Mirrors are basic accessories to decorate any room throughout a home.  Whether you are decorating a bathroom, children's room, hallway or bedroom, mirrors make a room feel more open and spacious while adding elegance to the design.

Shopping for decorative mirrors can be exhausting, as the options are tremendous.  Doing some planning before shopping will make the experience much more enjoyable.

The first thing to determine is where you want to hang the mirror.  Great places to add mirrors include in the entry way near your front door or leaning on a mantel above a fireplace, while large full length mirrors in a bedroom or closet are very useful for getting dressed.  Mirrors can be used to reflect a favorite object in a room too.

Where you will hang the mirror will determine the size you will need.  If the mirror will hang in a bathroom there are generally more constraints on size such as a bathroom vanity mirror should not extend beyond the outer edge of the counter top.  If the mirror is decorative, then room size is a determining factor of mirror size.

Mirrors come in all shapes and sizes.  The most common include Oval Mirrors, Rectangular Mirrors, Round Mirrors, Arched or Crown Top Mirrors, Square & Abstract Mirrors.

Mirrors come in many styles to fit even the most unique personality.

Traditional Mirrors Defined: Popular, time honored and ageless; dark woods and hand carvings; Popular styles include oval or rectangular shaped mirrors.      

Contemporary Mirrors Defined: Urban and sleek with modern simplicity, clean lines, "less is more"; casual, light woods or dramatic stains; styles include round, square and frameless mirrors that extend from the outer edges of the vanity.

Transitional Mirrors Defined: Bridging established tastes and modern influences - these selections reflect the best of the old and new, combined for today's changing preferences.  Styles include all shapes; usually the finish will define the style, to include a combination of material, such as exotic woods and artesian metals (stainless or copper).

Ornate Mirrors Defined: Intricate hand carvings, gilded hand finishes and exquisite details.

Mirrors are manufactured from many material types and include a large selection of finishes.  Style will help narrow down the best choices.  In example, wood mirrors with classic finishes are traditional, while metallic finishes on either wood or synthetic material is considered contemporary.

A mirror can be either functional or the focal point in any room.  Whatever the use is, mirrors provide beauty, illusion of space and reflection of light to any room.

For more information about home decorating ideas, visit http://www.uniquemirrorsonline.com/

Or email us with your questions at uniquemirrors@msn.com