The Brilliant Reason to Put a Mirror in Front of a Window (You’ll Want to Try It!)

There are some general rules for mirror hanging ideas in your home. For one, you want to make sure you hang mirrors at eye level so that you can actually look into them (though, in smaller spaces, hanging a mirror slightly above eye level can make a room seem larger than it is). Opting for a mirror that feels properly proportioned to your walls — and any surrounding furniture — can also make a difference. 

Mirrors hung across from windows can also help brighten up a home, since they reflect light and help bounce it around your space in ways some windows alone can’t always achieve. This is also very aligned with feng shui beliefs, which say hanging a mirror across from a window can invite positive energy in. When I think of hanging mirrors, though, I most certainly don’t think of hanging them in front of a window. But one designer hung a mirror in front of a window in a recent bathroom project, and the result is not only visually stunning, but it’s also a brilliant way to further open up a space. 

Designer Lauren Conner creates interiors that feel traditional yet eclectic, with gorgeous layers that offer a fresh spin on traditional decorating rules. This is especially true for this bathroom project she worked on, where the best spot for the vanity was tucked into a corner under a row of windows. This placement created a design challenge, to say the least. Vanity mirrors are typically always hung above bathroom sinks. So that’s exactly what Conner did, despite the stretch of windows above it. 

First, she used a café curtain along the bottom half of the windows for privacy. Then she placed a thin metal framed rectangular mirror above it, using a chain to hang it from a hook above the window frame.

Even though it seems counterintuitive, placing the mirror in front of the windows can still help bounce natural light around the space, making the bathroom appear way larger than it is. The intentional layering with the café curtain also helps create a more grounded look, so you don’t have a wall mirror smack in the center of an exposed window. In addition to bathrooms, this mirror placement would also look so cute in a kitchen window or even a smaller entryway window. 

The mirror Conner chose is perfect, too. It’s just large enough to work for fixing your hair, brushing your teeth, or doing a skin or makeup routine — but nothing really more than that. However, that’s all you really need in a bathroom, especially if you have a full-length mirror elsewhere. Keeping the frame minimal and the size of the mirror on the smaller side ensures that you still get a ton of natural light from the windows. 

If you don’t have a ton of wall space and want to add a mirror, trying this look is super simple. All you need is a café curtain rod, curtains, a wall mirror, and a hook. To hang the mirror from your window, make sure you either go with a mirror with a chain hanger. Or, if you want to DIY the look, you can find a sturdy yet chic chain in the lighting aisle at a local hardware store or big box. Center the mirror hook and drill it into the window frame (or above it if you’re renting), hang the mirror, and voilà.