You’ve likely experienced this yourself: when you enter a small room and immediately feel like you’re suffocating or boxed in. Small spaces (like an apartment, narrow hallway, and even those difficult-to-find tiny kitchen ideas) can sometimes feel restricted and tight—but with one simple trick, you can change that!
The answer? Mirrors!
For ages, one of the best tricks for decorating a room has been to strategically place mirrors throughout to visually increase square footage, reflect light throughout dark spaces, and help create a sense of openness and space within even the smallest room. In this article we will show you how mirror placement works, where is best to place them, and provide you with real-life examples of how mirror placement has changed the look of tiny kitchens.
Why Mirrors Work — The Science Behind the Illusion
Before getting into mirror placement strategies & examples, it’s important to know that mirrors are effective at creating the illusion of space because the way light reflects from the surface of a mirror creates the illusion that the reflected area is part of the actual room. Our brain processes the mirror’s image as if there were additional depth behind the wall that creates the illusion of more space.
The larger and better-positioned a mirror, the stronger the illusion of spaciousness is created.
There are three main factors that will affect how mirrors help create an illusion of a larger space.
First, mirrors are used to reflect light. This means that both artificial and natural light will bounce off the surface of the mirror back into the room. This will create an illusion of less dark corners in a room and will make the room feel brighter and larger.
Second, mirrors create an illusion of depth. The reflection creates the illusion that there is an area behind the wall or in a room.
Third, mirrors create a focal point, and when placed well, they will distract your eye from the fact that a room is small.
Because of these three things, mirrors are a perfect solution to small kitchens, bedrooms, narrow hallways, and small bathrooms.
1. Place a Large Mirror on the Longest Wall
The easiest and most effective method would be to add a large mirror (preferably a floor to ceiling) to the longest wall of a small room. With just this one item, you can make a small space feel like it is twice as wide.
For instance, if you have a long/narrow living room, putting a mirror that goes all the way across one of the walls will give an illusion that the room extends much beyond its current size. Choose a mirror that is as tall as possible and covers the majority of the wall width.
Pro Tip: Place the mirror so it is reflecting something attractive (such as a window, plants or art). You don’t want to be reflected by a dull wall or a disorganized area because that will add to the visual clutter by doubling it instead of extending the perceived size of the space.
2. Use Mirrored Cabinet Doors in the Kitchen
For people looking for innovative tiny kitchen designs, nothing is better than changing all the upper cabinet doors from standard wood to mirrored glass. It is one of the easiest and most effective ways to increase visual perceived space in the small kitchen.
The mirrored cabinet door does double duty by hiding the stored items in your cabinets while magically reflecting the kitchen and creating an illusion of depth. In the morning, when the sun hits these mirrored surfaces, the entire kitchen has a very bright, cheery feel.
The use of mirrored cabinet doors creates a larger impression in galley kitchens or L-shaped kitchen designs, where there is very limited space on three sides of the kitchen. To achieve maximum transformation in a tiny kitchen, I recommend illuminating the kitchen with light-colored countertops, open shelving, and the installation of mirrored cabinet doors on your upper cabinets.
3. Install a Mirror Behind Open Shelving
By mounting a mirror flat until the wall then putting floating shelves in front, it will allow you to see the items on those shelves and everything behind you, as the mirror is your background.
This is a very creative idea for tiny kitchens, because it makes your normal shelf display look layered/dimensional and has a purpose for the way it is displayed. Spice racks, plants and a group of mugs all look much more intentionally curated when they reflect off a mirrored background.
This same technique can also be used in the living room, home office or any other space where you wish to add storage while not visually making the area feel smaller.
4. Use a Mirror to Reflect a Window
Assuring that your interior design is as stunning and effective as possible may be one of your challenges. One specific trick for achieving this is to place a mirror directly across from a window. When you use a mirror in that way, you accomplish two positive things at the same time.
The first benefit from placing the mirror directly across from the window is that it doubles the amount of natural light that enters through the window because it reflects back into the room the natural light (sunlight or daylight) that is coming through the window. The second positive benefit is that by placing a mirror opposite a window, you can bring the “outside” into your room because it will look like you have two windows or a view when you hang a medium to large-sized mirror at the same height as your window.
Using the mirror in this way is especially helpful in those small apartment or low to the ground rooms where there may be little or no natural light available to them. The reflection from a mirror of trees or the sky or an area that has outdoor greenery can help alleviate any feelings of claustrophobia because they can create feelings of being part of the outdoors.
5. Try Mirrored Backsplashes in the Kitchen
In small kitchen design brainstorming, the backsplash may often be overlooked; however it can be a great location for adding a mirror. Installing a mirrored backsplash between your countertops and upper cabinets can reflect back the entire kitchen, creating an amazing visual effect of having double the size of your kitchen.
Compared to regular tile or subway tile backsplashes, the advantage of having a mirror is that all of the light sources in the space (pendants, under cabinet and natural light through the window) will be reflected as well. Therefore, the kitchen will appear to have twice its actual depth along with an increase in overall brightness.
Mirrored backsplashes are fairly inexpensive to do yourself with the use of adhesive mirror tiles. If you want the look to read warm and vintage as opposed to sterile and clinical, you could also choose an antiqued or smoked mirror finish.
6. Lean a Large Floor Mirror in a Corner
Do not want to attach the mirror to your wall? There are many other options available including a large leaning floor mirror which is a movable and more rental property friendly alternative. You can place the mirror in a corner with a slight angle toward the centre of the room providing a reflection in a diagonal fashion which adds to the feeling of space with an increased sense of depth compared to placing it directly across from the room.
In a small bedroom, leaning a full-length mirror in the corner away from the bed creates an illusion of a much larger room than reality when you first get out of bed. With limited space and nowhere else to put a mirror, a leaning mirror in an entryway creates a more inviting experience rather than creating a feeling of being closed off.
If you would like the most seamless space-enhancing effect possible, consider using a slim or frameless mirror design when selecting your full-length mirror.
7. Use Multiple Small Mirrors as a Gallery Wall
There is no rule saying that every mirror needs to be a statement piece. There is not limit on the number of mirrors that you can use at the same time. You can combine different types of mirrors together, such as round, arched, rectangular, and hexagonal mirrors to add variety to a wall as well as make the wall feel even larger.
The best way to achieve this look is through intentional arrangement. However, when combining mirrors, the frames should be of the same colour for example gold, black, or silver. When displaying your mirror arrangement, be sure that they are all at eye-level, so their reflections will appear in the same plane as the other mirrors on the wall.
This method is great for hallways, dining rooms, and small bedrooms, where a giant mirror would look out of place. This is one of the most inexpensive ways to incorporate mirrors into your home as well. You can continue to develop your collection by purchasing inexpensive finds at thrift stores and by shopping at discount retailers.
8. Add Mirrored Furniture Pieces
Mirrored furniture in addition to wall mirrors create a highly effective means of decorating small spaces. The use of mirrored dressers, nightstands, side tables and console tables reflects light to all areas in the room giving it the illusion that there is little or no visual mass.
In a small bedroom, using a mirrored dresser instead of a traditional wooden dresser removes the mass perception of a solid piece of furniture and therefore creates a much lighter effect. A console table situated on one wall in a small dining room provides for a much lighter and more open feel than what you would get with a solid dining room table.
Mirrored furniture does particularly well if it is placed within view of any type of light source (i.e., window, lamp or ceiling) so that mirrored reflections continue to add light and visual mass to the space.
Real-World Example — Transforming a Tiny Kitchen with Mirrors
IMAGE: Before and after of a small galley kitchen. Before shows plain white walls and standard cabinets. After shows mirrored cabinet fronts and a mirrored backsplash.
This situation gives us a real-life example. A small galley kitchen has cabinets that run straight across the walls on either side, with very little space for movement.
The kitchen felt small and claustrophobic because there were no mirrors. The two sets of standard white cabinets created a tunnel effect with two walls but there were not enough windows for good natural light, so the kitchen also appeared dark and flat.
With mirrors, upper cabinet doors were replaced with mirrored cabinet doors, and the kitchen appears to have been extended twice the distance. The long wall now has a mirrored backsplash between the cabinets and countertops, reflecting light throughout the space. A small round mirror was hung at the end of the galley, reflecting outdoor light the length of the kitchen.
The end result is still the same square footage, but the kitchen feels very open, bright, and pleasant to work in. There was no renovation to the kitchen, no removal of walls; it was a matter of using mirrors to create the illusion of greater space.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Using Mirrors
Even though mirrors have the capability to create breadth and light, making errors with their placement can lessen how they function and even cause a small space to seem worse. Take note of these potential mistakes.
Clutter reflection: When busy shelves or cluttered corners reflect from across the room, it creates twice the confusion and visual clutter. Before hanging your mirror, make sure that anything visible to the mirror creates a positive visual impact to the viewer.
Sizing mistake: Using a small mirror on a large wall will not create a greater sense of open air in the room, so opt for something bigger than you may need.
Mirror height: The placement of mirrors above eye-level means there is limited depth to the room; use mirrors as a way to horizontally catch the depth of the room.
Using too many mirrors: Too many mirrors can create confusion, when there are mirrors on all the walls it creates disorientation instead of space—two to three mirrors are the better number.
Framing choice: A bulky and ornate framed mirror will visually make the room appear smaller than it actually is. A thin or simple framed or frameless mirror will have the opposite result.
Mirrors and Lighting — The Ultimate Space-Doubling Combo
Pairing intentional lighting with your mirrors can really magnify the mirror effect. Position sconces on either side of your large mirror and they will provide you with even, warm light throughout the room; once the mirror has captured that light it will multiply it evenly to all areas of the room. Pendant lights hung close to a mirrored surface will also create beautiful reflections on the ceiling and help to make the room’s ceiling feel taller than it actually is. Under cabinet lighting in a small kitchen will provide reflected light from a mirrored backsplash as well as providing even light throughout the entire kitchen, regardless of its size.
Your mirror amplifies all light sources it captures, so the more thoughtful your lighting design is, the more dramatic your space-expanding effect will be.
Final Thoughts — Mirrors Are the Cheapest Renovation You Will Ever Do
Mirrors are your ultimate asset whether you have a small studio apartment, small kitchen ideas related to a small galley or even if you’re making a long and narrow hallway feel less like a tunnel.
Mirrors are inexpensive, reversible, come in all shapes and sizes, and can completely transform the look of a room without the use of any power tools or building permits. The important thing is that you’re being thoughtful about how you are going to place the mirror, what the reflection will be of, how big it should be to create an impact, and how well it will work with your light source.
Start with one giant mirror on the wall you are having the most difficulty with and then view how the rest of the room will change as a result. Then start to layer in the other mirrors like mirrored cabinet doors, a mirrored backsplash or creating a large mirror in the corner of your room. You will be surprised at what your small space can look like simply by using reflection alone and applying intentional design.
Don’t allow the size of your space to dictate how small of a space it is. It simply requires you to look at it differently.
Was this article inspirational for you with your own space? Let us know how you’ve been inspired with reflections in the comment section below, we would love to see what you have done to reinvent your home with mirrors!
