Using Mirrors To Create The Illusion of Space
The same rooms that, just weeks ago, with curtains flung open and doors opened wide, seemed bright and spacious can now seem strangely closed in and oppressive.
You can't do much about the weather, but you can brighten up your living space immeasurably with the judicious placement of a mirror or two.
As the darker evenings take hold and the daylight takes on that wintry quality, try placing a mirror opposite a source of natural or artificial light, to double its impact. Seeing the outdoors reflected in the mirror also creates the illusion of ‘bringing outside in', as does a free flow of space between a living area and garden, lessening that ‘cooped up indoors' feeling.
By reflecting what lies within the room itself, mirrors also add depth and create the illusion of space; this trick will also maximize décor elements without adding clutter or more actual ‘stuff'. A beautiful flower arrangement becomes two, a feature wall is still visible even when one's back is turned to it. Take note, however: a cluttered room will almost always feel messy and claustrophobic - a mirror may create the illusion of twice as much space, but it will also display twice as much clutter.
Since the plummeting mercury turns ones thoughts inevitably towards warding off the chill, now's the time to make the most of your fireplace, if you have one - after all, who can resist the cosy allure of firelight? Naturally enough, this feature will become a focal point of the room, so by hanging a mirror above the mantelpiece, the fire and the mirror both gain from one another in terms of drama and impact.
Alternatively, hang a mirror somewhere where the firelight will be reflected, bouncing that warm glow back into the room. By doing this, the room will appear larger, warmer and lighter - which is surely the next best thing to summer itself.
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