---|
Hanging Fixtures | Comb hanging |
Weight | 7.7 kg |
Dimensions | 82.6 x 82.6 x 8.9 cm |
Frame Material | Metal |
£151.20
Shape | Rectangular |
---|---|
Hanging Fixtures | D-ring |
Weight | 7.2 kg |
Dimensions | 132 x 79 x 3 cm |
Frame Material | Wood, MDF |
£80.00
Shape | Round |
---|---|
Hanging Fixtures | Unknown |
Weight | 6 kg |
Dimensions | 60 x 60 x 5 cm |
Frame Material | Metal |
£26.45
Shape | Abstract |
---|---|
Hanging Fixtures | Not included |
Weight | 1.5 kg |
Dimensions | 40.5 x 56 x 1.5 cm |
Frame Material | Wood, MDF |
£50.00
Shape | Rectangular |
---|---|
Hanging Fixtures | Keyhole |
Weight | 5.3 kg |
Dimensions | 136 x 41 x 3 cm |
Frame Material | Wood, oak |
Image | 1 John Lewis & Partners | 2 ![]() LIFA LIVING | 3 ![]() Habitat | 4 John Lewis & Partners | 5 Pottery Barn | 6 ![]() Argos | 7 ![]() Mirror Outlet | 8 ![]() Bonnyco | 9 Seletti | 10 West Elm |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | House by John Lewis Mirror | Decorative Wall Mirror | Aimee Wall Mirror | Haylen Rectangular Wall Mirror | Kids Silverleaf Petal Mirror | Round Wall Mirror | Silver Triple Bevelled Venetian Wall Mirror | Pack of 3 Gold Mirrors | Sea Girl Mirror | Helena Round Wall Mirror |
Features | A Lot of Mirror for a Little Price | Just the Right Amount of Weird | The Pop of Colour Your House Is Screaming For | A Timeless Classic | Why Let the Kids Have All the Fun? | Simply Perfect for the Modern Bathroom | Add a Touch of Character With This Large Venetian-Inspired Mirror | An Economical Set of Decorative Mirrors | Gorgeous Mirror With Abstract Artwork | A Striking Mirror That Takes Inspiration From Art-Deco |
Price | £50.00 | £26.45 | £80.00 | £151.20 | £199.00 | £25.00 | £63.90 | £12.99 | £230.00 | £375.00 |
Shape | Rectangular | Abstract | Round | Rectangular | Abstract | Round | Rectangular | Round, abstract | Abstract | Round |
Hanging Fixtures | Keyhole | Not included | Unknown | D-ring | Comb hanging | Hooks | D-ring | D-ring | Strap | Strap |
Weight | 5.3 kg | 1.5 kg | 6 kg | 7.2 kg | 7.7 kg | Unknown | 9.7 kg | 700 g (each) | 5.9 kg | 10 kg |
Dimensions | 136 x 41 x 3 cm | 40.5 x 56 x 1.5 cm | 60 x 60 x 5 cm | 132 x 79 x 3 cm | 82.6 x 82.6 x 8.9 cm | 50 x 50 x 1 cm | 91 x 61 x 5 cm | 24 x 24 x 1.5 cm | 54 x 59 cm | 76 x 76 x 3.8 cm |
Frame Material | Wood, oak | Wood, MDF | Metal | Wood, MDF | Metal | Glass | Glass | Plastic, gold colour | Metal, brass | Metal, brass |
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As we're nice, we thought we'd give you a few tips on hanging your new wall mirror if you haven't done it before.
1. Before anything, you'll want to use a pipe and live wire detector to ensure that there is nothing in the way of your chosen spot. We can't stress this enough, as nothing will quite ruin your day like hitting the water mains!
2. Measure both the mirror and the space that you wish to hang it. This way, you'll be sure there's enough space and you won't be left with a bunch of nails in the wall and no mirror.
3. Now you want to mark where you are going to hang the mirror. If you're using a strap fixture, mark in the wall where you plan to suspend it from. If you're using fixtures on the back, then fit them to the mirror before holding it up and marking where you'd like these to be in the wall.
4. This is important: double-check!! If you haven't heard it, there's an old adage 'measure twice, cut (or drill, in this circumstance) once'. It's something always worth remembering.
5. After you have double-checked your measurements, drill into the wall before inserting your rawl plug. From there insert your screw and continue to drill. If you're using a hammer instead, being careful not to bend them, hammer each nail into the wall leaving enough exposed at the end.
6. Finally, hang the mirror!
It's those finishing touches that really make a house a home. Whether you're a fan of eclectic interiors or prefer a more minimalist approach, finding the right home decoration will help tie your space together. Check out the links below for more of the best decorative homeware in the UK!
As you have probably gathered, there are a seemingly never-ending amount of wall hanging mirrors to contemplate. Hopefully, our buying guide and ranking have helped to shine a light on some of the nuances, so you'll be able to find one that will keep your home, and you, looking good!
Author: Lewis Clark
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