Top Bathroom Mirror Trends

How to Reflect Your Style with the Latest Looks, Finishes and Features

“Don’t go thinking that just because your builder put in the big, wide mirror that it looks good, because it doesn’t,” says Dallas-based interior designer Carla Aston. This begs the question: If those enormous bathroom mirrors are out, what’s in? “Tall, slender mirrors that accentuate ceiling height and look luxurious,” says Aston. Also trending: mirrors in metallics (so glamorous) and reclaimed woods (so natural), round mirrors (so minimalist) and ornate or globally inspired mirrors (so eclectic). In other words, mirrors are meant to reflect your personality as much as a piece of art might.
Envision that you have taken down the big counter-to-ceiling frameless mirror dating your bathroom. (Here’s how to a remove a bathroom mirror safely, by the way.) What’s the best use of the new blank space? We have a few ideas:

Make a bold statement

Today’s master bath isn’t complete without a double vanity. Above those two wash-up stations more people are choosing to source two statement mirrors. You can’t go wrong with a classic starburst, a bright hue (here’s looking at the Marian Mirror by Layla Grace), antique baroque or rococo (the Beaudry Mirror by Ballard Designs offers a very satisfying reproduction).

“In 2016, statement mirrors are well and truly back,” says Building Design & Construction magazine. “From the avant garde to the classic, iconic mirrors that do more than just reflect are one of the year’s top interior design trends, especially for small and cozy modern apartments.” Mirrors in mirrored frames continue to be a go-to for glitzy, feminine bathrooms (West Elm makes one popular mirror). And nothing quite sets the tone for a travel-inspired bathroom like an exotic mirror with inlaid bone or resin. (Try Serena & Lily’s Maya Inlay Mirror or Furbish Studio’s Capri Bone Inlay Mirror.)

Take a shine to metallics

If you’re ready to ditch the builder-grade looking glass but aren’t sure about the commitment of a statement mirror, consider upping the ante on your bathroom design with a metal-framed mirror. There’s something especially crisp and modern about a polished nickel or brushed nickel frame in a marble bathroom. Similarly, a gold frame will instantly inspire an air of old world elegance in a bathroom that is otherwise modern.

The burnished brass Florin Mirror from Bliss Home & Design feels somehow right on trend and yet like a beloved antique. And if you go the hammered metal route, you’ll also be gaining a splash of texture—always welcome in a space as slick as a bathroom. (The Divinity Mirror in Brushed Nickel fits the bill with just the right touch of glimmer and textural interest, whereas a copper mirror will introduce an elemental flavor to the bath.) Alternately, wrought iron might best suit your industrial sensibility (see the Asana Mirror). Meanwhile, bamboo that’s been painted gold (see the Jasmine Square Bamboo Mirror from Pottery Barn) is straight from the Hollywood Regency era.

Go full circle

The oval is out. Toronto-based designer Shirley Meisels says, “Round mirrors are replacing the traditional [shapes] we’re used to seeing in a bathroom, adding a dynamic, unexpected graphic focal point. Instead, pair them with hanging pendant lights or wall sconces on either side, taking the opportunity to mix the blacks and golds that are so hot for 2016.” Reminiscent of a ship’s porthole, the round shape makes a subtle nod to nautical style—or a not so subtle nod, if it’s secured to the wall with a knotted rope that looks like it’s seen some seawater in its day. Round mirrors are also great for minimalist bathrooms where “zen” is the theme. Domino recently named the Solace bamboo mirror one of its favorites in a roundup of round. (Solace comes with or without a shelf.) We make a round steel mirror, and a round aluminum mirror.

Get into the woods

Is rustic style what you’re most drawn to? Reclaimed materials will deliver the look you’re after, packing a surprisingly big punch with rough texture and one-of–kind detail. The wood used to handcraft the Americana Mirror comes from American structures of the past, while the Bordeaux Mirror reincarnates an authentic piece of California’s wine country—wine barrel tops—into a mirror that still bears the original barrel maker’s stamp. A mirror framed in rattan—a material that has made a decisive return from the ’70s—can offer a similarly natural or bohemian feel (Land of Nod’s Sunrise Rattan Mirror is a whimsical take on that trend).
Mirrors work as an optical illusion, making your bathroom feel bigger and brighter. Your mirror might also make your bathroom feel just right.
See Native Trails’ Bath Mirrors.