Mirrors are popular decorating items. It's easier to select a mirror than to choose a piece of art and the reflective qualities of a mirror offer unique decorating benefits, too.

Mirrors for Dark Rooms
Where there are no windows, a frameless wall mirror can really open up a room. Use a large mirror that fills as much of the wall as you can spare and be sure that your lighting source is being reflected.


Saving Money on Mirrors
Frameless mirrors are often less expensive than mirrors with frames. Ask your local glass store (usually used for window repair) about purchasing large sized frameless mirrors. Ask also about the price for delivery, it might be cheaper than you think. Hang the mirror using adhesive and clear plastic mirror hooks. You can build a frame with copper plumbing line or decorative wall molding, or you could leave the edges unfinished.

Check your local Craigslist.com, thrift shops and yard sales for mirrors. Keep in mind as you shop that the frames can be refinished, repainted, or removed. You might get lucky and find an undervalued antique beveled mirror. Mirrors that once belonged at the head of a bedframe can be repurposed to hang above the mantle or removed from their frame altogether. If you're crafty, you can even reconstruct the frame or embellish it.

Mirrors and Lighting
Placing a mirror behind a candle adds a little extra glow. Many lighting fixtures have a mirrored interior casing to increase and direct the lighting. Use mirrors to direct and intensify lighting. A mirror hung opposite a window can help expand the range of the sun's rays.

Mirrors are Useful, Too.
Let's not forget the fact that you can see yourself in a mirror. Hang a full length mirror by your front door, perhaps on the back of the door, for a quick inspection before you leave the house. Hang a mirror near the dining room so you can check your teeth periodically. Broken compact mirrors are great for this purpose.

A mirror hung under your stove hood allows children to look up to see what you're cooking.

A mirror propped in front of the kitchen sink allows you to see the rest of your kitchen while you're washing dishes. You can even buy mirrors for the car that allow you to check on a rear-facing baby wile you're driving.

Mirrors are a great investment, they go with any decor and can be extremely inexpensive decorating solutions. Walk through your house and see how many of your practical and decorating problems can be solved with a mirror. You might be surprised.