We all know that mirrors are useful for getting dressed, flossing, and doing your makeup — basically any activity that requires checking yourself out. And they are of course imperative for getting that perfect mirror selfie. But a mirror can also make small spaces feel larger, which is why the interior designers and other cool people we talked to say they often use them simply as décor, too. “I use mirrors all over my own small apartment,” says Laura Fenton, author of forthcoming book The Little Book of Living Small. “A huge, $20-from-Craigslist mirror makes my entryway feel larger than it really is.”
As Fenton points out, decorative mirrors can be as affordable as they are useful. But they can also be investment pieces that double as works of art (just ask anyone who owns an Ultrafragola). So to help you find the best one for your space, we asked her and 11 other interior-design-minded folks to point us to their favorite eye-catching (and light-catching) decorative mirrors on the market. Read on for their suggestions, which range from delightful picks under $100 to special, splurge-worthy mirrors you’ll want to stare at from any angle.
Best under-$100 decorative mirrors
Amber Uhl, a designer with online interior-design service Havenly, recommends this cheeky mirror in the shape of an eye that’s handcrafted in Peru with engineered wood. She calls it a great “accent” piece: “Use this mirror to add an interesting pop to a gallery wall, style it with a chair and a tall plant to complete an empty corner, or add it to that skinny wall in your home that always felt like it needed something,” she suggests.
A round mirror is also quite easy to incorporate into your space because of how versatile its shape is. “It just works. I’ve lost count on the number of times I’ve seen this mirror in someone’s home — but I totally get it,” says decorator Carrie Carrollo. “It’s simple and easy to style, super-affordable, an ideal size, and the circle shape makes it that much more interesting than your standard square or rectangle.” Corrollo adds that the mirror, which is 28 inches in diameter, works in just about space and with any style of décor.
Like the round mirror above, this uniquely shaped mirror from Target’s Project 62 line is another favorite of Carollo’s (who told us she generally loves Target’s Project 62 line for affordable décor). While the flat-bottomed mirror’s name suggests using it on a mantel, she says you can put it in many other places, as well, such as “over a credenza or dresser, couch, or even a shelf in your hallway.” Of the metal-framed mirror, Carollo adds that “the shape is clean yet stylish, and it’s a great size and price.”
Best under-$150 decorative mirrors
Uhl also likes round mirrors, which she says are “very in right now” and can “truly go in any room of your home, whether it be above your bathroom vanity or above a cute console table in your entryway.” This one, she says, “has quickly become my favorite affordable piece to decorate with, after hunting high and low for the perfect mirror.” At 37 inches across, it’s larger than Carrollo’s pick above and is framed by black rubber, giving it a bit of an industrial feel. Uhl says that the price is a deal, considering its large size and the fact that it “goes with darn near every design style.” Clémence Poles, the creative director and founder of online magazine Passerbuys, also recommends this mirror, saying that it “really opens up a room.”
If you’re looking for a round mirror with an extra dimension, Tiffany Thompson, the founder of Duett Interiors, recommends this two-toned borderless mirror, which she calls “a great update to the traditional round mirror” and “aesthetically pleasing but still functional.” Measuring about 19 inches across, it can be mounted at 45-degree increments, thanks to the guided mounter on the back, Thompson explains. “I love the idea of hanging it horizontally or vertically,” she says. “It allows you to get creative.”
Reminiscent of a racetrack, this round mirror recommended by Carrollo features a grooved engineered-wood frame with a metallic-paint finish. “Although it’s a new piece,” she notes that it actually looks vintage and “perfectly captures that Art Deco look.” Carrollo adds that “you can’t go wrong with an oval pill shape” and that, for what you’re getting, this mirror is “pretty well-priced: You could easily pay more from a vintage seller.”
For something straightforward that gets the job done, Thompson suggests the Hovet mirror from Ikea. Even though it’s simple, she says that “if you go into any influencer’s home or your favorite retail store, I guarantee that three out of five places will have this mirror.” That’s because, according to her, the mirror’s size — it’s 77 by 30 inches — and simple aluminum frame make it both useful and unassuming. “It’s the perfect height for a floor mirror and fairly inexpensive,” Thompson adds, noting that it can be mounted horizontally to open up a space. If you want to get creative, she suggests painting the metal finish to give it a different look.
This powder-coated-steel mirror with a subtle shelf is as decorative as it is useful. Fenton recommended it, calling it “sleek” and “modern” and adding that “the rounded corners are a good move for a small space where you might bonk into a corner.” One place she suggests hanging it is in a “tiny bathroom to make a spot for some of the daily toiletries that tend to creep onto the sink.” But the mirror can just as easily be placed on top of a vanity or console instead of being hung.
We’ve already praised wall ladders for their ability to neatly organize clothes and blankets, but when you combine one with a mirror, you get an all-in-one closet assistant. This metal-framed wall ladder–mirror hybrid is a favorite of Thompson’s; it comes with a full-length mirror and rungs for hanging accessories. “I love this because it’s versatile — not only can you check out your outfit, but you can utilize the ladder for self-organization,” she says.
Designer Betsy Burnham says that a mirror is a great way to incorporate organic and natural elements into a room. She particularly likes this woven rattan mirror made of banana bark, calling it “unique and a little nutty.” While it would normally fall in the below category, right now it’s on sale for 40 percent off. Burnham adds that “rattan itself is timeless and versatile and one of my favorite materials to work with.”
Best under-$200 decorative mirrors
“I know I’m not the only one looking for uniquely shaped wall mirrors right now,” says Carrollo. “As much as I love arched and circular shapes, I’ve been on the hunt for something with more organic or quirky lines,” like this irregularly shaped mirror from Zara Home that she pointed us to. It measures approximately 39 inches across and has a frame made of engineered wood. Given its size, it’s a pretty good deal, according to her.
For another mirror with a storage component, interior designer Jenny Norris recommends this one with a built-in shelf, which she says “feels sturdy and grounding without feeling heavy.” Norris adds that it’s “functional but also great for displaying not-so-functional or beautifully packaged products.” The 4-inch-deep shelf features a little rack that seems perfect for a small towel, making this another mirror ideal for a bathroom.
If you want a shelved mirror for somewhere other than the bathroom, consider this wooden one that Modsy designer Irah Price also recommends for its “dual purpose.” Made from solid wood in a pecan finish, this mid-century modern–inspired mirror also comes with five antique bronze hooks. “It’s a great solution for small spaces and can easily transform your entryway,” Price says. “Pair it with a storage bench and a fun plant, and you’re good to go.”
For even more functionality, try the Vala mirror, which Thompson loves for its versatility. A full-length standing mirror, it features two ladderlike standing racks on either side — one of which has a small shelf — that open up to instantly become “a mini dressing room,” according to her. “I love the idea of being able to make the mirror compact for everyday use but still having options if you need,” she says.
Given their different sizes, this set of five mirrors from Hay would be a great option if you want mirrors for several spaces that have a coordinated look. Or, as Thompson notes, you can hang them together to create a dramatic cluster (or gallery wall) of mirrors. Each mirror is framed in oak, which is then wrapped in a primary-colored ribbon to not only provide color but a loop for hanging, too. The included sizes range from a 3.5 inches square to a large rectangle that measures 17.25 inches by 5.5 inches.
Here’s another mirror whose list price would put it in the below category but is right now on sale. The Infinity Mirror is actually two separate panels — Panel I and Panel II — and each is sold separately (the photo shows both panels together; each panel’s sale price is $174). The Infinity Mirror’s panels feature abstract designs of metal and glass, and the style comes recommended by Megan Hersch, the founder of interior-design service RoomLift, who has personally used it in her projects. “These are great, fun, and reasonably priced decorative mirrors that I have hung in a set of three across a large wall in a dining room,” she says. “It really transformed the space.” If you follow that advice, Hersch has a tip: “Hang one of them upside down so all three look different.”
Best under-$250 decorative mirrors
This mirror is truly out there, but if you’re looking for something that’s “rustic meets glam,” as Decorilla designer Devin Shaffer puts it, then it could be just the one for you. The mirror recalls the look of a sliced tree trunk that’s been doused in a metallic silver finish and would certainly make a statement wherever it is placed.
Modsy designer Lisa Spicer, another fan of round mirrors, agrees that the shape has been quite popular in the design world lately. This one measures 36 inches in diameter and is handmade with a brushed-brass-plated aluminum frame, making it a bit fancier than Umbra’s round, rubber-framed mirror above. As for placement, Spicer has a couple of suggestions: “The simplistic shape and sleek metal frame are perfect for hanging in an entry, over a dresser, in the bathroom, or just about anywhere you need a solid mirror choice.”
Best splurge-worthy decorative mirrors
“Everyone needs a full-length mirror in their home, but the options are all super-pricey or, frankly, quite boring,” says Uhl. While not cheap, she says, this leaning floor mirror is on the less expensive side of the pricey spectrum, noting its handcrafted, mango-wood frame (that has a walnut finish) is part of what you’re paying for.
In addition to round mirrors, vintage brass mirrors “are trending like crazy right now,” according to Uhl, who notes that such a style can “add the perfect interesting touch to many spaces.” But like full-length floor mirrors, vintage brass ones can quickly get very expensive, she notes. This one isn’t made of brass — rather, of a resin that has been finished in a “crackled and antiqued champagne silver leaf,” according to the brand — but is “a steal at $310,” Uhl promises, adding that “it makes the perfect dupe for the popular Gleaming Primrose Mirror from Anthropologie that will cost you close to $500.” (If you want to see the actual Gleaming Primrose Mirror, just scroll down.)
According to Spicer, Anthropologie’s Gleaming Primrose Mirror has a “detailed gold frame that gives it a vintage vibe that feels special.” She adds that the style recalls a mirror you might find buried in an antique shop or one you might inherit from “your cool grandma.” It comes in three finishes and three sizes — three, five, and seven feet tall — and is made from resin, iron, and engineered hardwood.
For a more modern-feeling gilded mirror (of sorts), Norris recommends this hand-aged, antiqued rectangular one. “Its antiqued effect is offset by the simple frame,” she says, which is made of industrial black iron.
Modsy designer Megan Huffman recommends this mid-century-inspired mirror framed in acacia wood to anyone looking for a mirror that will add a delightful dash of kitsch to a space. Its unusual shape is more organic than some of the other atypically shaped mirrors on the list, and it’s also quite large, measuring 39 inches by 45 inches (when placed vertically, the mirror’s size almost makes it full-length).
This egg-shaped mirror comes recommended by Poles, who says it feels straight out of the Noguchi Museum. Oversized and abstract, the tall leaning mirror is anchored by a pinewood sphere at its base, which adds a sculptural touch to its already intriguing shape.
Fenton told us that one of the homes in her book on small living has this arched floor mirror from West Elm in its entry hallway. She says that the mirror “really opened up the otherwise boxed-in space.” While it’s a splurge, the arched silhouette makes it look slightly more distinguished than your average floor-length mirror, as does the antique-brass-finished metal frame.
Hersch hangs this slender oval mirror right next to her front door: “I don’t have a large entry area, but this fits in the small space that I have perfectly, and gives a little glance of my whole outfit without being too giant.” It has a black powder-coated frame and a wooden peg that adds just the right amount of detail to the otherwise minimal mirror. Hersch adds that it’s a good price for the quality and style.
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