Bathroom Mirrors

Bathroom Mirrors and Vanity Mirrors

A mirror is the one thing in a bathroom everybody looks at every day, and it is usually the piece people buy last, after the vanity is already chosen. Buying it that way round makes it harder than it needs to be. The mirrors here are built by the same maker as the vanities they hang over, in the same finishes, so a Bright White vanity has a Bright White mirror and a Light Natural Oak vanity has one cut from the same wood.

Widths run from 22 to 48 inches, which covers a powder room mirror over a 24 inch cabinet through to a wide mirror over a 60 inch single vanity. For a double vanity most people hang two mirrors, one over each sink, rather than one long piece: two mirrors give each person their own light and they look right with two faucets. If you would rather have one, measure the vanity top and stay at least four inches narrower on each side.

Shapes and frames

The frame decides how formal the room reads. A rectangular wood frame with a bevel cut edge is the safe, traditional choice and it suits almost every vanity. Arched and round mirrors soften a room full of straight lines, which is why they turn up so often over pedestal sinks and narrow cabinets. Metal frames in brushed nickel, champagne brass, matte black and satin nickel pick up the faucet rather than the cabinet, and that is the easiest way to tie a two tone bathroom together.

• Rectangular: the standard shape, easiest to pair with any vanity width
• Arched: a softer top edge, good in rooms with square tile and hard lines
• Round: works over narrow cabinets and consoles where a rectangle would look heavy
• Octagon: a geometric edge that reads modern without being cold
• Metal framed: matches the faucet and hardware instead of the cabinet

Hanging height and lighting

Hang the mirror so its centre sits at eye level for the people using it, usually 60 to 65 inches off the floor, and leave four to six inches between the top of the backsplash and the bottom of the frame. If you are working with a sconce either side, mount the lights at about 60 inches and keep them clear of the frame by a couple of inches so the glass does not catch the glare. Most of these mirrors carry recessed keyhole brackets, so they sit flush to the wall and can be hung by one person with a level and two anchors.

Matching the rest of the room

If you are starting from scratch, pick the vanity first, then the mirror, then the tile. Our vanity tops and vanity backsplashes are cut from the same slab colours, and the marble and porcelain tile we carry gives you a wall to hang all of it on. For the full brand range, including the pieces that only come in one series, see James Martin.

Mirrors ship boxed by ground carrier in most cases, which means no freight appointment and no curbside handover. Larger pieces travel with the vanity when they are ordered together.