The $15 Designer Dupe That Gives Basic Bathrooms a Luxe Makeover

One of the oldest tricks in an interior designer’s playbook is to bring light into a small, dark space with the help of mirrors. Mirrors work to bounce light around any room, helping the entire area of the home feel brighter — all while acting as faux windows, tricking the eye into thinking there’s more space than there actually is. Recently, one design aficionado took to TikTok with a brand new way to use this tried-and-true hack, all based on a “jewelbox” bathroom look that mimics an iconic designer door that would normally cost thousands of dollars.

“This is how you transform your bathroom door for under $15 in a renter-friendly way,” Nick Lowry said in a recent video posted to TikTok. “I’ve always loved Jean Prouvé’s porthole doors and how they let light into spaces. But since we rent and I really can’t afford, let’s do a DIY inspired by it instead.”

If you, like Lowry, don’t want to drop thousands to invest in a Jean Prouvé porthole door, then head over to Amazon to pick up a few circular mirrors instead. “I found these 12-inch acrylic mirrors on Amazon that are normally meant to sit under wedding centerpieces and a pack of 12 cost $25,” Lowry shared in his how-to.

This set of 12-inch mirrors comes in a set of eight for just $15, and they even come with their own adhesive strips for installation. However, Lowry suggests using 3M tape to make sure the mirrors are easier to remove if and when the time comes to move out.

“After playing around with a few options, I think a tight column of three in the center looks best and mounting them on both sides of our door to bounce light throughout the space and sell the effect,” Lowry said.

How you arrange your mirrors for your own custom feature will be completely up to you. Lowry used a digital photo editor to help visualize his final product before figuring out the measurements necessary to get the exact look he wanted. His measurements were 22 ⅛” from the top and bottom, 11 inches from each side, and the mirrors had a 4.5-inch gap between them; however, your measurements may vary depending on the size and shape of your door.

“I feel like the door finally matches the jewelbox feel we’re building in our rental bathroom,” Lowry concluded. The mirrors create a modern look, open up the space, and bring light into the corner of the bathroom that was once in shadow.

Grab a few circular mirrors from Amazon and get this iconic designer look for just $15. You don’t have to skimp on design just because it’s a rental — all you have to do is think outside the box!