Getting the right bathroom mirror

A bathroom without a mirror is like a kitchen without an oven, it just doesn’t happen. But like choosing an oven it is important to choose the right bathroom mirror. Aside from the functional purpose a bathroom mirror there is also the visual side. If you have a small bathroom then a large mirror will make your bathroom look bigger. Similarly, if you have a dark bathroom then a mirror will increase the amount of light in there. To get the best out of you mirror you should think ahead of your purchase, there will be a number of factors to consider when:

• The first factor is budget; do you have a budget in mind?
• What space is available in your bathroom, how big would you like the mirror to be?
• Is it awkward to put a mirror in to your bathroom – for example is your basin in front of the
• window? Many people do like to put a mirror in front of the basin.
• Do you lack storage space in you bathroom, hence a mirror / cabinet may be better?
• How good is the lighting where you will but your mirror?

• Optical Clarity
  Good quality glass and silvering on the back. This may sound silly bit if you are getting a large mirror for you bathroom make sure it is good quality. Some larger cheaper mirror such as the ones used on low cost wardrobe doors can be noticeably distorted.
• Heat
  You can get bathroom mirrors that are heated, similarly to the rear windscreen of a car the elements are underneath the glass so that you can’t see them. Heated bathroom mirrors are great, no matter how much steam is in the room they stay clear. The one drawback is that they will require an electrical connection. If you are at the stage of refitting you bathroom then this isn’t a problem, but at any other time it’s going to be an inconvenience. There are also retro-fit heater mats that you can fit under your current bathroom mirror.

• Illumination
  Illuminated bathroom mirrors are the second best thing since the heated variety. Wherever you put them in the bathroom they are going to provide sufficient useful light. Having an illuminated mirror means that the light source is coming from the best possible angle to light your face. Due to electrical regulations lighting in a bathroom is a difficult matter. Usually the light fixtures are in the centre of the room or are downlights. A light in the centre of the room casts your face in to darkness when looking at a wall mirror, and down lights – although slightly better – cast shadows on your face. Illumination is provided by either florescent tubes or LED’s if you choose LED makes sure they are the warm white variety. The cold blue light of some LED’s is not very flattering to the skin.
• Storage
  If your bathroom is small you may be struggling on storage space. If this is the case then a bathroom mirror cabinet could be the best solution. They come in all different sizes, make a list of what you think you will want to store in it before buying one though, there’s nothing more frustrating than finding that you can’t fit everything in it. The best material to get a cabinet is solid hard wood or plastic. Although it sounds horrible there are some very nice, but very contemporary, plastic bathroom mirror cabinets about. Wooden cabinets on the other hand look good in either a contemporary or traditional design.
• Adjustability
  If you have an awkward shaped bathroom where there is not much wall space or as I mentioned earlier your basin is in front of a window you could really do with an adjustable mirror. If your window is narrow you could fit a mirror with and adjustable arm on the edge of the window frame so that it can be moved in to postion when needed. The other option is that you get a freestanding mirror that lives on the window sill.
• Magnification
  Some mirrors increase the size of your face! These magnifying bathroom mirrors are great for close up beauty work or shaving. You probably wouldn’t want a magnifying mirror as the main mirror in the bathroom.
  

Bathroom mirrors come in a bewildering amount of styles and you will know what will fit best in to your bathroom. Try and keep some consistency running throughout your bathroom fixtures. For example if you’ve a wooden towel rail then you may like to get a wooden framed mirror. If you have a tiny bathroom then having a professional install a full mirrored wall could be a good move. For about the same cost as a good quality cabinet you could double the visual size of you room.