Not long ago, mirrored walls were a sign that your home was overdue for a refresh. After making a splash in the 1970s, when disco aesthetics inspired glam interiors, the flashy feature didn’t have staying power in the decades that followed. But designers have refreshed the idea, using the reflective material strategically and across new surfaces – a sign that a little shine has renewed appeal.
"We've seen, in the last few years, a surge in the need for glamor in general," says Aurélien Raymond, co-founder of Paris’ Studio Akademos. "Minimalism is gradually making way for maximalism and mirrors are a big part of this trend." We’re not just talking about a mirror over a fireplace, or a floorlength in your closet. The most interesting mirrors we’re seeing today take over walls in unexpected places, or clad architectural features like doors and even kitchen islands (yes, you read that right).
And while they can bring a wow-factor to your home, they can just as easily bring clarity; used strategically, they can make interiors sleek, not unlike the cool, chrome metals that have swept through design in the past year.
But the functional perks of mirrors remain the same: they reflect their surroundings, making rooms appear bigger and brighter. "We really believe there is something special with this material," says Jesús Díaz Osuna, partner and architect at Madrid’s Febrero Studio. "It is probably the only material capable of duplicating light and space in such a powerful way."
Here are just a few ways designers are bringing mirrored surfaces to a new level.
1. Expansion Plans
Decorating with mirror surfaces can ‘expand’ the feeling of space, especially in apartments where space is limited like this apartment titled ‘KIER’ in Cologne, Germany. "The mirrors reflect the views that the apartment provides onto the park and the cityscape into the apartment," explains Matthias Hoffmann, partner at Demo Working Group. Strategically placed in the kitchen near a stretch of windows, the effect creates a double feature. "We used it to provide an optical illusion that makes the countertop look like it’s double the length from a certain viewpoint," he adds.
2. Face yourself
For Gabriel Hendifar, co-founder of NYC’s lighting and furniture studio APPARATUS, mirrors can be functional while also offering meaningful moments of self reflection. "Mirrors are very powerful tools, both to multiply and expand, and to give you the ability to heighten your connection to an experience in real time by seeing yourself in the play," he says.
In his apartment, a gem within a John Pawson-designed building, Gabriel installed bronze mirror wall paneling across a wall and cabinetry that reflects a seated dining area. The mirrors create a glamorous effect for intimate dinner parties and gatherings where guests can see themselves in the space – and live in the moment, too.
Price: $420
If you can't go entirely mirrored walls in this warming bronze tint, invest in a smaller mirror instead.
3. Lighten up
If your home gets natural light that you want to enhance – or simply not enough – larger expanses of mirrors can help bounce light throughout your space, creating a brighter look all around.
In this corner loft in Tribeca, a mirrored wall at the center (which also includes mirrored doors that open to a kitchen, bathroom, and laundry room) does more than amplify space, maximizing light from outside. "The apartment's generous windows are also reflected, bathing the walls with soft, refracted light," says New York-based architect Andrea Leung.
4. Mirror clad
In the main bedroom of an apartment designed by Krakow’s Paradowski Studio, mirrors work like cladding on a floating built-in closet and vanity. Bringing lightness to a large volume that could easily feel heavy in the space, the effect has obvious benefits: space and light are augmented, turning a massive feature into a brilliant room divider (the wardrobe itself separates the bedroom and bathroom areas) that actually multiplies the feeling of space.
Like turning a closet inside out, it also takes the typical full-length mirror to a whole other plane.
Price: $539
Mirrored furniture doesn't have to feel dated — a design such as this nightstand feels modern and minimalist in all the best ways.
5. Artpop
In Paris, a city that’s no stranger to mirrored walls at home, Studio Akademos went a step further by hanging art directly on the surface. "Because mirrors are reflective, hanging pictures on them makes the wall almost disappear," says Aurélien Raymond, co-founder of Studio Akademos. "Mirrors create a visual effect where pictures seem to be floating in mid air. It generates a sort of 'trompe l'oeil'."
The dramatic effect requires careful planning; Aurélien stresses the need to plan out each placement in advance, as holes and anchors for each frame must be done by expert craftsmen – extra effort for mesmerizing results.
Leaning into the glam factor, designers often opt for variations with a vintage feel, from bronzed and antiqued mirrors to tinted varieties that bring a bit more subtle mood. But plenty of designers also use the most straightforward and accessible variety (it's quite affordable) to create illusions and crack open tight spaces.
