How to Use Mirrors - Guest Post

It's Done With Mirrors - Using Reflection to Make a Room Appear More Spacious
Most of us regard mirrors as necessary, functional items in our bathrooms, halls and bedrooms; sometimes revealing a bit more about us than we'd like. Yet mirrors can also be our very good friends and can be used to create the illusion of more space in rooms that are limited in size. Here are five ways to do this that play up two of today's hottest design trends: the reuse and repurpose movement and the retro craze of anything mid-century modern.

• Window Wonders Designers are always enlarging or adding additional windows to make dark spaces brighter. Who says they get to have all the fun? Create a faux window for that cramped dining area or windowless office nook, or nestle your sofa between a pair of faux windows to instantly make it feel brighter and more spacious.
  There's several ways to go – create the window with two or three rows of mirror tiles and add a "frame" made from reclaimed wood. Or, score a vintage window from a salvage shop for more realism and use mirror paint on the old glass. You could also use a single long, skinny mirror instead of the tiles. Add finishing touches such as a window box or paint a sprig of ivy on the glass with a little green acrylic paint.
  If you've got the budget for it, you can find ready-made large mirrors made to look like windows, complete with framing. Some even have working latches so that you can "open" the window for special effect.
  Your faux windows will take on an added layer of realism if you can position them on a wall opposite a real window.
  
• Fireplace Fixes Are you staring at a big blank spot over the fireplace where your TV used to be, having removed it because your neck could no longer take the strain of always looking up? Is your other half threatening to put up that "really cool" picture of dogs playing poker unless you have a better suggestion? The answer is simple: hang a mirror. Those that follow the principles of feng shui are nodding in agreement. Even if you don't subscribe to that particular philosophy, a mirror over the fireplace creates a fantastic focal point for the room and works with every design style. Another fun take is to group a series of framed mirrors on the fireplace mantle. Either way, you'll be adding depth and sense of spaciousness.
  
  
  
  
  (Source)
  
  And here's another tip if you're no longer actually using your fireplace to burn wood – put a mirror in the firebox for even more reflection.
  
• Crafty Cabinets DIY'ers have been picking up thrift-store finds, sanding and repainting them into charming, one-of-a-kind pieces for years. Here's a twist – create a special storage piece with mirrored drawer fronts. For an added dose of sparkle, use mirrored mosaic tiles instead of a single mirror on each drawer. Or pick up a pair of mirrored storage cubes to use as small end tables and watch how they almost disappear into the room, along with all the clutter they've got hidden away inside! You can also fashion a show-stopping coffee table with groups of two, three or four cubes.
  
• Creative Coloring If you haven't heard yet, orange is THE color for 2012. Yes, orange. So now what are you supposed to do with that – keep a bowl of oranges out on the table all year long? If you're like many others, incorporating orange into a room can be a bit challenging. Lucky for you – a little orange goes a long way, as in orange frames. But not for pictures, for a mirror collage. Gather up a collection of frames in various sizes and styles and paint them in shiny, vibrant orange. Put mirrors in the frames and hang them on a wall. Toss in a classic, molded fiberglass chair in a similar hue and you have one of the hottest looks around today.
  Of course if orange just isn't your thing, you can still create a wonderful light-reflecting mirror collage with pristine white frames.
  
• Hit the Floor Okay, so you don't have a fireplace, you can't mount large mirrors or stick mirror tile all over the place because you rent, and you just aren't the collage type – are you doomed to live in darkness? Not at all. Meet the floor mirror, an extra large mirror that you just prop up against the wall. It will reflect the opposite wall of course, so position it where it will show off something interesting. Simple, easy and very effective, floor mirrors are also becoming popular again.

You'll be surprised at what happens when you incorporate one or more of these ideas into your home. Create some mirror magic in your home today!

About the Author
Bahram Nasehi is a Vice President and partner at Dulles Glass and Mirror. He is instrumental in the development and manufacturing of commercial and residential glass products including tempered glass, glass table tops and shower doors.