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Amp Up Your Style Quotient with Light and Mirrors

SarahClark | May 19, 2010 |

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Even a well-decorated room can appear a little 'off' seeming overly dark and cramped in a way that doesn't do justice to the decor. Careful and skilled placement of lighting and mirrors can take a room from disappointing and dark to spacious and inviting. Here's how you can get the look.

Create Space by Illusion

The advantage to using mirrors in a room is that they instantly make the space feel brighter and larger. Mirrors are especially useful in a room that doesn't get a lot of natural light; by placing it where it can reflect light coming through the window, you will open up the room and reflect light on more surfaces throughout the space.

Be a Drama Queen

Instead of choosing several smaller mirrors, bring real drama to a room by other wall decoration ideas - select an oversize mirror or using a series of mirrors. A large mirror or two good size mirrors on either side of a window has the visual effect of knocking down a wall. Incorporate a time-honored designer trick for 'enlarging' a room: Hang a mirror on the wall that is most visible upon entering the room and the room will feel larger than it is.

Create a Focal Point

Use a mirror over a mantle or above a large piece of furniture to create an immediate focal point. You can even use a mirror to turn a negative feature into a positive one: For example, hang a mirror over a crack in the wall, or open up and disguise an awkward entry with an eye-catching wall mirror.

Light up your Life

Understand the different types of lighting and use them to your advantage to create the mood you desire in a room. Ceiling lights and chandeliers provide the foundation and general illumination by bathing the ceiling in light, reflecting it throughout the space. Build on this first layer by adding floor lamps, table lamps and ambient fixtures, such as electric powered sconces and accent lights to create drama and direct light where you want it. Try table top candle holders or wall hanging candle holders to soften the atmosphere. Keeping the height of your lamps consistent throughout a room results in more even lighting.

Combine overhead lighting with lamps to tailor lighting to your needs or mood, effortlessly and instantly. Having your overhead lighting on a dimmer switch gives you ultimate control over your lighting options.

Consider the shapes and styles of lamps and shades as well when choosing fixtures. From scones dripping with crystals to side lamps made of wrought iron, porcelain, brass, glass, nickel or wood, lamps add stylistic grace notes to a room, flavoring it with your particular decorative style.

Lighting can support a focal point or be a focal point in itself. For example, you can use directed recessed lights to draw attention to a painting. You could also use spot lights or pin lights to create a pattern on the wall that is a subtle focal point of light. If your room contains a textured wall or a focal wall in a bold color, you can let lighting play upon the wall to draw attention to it.

Experiment with lighting by moving lamps around a room, then add mirrors and additional lighting or make your lighting more adjustable by adding dimmer switches and three-way bulbs. You'll be amazed at the mood and ambiance you can create in a room with mirrors and lighting, even if your decorating budget is not grand.