Mirrors are great at multitasking. While you may not use them in your home office to get ready, you can visually amp up the workspace.
I have been experimenting with mirrors to change the look of my home office since the lockdown started. But hanging mirrors right and left did not do the trick.
So, after several tests and trials, I came across some excellent sweet spots. And if you are curious about how to make the home office look good, I am here to help you navigate the best ways.
In general, mirrors help make a home office look good by creating a focal point, amplifying the natural Lighting, creating an illusion of a bigger space, and accentuating one’s style.
However, home office mirrors should be placed strategically to achieve the desired effect. Below are some of our top tips to elevate the look of your home office using mirrors.
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Reasons to Put a Mirror in your Home Office
A mirror can be a low-cost statement piece that improves the look of your office.
Aside from their aesthetic value, mirrors can provide some actual benefits to your business that will pay off over time. Here are some advantages you might like.
1. Creates a Focal Point
In interior design, a focal point is an area that instantly draws people’s eyes when entering a room. It creates a ‘wow’ moment and makes the room more inviting, organized, and beautiful.
Mirrors are one of the interior designers’ favorite props to create a focal point. If you place mirrors in a wall collage that nearly goes up to the ceiling of your home office, the eyes get drawn upwards.
It makes the ceiling look higher. Mirrors can also become a statement piece in your home office. Their frames are texturally and visually appealing and can strike a dramatic feeling.
Another way to create a focal point using mirrors is by placing them in typical places where there are windows, but there are not.
2. Improves Lighting
If your home office does not receive enough natural light, you can use mirrors as budget-friendly props to increase the available Lighting. Mirrors’ reflective properties are also great at illuminating dismal interiors.
You can make the best use of mirrors’ light-amplifying qualities by placing them right opposite a window.
Another great alternative is to put them behind a chandelier or a pendant light.
Also, painting your home office walls ivory or pastel hue can increase the light, airy feeling and add a complementary backdrop for your mirrors.
If you want learn about the best colors for your home office wall, go through our article on; What is the Best Color for Home Office?
A well-lit home office can positively impact your health and well-being.
People exposed to natural sunlight at work are reportedly more productive and get better sleep.
3. Gives the Illusion of a Bigger Space
Mirrors expand walls and multiply space visually. For example, if you place a mirror opposite to a window, the mirror reflects the window, mimicking multiple openings in a room.
Even if your home office does not have a window, a large mirror can seamlessly resemble one by adding dimension to the wall.
The mirror does not offer an outside view. Yet, it can divide the surface by creating an illusion of depth.
Likewise, tall, slender mirrors create a neat optical illusion of doorways. They draw eyes vertically, which makes the room feel more spacious.
Experts also recommend placing mirrors in furniture, such as tabletops, cabinet doors, and shelving units. This trick can open up a cramped space without actually removing the clutter.
You can feel more relaxed and creative when you feel less confined in your home office.
It is best if you go for large mirrors, regardless of the size of your room, to magnify the place visually.
4. Accentuates the Style of your Home Office
Mirrors can highlight the mood and style of your home office. Are you into traditional architecture? Pick a mirror adorned with heavy clay.
It adds a classic touch to your wall and acts as a centerpiece.
Want to incorporate a contemporary aesthetic into your home office? Get a mirror that covers half the wall, or pick some glass furniture.
You can also create an artsy space by getting mirrors with quirky frames instead of plain rectangles.
Many corporations strategically curate mirrors to deliver their brand values. For example, they may use antique mirrors to put an image of a company that values tradition.
Whereas mirrors with creative edges and unique features may scream an emphasis on creativity and out-of-the-box thinking.
What are your values and personality traits?
Mirrors can help you express your inner self by adding a touch of your personality to your home office.
The Best Uses of Different Mirror Types in Home Office
There are endless variations of mirror designs to fit everyone’s interior decor style. Below are some of our favorite home office mirrors.
But first, take a look at the tabular description of how these mirrors make the home office look good:
| Types of mirrors | How they make home office look good |
|---|---|
| Decorative mirror | Serves as a focal point in a home office |
| Full-length mirror | Makes home office look bigger |
| Over-the-door mirror | Adds a minimalistic vibe |
| Custom-designed mirrored tabletop | Brightens the room |
| Wall mirrors | These mirrors can be curated to match one's aesthetic |
| LED mirrors | Adds convenience |
1. Decorative Mirrors
Decorative mirrors can add an extra flair to your home office without cluttering the wall.
The simple yet chic decorative mirrors in the picture below give a radiant look to the room.
You can let your style shine in your home office by playing with this mirror.
There is plenty of room to get creative and develop different shapes and designs.
From boho-style to metallic to frameless to mandala-shape, there is a host of inspiration you can look up on the internet.
2. Full-Length Mirrors
Mirrored walls are getting back in trend. The best thing about these mirrors is that they provide all viewing angles; I don’t want that. They can also add brightness to the low-key places in the room.
If you want to cover up some plain areas in your home office, you should consider getting one of these mirrors.
They can also effortlessly break the wall into two dimensions, making the room look bigger.
You can get full-length mirrors that either lean to the wall, free-stand on their own, or the ones that mount on the wall.
3. Over-the-Door Mirrors
Over-the-door mirrors are ideal for home offices with limited space. These mirrors often provide a full-length view and do not take up any floor or wall space.
Typically affordable and easy to install, an over-the-door mirror perfectly matches the 2minimalistic style.
In addition, if the door is made of wood, the contrast accent gives a comfortable and warm ambiance.
4. Custom-Designed Mirrored Tabletop
Mirrored tabletops are usually used for dining tables and decoration purposes. But it also makes a plausible alternative to a regular tabletop for the home office.
But make sure the mirrored tabletop is not the one you are working on.
Because the reflected lights can be distracting and uncomfortable, using a custom-designed mirrored tabletop on coffee or end tables is best.
Generally, a mirrored tabletop is 4mm to 6mm in thickness. So, you can revamp the existing table without compromising its use.
5. Wall Mirrors for Home Office
Wall mirrors come in different shapes, sizes, and styles and are designed to be hung on the wall.
While choosing the size of the wall mirror, selecting the one that’s roughly two-thirds of the size of the furniture it is placed above is recommended.
Also, make sure the wall you are hanging the mirror on is not made up of plaster or drywall. These materials are not strong enough to support a heavy wall mirror.
If you do not have optional walls, ensure the screws or hooks reach the wooden support beneath the plaster.
6. LED Mirrors
LED mirrors are primarily famous for bathroom walls. However, you can never go wrong with creating perfect Lighting in any space.
Especially while working from a home office, you may need to touch up important meetings quickly.
These mirrors add convenience and improve lighting while doing video calls.
Where Should you Place a Mirror in your Home Office?
Conventionally, mirrors are placed above a table, mantle, or furniture one wants to highlight. This is an excellent way to naturally draw visitors’ eyes to the desired spot.
The classic move is to place a mirror in a centered position. However, if you want to add an element of surprise to your decoration, you can hang your wall mirror in an off-center place.
It is especially great for a home office because you may keep looking at your face while working- which is quite distracting. And if the mirror is placed in the desk corner, the corner spot also feels light and airy.
The most effective way to use home office mirrors is by maximizing natural Lighting. For this purpose, you can place mirrors opposite each other or adjacent to a window to amplify the available natural or artificial light.
Where Should you not Place Mirrors in your Home Office?
There is no specific rule of thumb to avoid certain spaces for mirror placement.
However, as per Feng Shui, avoiding placing mirrors above sitting furniture, such as sofas and chairs, is recommended.
It is because, consciously or subconsciously, we tend to feel unsafe when something heavy is hanging over our heads.
But, unfortunately, accidents happen all the time. So, it is better to put effort into prevention than into cure.
As aforementioned, hanging mirrors above your work desk or working space is not a good idea. It is not only distracting but also anxiety-inducing.
As per Feng Shui experts, it makes your workload appear double through reflection.
Experts also do not recommend placing mirrors directly across a door. Instead, putting it on a wall perpendicular to it is better.
Final Thoughts
Mirrors are affordable statement pieces that can give a personal touch to your home office.
Besides their decorative purposes, they can positively impact your well-being by increasing natural Lighting and creating an illusion of a bigger space.
Over-the-top mirrors, wall mirrors, custom-designed mirrored tabletops, etc., are some of the market’s most popular home office mirrors.
You can choose the one that suits your aesthetic and the style of your home office.
