Inside Out magazine - August 2017
Inside Out magazine
INSIDE | Renovation
p 126 - 129
Mirrors
Buyer’s Guide
Which mirror really reflects your style?
We find the fairest of them all.
Words: Victoria Baker
Product sourcing: Natalie Johnson
You can read an extract of the article below, and find some practical advice for safely hanging large mirrors.
INSIDE | Renovation
p 126 - 129
Mirrors
Buyer’s Guide
Which mirror really reflects your style?
We find the fairest of them all.
Words: Victoria Baker
Product sourcing: Natalie Johnson
You can read an extract of the article below, and find some practical advice for safely hanging large mirrors.
Photography by James Geer.
|
Choosing the right mirror for your place depends on what you need: a decorative element to suit your style, somewhere to do your make-up, or a space-enlarging magic trick. First, mirrors can change your perception of a space. Jonathon Lee of The Hangman (thehangman.com.au) has been hanging mirrors and advising on their placement for more than 20 years. “Mirrors can really make a small space feel larger,” he says. “I often put an oversized mirror in a small entrance area to open it up visually. You can create a similar effect by putting a mirror at the end of a hallway. In small apartments, a floor-to-ceiling mirrored wall can expand a room.” As for how to hang a mirror: think of it like an artwork. “A mirror should always relate to the piece of furniture it’s hanging above, rather than hanging high above it,” says Jonathon. “I prefer to hang mirrors in a portrait orientation and for them to be as tall as possible. This will draw the eye upwards and accentuate the ceiling height. Mirrors hung in a landscape orientation can work if they’re reflecting a panoramic view, but otherwise they can make a space feel a bit like a tunnel.” |
|
Framed mirrors can also act as a style element, with materials to suit every look, from pale Nordic timber to crisp black steel. It’s still important to think about where your mirror will hang. “The trick to placement is thinking about what will be reflected,” says Jonathon. “Ideally, you want to reflect a view, a garden, a piece of art or something beautiful, rather than a TV or utilitarian space. If you’re reflecting your kitchen, you’ll just end up looking at double the mess.” Mirrors can also be a practical essential, for example in bathrooms. A full-length option in the bedroom allows you to see an entire outfit, and a small one near where you leave home allows for last-minute lipstick checks. A practical storage element can help in this location as a place to stash keys or other easy-to-lose items. |
Photography by Prue Ruscoe.
|
|
HOW TO HANG A MIRROR Jonathon Lee of The Hangman shares some practical advice for safely hanging large mirrors + Think about your wall before investing in a heavy mirror. Anything over about 50kg is best hung on a solid wall, like brick or concrete. Gyprock is problematic for heavy mirrors because the studs aren’t always where you want them. You may even need a builder to put structural support behind the wall, which can make your mirror a lot more expensive than it first seemed. + A mirror should always be hung using two fixings, one on either side of the mirror, rather than using wire strung across the back. This will keep it flat against the wall, which creates a more modern look, and also ensures a better distribution of weight. + If you have children or pets, always secure large leaning floor mirrors with a bracket, brace or tie attached to the wall at the top of the mirror. |