Over the couch mirrors
Mirrors Over Sofa Design Ideas
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Living room features multi paneled mirrors mounted over a blue Chesterfield sofa on a hot pink rug and a round black bamboo end table.
Kim Stephen
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Small square gold mirrors hang from a wainscot wall over a light gray linen sofa flanked by black metal end tables lit by gold lamps.
Lee Owens Design
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Chiang Mai pillow and animal print pillows accent a light gray linen couch placed against a wainscot wall beneath small square gold framed mirrors.
Lee Owens Design
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White beveled mirrors hang over blue nightstands placed on either side of a blue velvet bed with a tall blue velvet channel tufted headboard.
Anne Hepfer Designs
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Between black lanterns, a round black mirror hangs from a white plank trim over a white lattice sofa accented with purple and green pillows and placed between aluminum end tables topped with black urn lamps at a black aluminum coffee table.
Liz Caan Interiors
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Gold leaf baroque mirrors mounted side by side flanked by living room windows fitted with light gray curtains in a transitional living room.
Bailey Austin Design
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Antique mirrors sit on a vintage curved entry cabinet.
Amber Interiors
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A blue sofa is placed on a gray rug in front of an Anthropologie Primrose Mirror, placed leaning against a white wainscot wall.
Lee Owens Design
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Two round black mirrors are stacked over a salvaged wood console table.
Brown Design
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Shared blue bedroom features a sitting area located beneath windows covered in a blue and cream roman shade hung over a gray velvet sofa topped with blue pillow and matched with white cube poufs placed on a bound seagrass rug.
McCann Design Group
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Stylish white and black living room features a white sofa contrasted with black pillows and placed on a white rug facing a limestone fireplace.
M and M Design Consultants
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A mirrored coffee table with a gold leaf trim sits on a blue and gray rug between facing light gray linen chesterfield sofas topped with gray and blue accent pillows.
Britany Simon Design House
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A powdered blue bench and facing light gray chesterfield sofas accented with gray and blue pillows sit around a mirrored coffee table placed on a blue and gray wool rug.
Britany Simon Design House
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Bathroom features a dual white washstand with marble look countertop under nickel mirrors flanked by nickel sconces.
Greg Natale
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Living room features a beveled fireplace under multi paneled mirrors flanked by black armoires, dark gray velvet chairs with a white and gold coffee table atop a tan rug, round white stools and a dark gray velvet sofa with white accent pillows.
Lux Decor
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Stunning living room with collection of gold leaf mirrors over armless gray sofa with fringe dressed in cheetah pillow, white and gray striped lumbar pillow and French script pillow next to cream swoop arm armchair over blonde wood floors.
Stephen Shubel Design
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Living room features a dark gray sofa with white pillows under a window with white curtains lit by a brass floor lamp, a beveled fireplace under multi paneled mirrors flanked by black armoires, dark gray velvet chairs with a white and gold coffee table atop a tan rug and round white stools.
Lux Decor
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Modern bathroom features silver arched mirrors over a white dual washstand accented with nickel pulls.
Chango & Co.
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Greek key mirrors are mounted on gray grasscloth wallpaper over a white washstand with nickel pulls, lit by a nickel sconce.
Rachel Reider Interiors
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Bathroom features round brass and acrylic mirrors flanked by glass and brass sconces mounted over a brown oak washstand with satin nickel gooseneck faucet.
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White and blue master bedroom features a tall light blue velvet channel tufted headboard with blue wooden nightstands and a set of white mirrors mounted above.
Anne Hepfer Designs
What to Hang Above a Sofa
The empty space above a sofa is a prime spot in the house for a great piece of art. In fact, it's comparable only to space above a mantel. That being said, it's sometimes difficult to determine what type of art should be hung.
While most people stick with the traditional solution of hanging a single painting or photograph above a sofa, when it comes to choosing something to display over a sofa, you have so many options. So get creative and choose to feature something you love.
14 Beautiful Focal Point Ideas for Living Rooms
1. Display Bold Artwork
The most common thing to put on a sofa is a single piece of artwork, but if the artwork is bland the impact will likely be minimal.
If you really want to create an eye-catching focal point, a bold piece that practically jumps off the wall is the way to go.
Try something very large in size, vibrant in color, or graphically appealing in design. Ultimately, the term "bold" is open to interpretation, but the idea is that when a person walks into the room their eye is immediately drawn to the piece because it's so striking.
2. Create a Gallery Wall
Sometimes one piece just isn't enough. This is when gallery walls can really save the day. A photo gallery can allow you to create a really dramatic impact and it saves you from having to choose just one piece.
Remember, when hanging pieces to create a gallery wall, all of the items together will act as one unit. The center of the entire display should be at eye level. It's always best to plan this type of display before you start hanging.
Place the pieces on the ground in front of the wall and play around with the arrangement until you find one that satisfies you.
If space doesn't allow for this, use graph paper.
3. Display a Macrame Wall Hanging
Macrame, a textile made of knots, has made a comeback in recent years. Originally popular in the 1970s, macrame made a resurgence in the late 2010s in the form of planters, earrings, table runners, and wall hangings. Pieces can be large and intricate or simple enough you can DIY-it yourself.
Anyone with a colorful living room should consider a macrame wall hanging for behind the sofa; the knotted creation will create a nice focal point, but its neutral-colored cord won't add any clashing colors to the room. Macrame hangings can also add a pop of color, if you choose one with a colorful ombré fringe.
Try using one large one above a sofa for a stylish focal piece, or display a few smaller ones together to create an even bolder impact.
The 7 Best Macrame Wall Hangings of 2023 for Any Style
4. Mount Mirrors Above the Sofa
Mirrors are important decorative tools.
They reflect light, they open up spaces, and they make rooms look better and larger in general. Above a sofa can be a great place to hang a large mirror, but keep in mind that, whenever possible, mirrors should be hung across from windows or something else that's visually appealing.
Don't hang a large mirror over a sofa simply because it's an empty space and you happen to have one. Make sure it works with everything else in the room. That said, you can certainly hang a series of small mirrors together over a sofa to create a gallery feel. Like with any photo wall, treat them as one unit when deciding on placement and carefully consider size, shape, and the finish of the frames.
Staging Your Home With Mirrors to Enlarge the Space
6. Hang Floating Shelves
As homes get smaller, storage becomes more and more important, and people are starting to use every available bit of space to display their trinkets and treasures. Shelving placed above a sofa can be a great way to solve a storage issue and creatively display your accessories.
Floating shelves are a great option, as are shelves with attractive brackets. Make sure they're installed correctly (directly into a stud) so they don't fall on anyone sitting on the couch.
When installing shelves, hang at eye level—or in the case of a grouping, the center of the group should be at eye level. You can choose to center the shelves above your sofa or try an asymmetrical arrangement. You can also combine shelves with additional sconces and artwork for an eclectic look.
The 9 Best Floating Shelves of 2023
7. Mount a Sculpture Above a Sofa
Hanging sculptures made up of interesting materials and shapes can be ideal for creating unique, one-of-a-kind looks. The term sculpture is very broad, but basically, it encompasses any item that isn't a traditional piece of art (i.e. painting or photograph).
Some examples include faux antlers, ceramic plates, or punched metal sculptures. The key here is to look for pieces that don't have a lot of depth so they won't infringe on the space out over the sofa.
8. Display Maps
Maps are a fantastic way to add a sense of history to a room. They're also great for paying homage to the places you've been or dream to go. When it comes to decorating with maps, you have so many options: colorful, black and white, sepia toned, new, vintage, city, country, transit, nautical...and the list goes on.
You can find maps in home decor stores, antique shops, flea markets, or even take them from old atlases and other books. The key is to choose a map that is meaningful to you in some way. Maps often look best when framed, so if yours doesn't come with one, consider having a custom frame made for your piece.
The Best Online Framing Services
Tip
When hanging anything above a sofa, keep in mind that the number one mistake people make is to hang something that's too small. The piece, whatever it may be, should generally be about two-thirds the width of the sofa (unless you're opting for something purposely over-scale).
If you're hanging a group of pieces, the same suggestion generally applies. Other than that, the rules are pretty loose, so be creative and choose something that speaks to you and makes you smile
Mirrors in the interior of the living room to expand the space
Mirrors are amazing and mysterious. Their use in the living room allows you to completely transform the visual perception of space.
What functions can mirrors perform
Among the many decorative elements that adorn the living space, mirrors stand apart. Most people use them for a utilitarian purpose. Reflective surfaces are located on the doors of wardrobes in the hallways, above the washbasin in the bathroom. Few people think about the fact that mirrors can perform other functions, and the visual expansion of space is just one of them. With the proper arrangement of these items in the living room, you can achieve the following visual effects:
1. Improve room lighting. Glass reflects light and other objects.
A dark room, in which an artfully illuminated large mirror hangs, becomes lighter and more spacious.
2. Create the illusion of "fullness" of space. A room in which there are almost no decor items will look rich if you place a mirror behind one of the large accessories. The interior will become saturated without congestion with additional things and details.
3. Correction of dimensions. If the living room is rectangular, then a large mirror can be hung on a long wall, and the room will “spread” in width, it will look square. If you place a reflective surface on a narrow wall in such a room, you will get the impression of an infinitely long corridor. Mirrored panels on the ceiling or a long, large mirror will help make the room appear taller.
4. Emphasis. If you want to divert the viewer's attention from some design flaw in the living room and point to the decor item, then you can hang a mirror opposite it. A beautiful bouquet in a vase, an old painting, an unusual figurine will become the main attraction of the living room and will attract the eyes of everyone entering the room.
Rules for placing mirrors in the living room
In order for a mirror to harmonize with the interior, you need to assess the situation and decide what role this object will play. Designers recommend following these tips:
- When installing several mirrors in the living room, care must be taken that the reflective surfaces are not located opposite each other. Such placement will create the illusion of an endless maze, which can lead to dizziness and headaches for the owners of the house or their guests.
- Mirrors do not always contribute to the visual expansion of space. In a poorly lit room, you can achieve the opposite effect by hanging a mirror on the wall without additional lighting - the living room will seem even darker.
- Placement should be carefully considered. The mirror should not reflect a lot of decor items and accessories - because it creates the effect of filling the space. A large number of things that are reflected in it will turn the room into an antique shop or a cluttered room.
- In low rooms, a mirrored ceiling will "pull" the room up. But in a spacious living room with high ceilings, this method of placing mirrors will create a dizzying effect of a huge space above your head.
- Mirrors that constantly reflect household members or guests will be annoying. It is better to place them in a place that is not constantly in sight.
- You can hang a mirror on the wall opposite the window if the window opening is relatively far from the opposite wall, or if the room is located on the north side. The glare from the sun's rays, which are reflected from the mirror surface, will blind and irritate the eyes. According to the rules of Feng Shui, a mirror is allowed to be placed in front of a window only if a beautiful view opens up behind it. It is believed that such a placement of a reflective object will attract beauty and peace into the house.
- If the mirror is used as an accessory, and no one is going to constantly look at it, then it is better to hang it above the floor at a distance of at least 1.
5 m.
Where to hang a mirror in the living room the location of the mirror is the wall behind the sofa. The people who sit on it are not reflected on the mirror surface, and the room looks much more spacious. If there are few windows in the room, then you can equip a decorative window opening using a mirror. It is installed next to a real window and should not differ significantly from it in size. Artificial light sources should be reflected in the mirror, so you can hang sconces on both sides of it, install floor or wall lamps.
If there is a fireplace in the living room, then it is logical to hang a mirror above it. Such a stylistic solution is suitable for classic interiors, Empire, Baroque, Provence furnishings. Sliding wardrobe with floor-to-ceiling mirrored doors is familiar to everyone. But the use of reflective surfaces in furniture is not limited to this. Mirrored coffee tables that look like a cube, a growing crystal or a cut diamond will be the most attractive pieces of furniture.
Bedside tables with light-reflecting doors look airy and do not “weight down” the situation.
Types of mirrors
There are the following types of mirrors that can be used to decorate the living room:
- with a frame;
- without frame;
- mosaic;
- with a combination of different elements and materials.
To select the right mirrors, you need to take into account the style of the living room and some other factors. Let's figure out how to properly fit them into various interiors.
Framed mirrors
The framing of the mirror is just as important as the reflective surface. In a classic setting, it would be appropriate to look at a strict frame made of expensive wood or edging with a carved pattern. For Provence, a simple frame made of wicker, rattan is suitable. It can be trimmed with dry branches, pebbles or shells. A luxurious round mirror will fit into art deco, with a gilded frame reminiscent of the sun's rays.
For the living room, made in the style of neo-classicism, it is appropriate to have a mirror with an austere, laconic black frame, in which the chandelier is reflected. The black color of the frame should be supported by other items - sofa cushions, photo frames, whatnot framing.
Frameless mirrors
Frameless reflective plane looks strict and concise, so it will fit perfectly into minimalism or high-tech. You can create wall compositions from mirrors in the form of leaves, flowers, oriental fans.
Mosaic
Mirror mosaic looks good in ethnic interiors. Often it is used to decorate the setting in the Moroccan or Arabic style. Mosaics can be used to decorate fireplace shelves, create unusual paintings and patterns from small pieces of mirrors. And if you place them in different planes, you can get a surface that looks like a diamond. Such a piece of decor will decorate the living room, made in a modern style.
Combination of dissimilar surfaces
Compositions of mirror and wooden planks look fresh and original, especially if they are placed along the entire length of the wall.
It looks like there is another room behind it. The mirror surface, divided into many square sections with profile or aluminum frames, looks like a screen. You can create compositions from small round mirrors and framed photographs. Such decoration of the living room will surely be noticed by the guests.
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Mirrors are such a common attribute of any home that almost no attention is paid to them. Remember where they hang in your apartment? We can bet that the answer will be: in the bathroom, in the hallway on the wall or closet, in a rare case, as an interior decoration of a sideboard. However, a mirror, when used correctly, can be an excellent decor element that can turn your room into a luxurious interior! Mirrors in Russia have more than two hundred years of history. In the ballrooms of palaces and noble estates, much attention was paid to the placement of mirrors in order to create the effect of three-dimensional space.
Everyone was going to the balls to know, so even in the largest halls it was a little crowded - mirrors, at least visually, but solved this problem.
In the 20th century, the fashion for mirrors was constantly changing. The round and oval ones, so common in the 1920s, were replaced by rectangular ones. In the middle of the century, the irregular shape becomes fashionable, and in the 70s they sought to stylize antique. Today, designers are also moving away from the mirror as an object with a utilitarian function and are using it for interior decoration. Mirrors help to enhance the illusion of light and space, hide the flaws in the layout of the home. The explanation for this is very simple. Many of us are still experiencing a shortage of square meters, suffering inconvenience due to poor layout of the premises. The mirror is a very powerful tool in solving such problems. No wonder it is used even by Feng Shui masters.
Mirrors in small rooms
For small rooms, experts advise using the illusion of space expansion created by mirrors.
Everyone knows that with their help you can easily and simply increase the space of a small room or visually expand a narrow corridor, which is not uncommon in ordinary Moscow apartments. And it’s a completely different matter if you hang not one mirror, but several and supplement them with thick baguette frames with a complex profile, place them along the corridor and install lamps on top to illuminate the pictures.
You can orient the mirrors in different directions, that is, hang them so that on one side they move away from the wall by 1-2 centimeters. Then all of them will reflect different fragments of the opposite wall, which will give the interior additional mystery and uniqueness. However, with such an approach to mirrors, it is important to remember and take into account what exactly will be reflected in them. The wall opposite should not be a featureless gray plane, but rather a moderate background. Mirrors emphasize details very much, so the elements opposite them should not compete with them.
Mirrored furniture will help save a small room from visual crowding, as well as significantly add light.
Such furniture consists of two different elements: the furniture itself and a built-in mirror. The choice of furniture, of course, depends on the purpose of the room, its size and layout. So, for example, wardrobes with mirrored doors look great in small hallways or bedrooms (you can also get by with ordinary wardrobes with similar doors). The mirror reflects the free space, visually increasing the room twice. And right outside the door is a functional area - a compartment for things. Thus, not only the volume of the room increases, but also the storage system is masked: it will not attract attention to itself.
Mirrors in large rooms
The owners of large rooms are definitely lucky. Not only is the room itself large and spacious, but also any decor (even very catchy and flashy) will look appropriate in it. Therefore, mirror panels of various shapes and sizes are an excellent option for such rooms.
They create not so much the illusion of space as an original design accent that attracts attention.
Panel in the interior
Unlike a conventional mirror, a panel consists of several segments. Moreover, each segment stands out due to a special edging (facet), frame or color. Mirror panels use for:
• replacement of a conventional mirror. The combination of mirrors and their original design give the room a unique zest. And at the same time, the panel perfectly replaces an ordinary mirror without distorting the reflection;
• room decorations. The composition of mirrors can not only decorate the room, but also emphasize the style of the interior. So, for example, for a classic interior, mirror fragments are specially aged;
• solutions to certain design problems. Panels are a great way to play with light.
Where to place a mirror panel?
Depending on the purpose of the room, mirrors play a different role and should be placed in different ways.
Kitchen. A mirrored glass panel can be a great solution for decorating a kitchen. Moreover, not only large, but also for a small, narrow room. Most often, this panel is an apron or finishing the facades of a kitchen set. If you are not going to change the headset itself, and the apron is already worn out, the mirror panel will not only replace the old unaesthetic finish, but also update the headset itself (which means you can postpone the repair for some more time).
In a large hallway, the panel plays the role of one stylish detail - you won't need to think about how to furnish such a large space - the panel will become the center of attraction. For the living room, you can recommend a panel as a decoration for the sofa area. Note that mirrors look equally good on both dark and light walls. In the bedroom, mirrors will be a stylish addition to the bedside wall. As for children's rooms, here you need to be more careful with mirrors. Small children can easily break the glass - well, if there are no injuries.
But in the teenage room, this option is quite appropriate. It is stylish, fashionable and very original - just the way young people like it.
Mirrors and Feng Shui
According to the teachings of Feng Shui, a mirror is the most versatile tool for cleansing a room of negative energy. The main purpose of this tool is to reflect and correct. Its shape is not so important and does not play a special role. However, the Chinese themselves prefer an octagonal mirror - bagua. They also apply it when it is necessary to change some aspect of life. However, in order for the talisman to work, it must be placed correctly and learn how to use it correctly. Indoors, mirrors serve a variety of purposes. In Feng Shui, they have the ability to reflect, attract and redistribute positive qi energy. They are also able to correct the shape of the room, visually increasing the reflection of the non-existent part of the room and expanding the space. This is true in rooms of irregular geometric shape.
Bathroom
The corrective properties of mirrors can be seen in the following example. The nature of qi energy is such that it is attracted to water and moves after water. Therefore, it is not recommended to keep the doors of the bathroom and toilet open, otherwise all positive energy and luck literally go down the drain. There is no better tool here than a large mirror (ideally the size of a door) that is hung on both sides of the bathroom door. In the first case, the mirror does not let the negative energy of the bath and toilet into our home, and in the second case, the mirror reflects the qi energy, preventing it from leaving the house.
Entrance hall
However, in Russian conditions, there is often a situation where the toilet is located directly opposite the front door or the door leading to another room. Remember: a mirror opposite the front door and windows, especially if it is large, is contraindicated! It will simply reflect the chi energy back to the street.
In this case, small mirrors placed on the outside and inside of the toilet and bathroom doors will be the best option. According to the same trends, you can significantly improve the atmosphere in the house by correctly placing the mirror in the hallway. A small and cramped hallway always works to limit the family's resources. A person should not, opening the door, find himself in a nook where it is impossible to turn around. The hallway should be spacious and filled with light. In order to optically expand this space, the help of a mirror placed according to Feng Shui is just needed. It is best to place the talisman on the side of the door.
Bedroom
It is not recommended to hang a mirror in the bedroom. If it is simply vital for you, then try to make
everything so that in no case does it reflect the bed and the people sleeping on it. The mirror in the bedroom draws a lot of energy and has a very negative effect on human health and relationships.
Living room
It is acceptable to use mirrors in the living room.
If you are a happy owner of a beautiful landscape outside the window, hang a mirror on the wall that mates with the window so that it reflects the street at an angle.
Kitchen
Do not hang a mirror in front of the stove. In this case, the hostess of the house will experience severe fatigue during cooking. The best option is to hang it opposite the table where all family members gather. The mirror will double the amount of food and increase the wealth of your family.
Safety first
According to the rules of Feng Shui, it is forbidden to use mirror tiles in your house - it symbolically cuts into pieces everything that is reflected in it, including people. Thus, a person and his environment are “destroyed”. The optimal size of the mirror should be such that all family members are reflected in it as a whole - from head to toe. It is even better if there is a little space above the head intended for potential growth. But such a large mirror is not always possible to hang.
A broken mirror brings negative energy into the house. However, disaster can be avoided. Feng Shui offers one sure way: carefully collect the fragments, rinse them thoroughly under running water and take them to the trash. Water washes away information about a person. Don't try to fix a broken mirror and don't use a cracked mirror, throw it away without pity!
How not to place mirrors:
• mirrors don't distort reflections, so you shouldn't hang it in front of places you would like to hide;
• it is advisable to leave the wall around the mirror empty: photographs or paintings in frames located nearby will bring dissonance;
• take into account the fact that a person does not always want to face his own reflection. This is the main danger of mirror structures. Therefore, make sure that the "second self" does not invade the comfort zone where you do not want it. No need to hang a mirror in the hallway immediately opposite the entrance. If your room has a recreation (relaxation) area, then it is better not to surround it with reflective objects.
