Most apartments are designed with economy of space in mind, which is a nice way of saying they’re typically smaller than a single-family home; but that doesn’t mean that you have to sacrifice a sense of spaciousness just to enjoy the many, many benefits of apartment life. There’s a fabulous, tried-and-true way to increase a sense of space that’s been used reliably by decorators for centuries. The designers of Versailles knew it when they designed Louis the XIV’s famous Hall of Mirrors, and now you know it too. Here are a few fantastic and easy ways to increase the perceived space in your apartment using mirrors!
Go BIG. Large, framed full-length mirrors are staples today at most décor stores like Kirkland’s or Home Goods. When hung or merely leaned against a wall, they look and feel like doorways to another room. These tall mirrors also look great when layered behind console tables, doubling the impact of the decorative items you place on the tabletop. If your apartment has a foyer, this idea will make it a show-stopping way to welcome visitors to your place.
Hang a mirror behind your sofa to visually increase the size of your apartment’s living area. Choosing art for this key part of your space can be a daunting task, so save yourself the headache of finding exactly the right piece by going with a mirror instead. It will add depth to the space and reflect the other décor elements in your apartment’s living room.
Treat them like extra “windows.” Mirrors that are shaped or framed to look like windows are a great way to trick the eye into thinking a space is larger than it is. Hanging them across from the real windows in your apartment is an excellent way to make them seem more real.
Use a mirror as a headboard. For a lot of the same reasons that a mirror makes a great over-the-sofa option, you’ll get a lot more mileage out of a mirror as a headboard option than one of the more traditional choices. A headboard mirror expands space; multiplies light in your bedroom; and is also a great utilitarian addition to a space where you’ll spend a lot of time getting dressed to look your best. Opposite your dresser mirror, you’ll be able to see yourself from the back as well as the front!
Mirror your furniture. Mirrored tables are insanely popular in the world of décor right now so they’re easy to find; but if the $250-or-so starting price isn’t in your budget, adding a mirror to the flat front of a table or the door to an armoire is an easy option. Many home improvement stores will help you cut a mirror to the desired dimensions and advise you of the appropriate adhesive to do the job. If you already have a glass-topped piece of furniture, Krylon (Looking Glass) and Rustoleum (Mirror Finish) both make spray paints that will transform your glass into a mirrored surface by spraying the underside of the glass.
Put a mirror anywhere! When you think mirrors, chances are, you think of them hanging on a wall; but that doesn’t have to be the case. You can put a mirror anywhere in your apartment when it’s a free-standing mirrored room divider. These gems pack a huge punch when it comes to expanding space visually anywhere you need to; and with the added bonus of being movable whenever you want to subtly change the feel of the space.
And there you have it … lots of great ways to use mirrors to multiply your apartment’s sense of space!