Best ways to decorate with good mirrors

Mirrors are a great design accessory, and when strategically placed, they can liven up a room, making it appear brighter and larger. It is use since old times to enhance the design of a room. Designers have been putting mirrors on furniture for over 100 years.

Here are some ideas to take advantage of the mirror and add light to your room, create depth or highlight an interesting focal point:

1. Make the room brighter. Use them to enhance the natural light in a room by hanging one across from a window so it reflects the landscape outside. They're a great alternative to a traditional painting or print. Situate the mirror so it doesn't cause glare. Mirrors can be problematic if they're placed across from a window with a western or southern exposure.

2. Multiply the wide of the space. Mirror a long wall in a skinny space to double the visual width of the room. This is a great trick for halls, entryways, narrow dining rooms, gym rooms and master bathrooms.

3. Coordinate the color schemes.That is the style, size, and design of your mirror should match or enhance the color scheme in your home. For example, if it's rustic, choose a mirror that's framed in hardwood with nice carvings. Something eclectic is a nice touch too. Bronze-tinted mirrors make people look younger and healthier.

4. Brighten up your entry. Mirrors placed in a foyer or entryway is a welcomed sight for guests. They reflect light and open up a dark entry and give a place for guests to check themselves while entering your home.

5. Place a lighting fixture to bathe your mirror with soft light.This is a very effective way to make your foyer soft and homey not to mention extremely relaxing especially for family members and guests who want to enter to a relaxing room after a particularly stressful day.

6. Hunt for your unique pieces.You don't need to spend a lot of money in your mirror, or buy it straight from the furniture store. Mirrors come in all shapes, styles and sizes and can be found anywhere from discount retailers and garage sales to flea markets. They should be chosen based on the size and decor of your room.

7. Full-length mirrors make a room seem larger. A full-mirrored wall will optically expand and add glamour to a room. Consider adding a folding screen of mirrored panels to the corner of a room to add light and dimension. Just glue molding around each full-length mirror and secure each side with hinges.

8. A collection of small mirrors can add great interest to a wall. When using a group of mirrors, concentrate on choosing interesting frames in a variety of shapes and sizes. To create a cohesive grouping, you may want to consider using mirrors with the same or similarly colored frames. To arrange a group, hang the largest mirror first, and then add a smaller one of similar shape. Finish with yet another small mirror in a different shape. Space them all evenly on the wall.

9. Place a mirror over the fireplace. For most home's the fireplace is already the focal point of the room in which it resides. Add more emphasis to the fireplace by placing a beautifully framed mirror above the mantel. This will enlarge the room, and add a reflective surface to the décor you place on the mantle. From candle sticks to seasonal décor, a fireplace begs for a gorgeous mirror to adorn it.

10. Prepare your handyman tools.You will need a few basic tools to hang mirrors: hammer, small nails, a measuring tape and perhaps some way of checking to see that the mirrors are level. Hardware stores and home-decorating stores now carry a wide variety of hanging clips, wire and other devices that are perfecting for locating mirrors in the room. (Don't hesitate to place mirrors in places other than on the walls. Some mirrors will work very well on a stand if the placement is right.