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Arriving nicely dressed to work every single day might be the key to success, but appearing well groomed is easier for some than others. It depends on a person's type of hair, whether or not he has tattoos, or has a talent for ironing or suffers any chronic acne. Life can be cruel. The bathroom vanity was aptly named such because it is a place in the home where we focus all our attention on our appearances. It is an altar to the self. In this world human vanity is a necessary evil, and so throughout history we have commissioned artisans to build beautiful drawers and basins to aid our attention to hygiene and grooming.
[caption id="attachment_670" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Clairemont Vanity from Hardware Resources in Buttercream"]
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It's hard to resist the radiance of the Clairemont buttercream vanity by Hardware Resources and the oval buttercream mirror to match. Its floral inlays and French scroll legs create a look that is classically beautiful, and shouldn't the beauty of our vanity inspire us in our creation of ourselves? Hardware Resources, specifically Lyn Design, puts out vanities that are hugely influenced by the artistry of human hands. They are hand carved and hand finished, making each unit an individual masterpiece.
[caption id="attachment_669" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Oval Mirror in Buttercream"]
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[caption id="attachment_674" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Clairemont Vanity in Buttercream"]
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There is also a smaller version of the buttercream vanity for the more petite bathroom.
[caption id="attachment_677" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Tesla Walnut Vanity from Hardware Resources"]
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The Tesla Walnut vanity's beauty is accentuated by its reed columns and carvings. Its warm finish settles well in a more modest bathroom.
[caption id="attachment_676" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Vanity Mirror in Walnut Finish"]
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This mirror has the same rich brown walnut finish as the Tesla walnut vanity. I am particularly fond of its decorative applique at the top. It's similar to a Celtic woven band, a mirror worthy of a medieval noble.
[caption id="attachment_672" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Haywood Vanity from Sagehill"]
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Sagehill puts out the Haywood vanity with little drawers and side shelves. This manufacturer makes delicate looking pieces, but the product is very sturdy from the framed type construction. This piece was inspired by English country furnishings. The drawers are solid wood and use English Dovetail construction. The two tone finish gives the vanity a handsome glow.
[caption id="attachment_671" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Sagehill Vanity of The Jameson Collection"],
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A Jameson Collection vanity has precious decorative turned feet and a striking reversed arch apron. The display shelf gives the owner a place to show off his trinkets and knick knacks.
[caption id="attachment_673" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Sagehill Vanity with Double Drawers and Shelf"]
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This Casual Essence Collection vanity in light brown is another piece by Sagehill. It has tapering feet and adjustable levelers. The drawers open and close smoothly, utilizing their dovetail construction and ball bearing slides.
[caption id="attachment_668" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Ornate Vanity from Lyn Vanities"]
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Lyn Vanities makes this gorgeous ornate vanity and its corresponding hard carved mirror. If you look closely you can see how the vanity has hand carved botanical and rope details finished in a burled veneer.
[caption id="attachment_675" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Ornate Mirror from Lyn Vanities"]
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These vanities suit a romantic home perfectly. They appear period or fantasy, and their quality shows in every inch of construction....
Mirrored Linen Tower in Espresso WCSB802ES from Wyndham Collection[/caption]
There's certainly no rule against having a standard, no-frills, full-length mirror in your bathroom. But chances are, unless you have a magazine-style master suite, you probably don't have the room to dedicate to a big, clunky mirror - especially not when you can use that wall and floor space to much-needed storage. The good news is, you can have both. Rotating mirror storage cabinets are fast becoming more common, and allow you to have the full length mirror you want without sacrificing the storage you need.
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Valet Dressing Mirror M-VALET-160MWT from Ryvyr[/caption]
Rotating storage mirrors come in a range of sizes and installation types. They can either be freestanding or mounted to your wall, and have a mirror on one side and storage on the other (or for larger ones, you can even find storage on all three other sides!). Often they're boxy in style to accommodate cabinet-like storing on the reverse side, but if you're tight on space, you can also find very thin models with hooks and accessory storage opposite the mirror rather than shelves and cubbies.
Senza Gray Oak Bathroom Linen Side Cabinet FST8070GO from Fresca[/caption]
Most traditional linen cabinets are all about the elegant woodwork, and most modern ones are as streamlined and minimalist as possible, but it is possible to find ones that incorporate large, mirrored fronts. These are typically not quite full length mirrors (especially if they're wall mounted, as many more modern linen cabinets are), but they offer a combination of closed cabinet storage behind a mirrored door and open cubbies, which are great for storing towels and toiletries.
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Espresso Bathroom Linen Side Cabinet with Large Mirror Door FST1024ES from Fresca[/caption]
The mirrors on cabinets like this are often a little smaller as well, in service of style: they use the mirrored door as a point of contrast to the wood to create striking geometric shapes and a simple, stylish, usually asymmetrical design. The good news is, this particular quirk means there's quite a bit of flexibility in the type and placement of the storage, so you can get a look that works well with the design and layout of your bathroom.
Senza 52" Tall Bathroom Medicine Cabinet FMC8030 from Fresca[/caption]
Replacing a vanity mirror with a medicine cabinet is one of the most tried and true ways to sneak both a mirror and extra storage into the same space. That said, limiting them to above your sink is a mistake. Full-length medicine cabinets are rare and a bit of an oddball choice, but give you a big, almost-seamless mirror that's completely packed full of storage. Better still, some models can be recessed into your walls, so they take up almost no space at all.
[caption id="attachment_15749" align="aligncenter" width="480"]
Kube 80" Mirrored Medicine Cabinet A2000 from KubeBath[/caption]
Of course, the caveat here is that medicine cabinets are fairly shallow, meaning they're better for storing toiletries and cleaning supplies than bulky items like towels or toilet paper. Still, if you need accessible storage for small items and a larger reflective surface than a standard vanity mirror, this is a great option that will help you maximize the space you have. Bonus: you can find very long horizontal medicine cabinets, too, which are great for a shared bathroom.
These days, storage mirrors come in all shapes, sizes, and finishes, so there's almost no excuse to have a bathroom mirror that doesn't do double duty, whether it's a full length cabinet or just a decorative mirror with a shelf for your toothbrush!...
Bathroom Mirror WA2140-M from Legion Furniture[/caption]
Many bathrooms come standard with large, frameless mirrors. They're simple and uncluttered looking, and can help make a small bathroom feel a little less cramped. That said, they take up a lot of wall space that could be dedicated to small, supplementary storage cabinets and caddies, and don't offer any storage of their own. Taking one down will mean sacrificing a good chunk of your reflective surfaces and losing some of the reflected light, but it opens your bathroom up to a whole lot of smart storage alternatives.
Tiempo 48" Bathroom Medicine Cabinet with LED Lighting and Defogger FMC014830 from Fresca[/caption]
Shop Medicine Cabinets:
Upgrading from a frameless mirror to a medicine cabinet is one of the simplest but most significant changes you can make to your small bathroom. While the humble medicine cabinet is easily overlooked, in a space where you're starved for small item storage (like pill bottles, hair care products, and so on), having those few extra shelves stored at head height can make a huge difference. Bonus: most medicine cabinets have fully mirrored surfaces, so while you might be losing a little bit of width, you'll still have a similar mirror quality and quantity.
Krom 30" Mirror with Shelf M-KROM-30BK from Ryvyr[/caption]
Shop Bathroom Mirrors:
Large, frameless bathroom mirrors are often fitted to your space, extending the full length of your vanity (and sometimes more), up well above head height and down either to the level of the vanity or backsplash or at least to the height of the faucet. Switching to a framed mirror trims the mirror down in all dimensions, opening up just enough wall space to add some basic storage - like a simple shelf beneath the mirror, which is perfect for storing toiletries and clearing off your counters.
Aurora 24" Illuminated Rectangle LED Mirror FMR-AURORA-2432-LED from Finesse[/caption]
Some smaller framed mirrors even have built in shelves (or at least narrow ledges) at the bottom of the frame, which again can go a long way towards keeping your vanity clear and uncluttered. Bathroom mirrors with this type of frame are often bundled with matching bathroom vanities, but you can certainly find them on their own as well. If you do a little looking, you can even find more upscale versions with built-in lights that not only look great but can provide a little extra much-needed illumination for a smaller space - especially a windowless one.
Mirror Cabinet WA3129-C from Legion Furniture[/caption]
If you want something with a little more personality than a plain mirrored medicine cabinet, look for mirrors that have cabinets built into the frame instead. These will have a little less total storage, but they sit closer to the wall and have the aesthetic appeal of a wood frame. While medicine cabinets are probably a better choice if you have a lot of pill bottles to store, mirror cabinets are great if you have just a few things you want to get up off your vanity and don't want seams running through the center of your mirror.
Bellezza 54" Natural Wood Mirrors With Shelf Combination FMR6119NW-SHF from Fresca[/caption]
One place where upgrading from a frameless mirror can make a really big difference is in bathrooms with a double vanity. While frameless mirrors give you a seamless surface across the whole vanity, scaling back to having one smaller mirror above each sink allows you to put a pretty significant amount of storage in between. Whether you opt for a double mirror with a bridge of shelves in between, combine more than one of the other options above, or even put a wall mounted cabinet between two mirrors, reducing the amount of mirror above your double vanity can make a huge difference in the amount of storage you have at your disposal.
It can be frustrating to work with a bathroom that's not quite as big as you wish it were, or one that just doesn't have storage adequate to your needs. But replacing your frameless mirror with a more functional one is a simple cosmetic change that can really transform the way you use your space.
Shop Bathroom Vanities and Vanity Sets with Mirrors: ...
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Large mirrors are especially good for increasing the apparent area of a room, though you want to be very careful with them. A fully mirrored wall can end up looking kitschy, like a restaurant or salon, and warp the sense of space in the room. So if you go with a big mirror, make sure you get one with a very thick frame. This simple Wood Frame Mirror has a wonderful, warm, rustic feel to it that adds a lovely texture to a room while also making the mirror evident (so you won't feel like someone's sneaking up on you every time you walk past).
[caption id="attachment_4743" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Venezia Beveled Mirror by Kichler"]
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When faced across from a window, large mirrors - especially ones like this Venezia Mirror that vaguely resemble windows themselves - can create the impression of a second set of windows, and can reflect some of the light. This is a subtle way to open up a smaller room and make the most out of the light you have. As a bonus, the frame itself looks lovely, and if it's facing a beautiful scene, at a glance it can pass for an art piece.
[caption id="attachment_4740" align="aligncenter" width="246" caption="Eaton Place Mirror by Fine Art Lamps"]
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Some mirrors are so elegant and elaborate as to almost serve as faux windows. Again, especially placed parallel to a large window, a piece like this Eaton Place Mirror can really play up the size of your room, and create the illusion of more space. I especially like this one for the twin lamps on either side of it - at a glance, it gives the feel of looking into a window from the well-lit outside.
[caption id="attachment_4736" align="aligncenter" width="400" caption="Afina RM-292 Octangular Wall Mirror"]
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Any mirror that is divided into sections with a metal seam can give the impression of a window, and beveled edges, like those on this Octangular Wall Mirror increase a sense of depth, while slightly distorting the consistency of the reflection and picking up light from multiple parts of the room.
[caption id="attachment_4737" align="aligncenter" width="380" caption="Arabesque Beveled Mirror - Burke Decor"]
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A series of several mirrors that mimic historical architectural window shapes can also be used to create a bright, open-feeling room with the impression of a magnificent castle or palace view. Depending on your existing decor and the room you place it in, this Arabesque Beveled Mirror can either look extremely clean and modern, or put a nice finishing touch on an opulent room of silks and pillows.
[caption id="attachment_4744" align="aligncenter" width="304" caption="Vienna Mirror #1 - Burke Decor"]
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This type of mirror - styled after historical open-air, hole-in-the-wall style windows - comes in as many different designs as there were stylistic windows of this type. From the windows of Turkish palaces to Italian villas to the castles and palaces of Vienna, this type of mirror is a great way not only to add light and space to your room, but also a hint of architecture it would be difficult (not to mention impractical) to actually build into your house.
[caption id="attachment_4742" align="aligncenter" width="325" caption="Gotham Mirror by Uttermost"]
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Of course, a mirror doesn't have to be huge or even terribly interestingly shaped in order to have a positive impact on your room. This relatively smaller Gotham Mirror is a simple circle, but the scalloped edges of the frame really make it pop. An accent more than a focal piece, this mirror adds texture to a room without drawing too much attention.
[caption id="attachment_4738" align="aligncenter" width="233" caption="Circle & Scroll Design Wall Mirror"]
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Some mirrors are more like art pieces that happen to have reflective surfaces. The Circle Scroll Design of this mirror is both playful and elegant, and the varying sizes of the mirrors cast only glimpses of a reflection, which again adds a subtle depth to a room without forcing you to stare at yourself whenever you plop down on the couch.
[caption id="attachment_4741" align="aligncenter" width="342" caption="Fleur De Lis Mirror"]
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Multiple shaped mirrors that point in slightly different directions, like those that form this Fleur De Lis Mirror, might not even look like mirrors unless you stand directly in front of them. Instead, they enhance (and are enhanced by) your existing decor by reflecting bits and pieces of the room you're in.
While paintings or other artwork and even murals are great ways to contribute to your decor, mirrors are inherently dynamic and interactive. Even if you never use it to check your makeup, a good wall mirror will (literally) reflect your decor without any extra effort on your part. And, like a good area rug, strategically placed mirrors can really bring a room together - and make the walls seem a little farther apart! But what are you looking for in a mirror? Let me know in the comments!...