Buying guide for Best floor mirrors
There are few home decor accents as dramatic as a floor mirror. A floor mirror leaning against a wall, reflecting and multiplying the space around it, has an impact and presence that any guest will immediately feel. Frequently six feet tall or more, whether narrow or wide, floor mirrors create space and focal points in any room you place them.
A floor mirror is almost always a plane mirror — a mirror with flat glass that reflects images without intentional distortion. Floor mirrors expand and brighten spaces. By creating a large reflective surface, sometimes tilted upward, floor mirrors multiply the light in a room and create visual space that makes a small space seem larger. A floor mirror illuminates a dark corner or hallway and acts as a secondary light source by reflecting a window or lamp. Most practically, most floor mirrors are tall enough to reflect your entire body from head to toe, making them ideal for trying on and checking outfits.
Not all floor mirrors work in a given space. If you’re considering getting a floor mirror, keep in mind certain features and considerations.
What to consider when selecting the best floor mirror
Type
Floor mirrors can be classified in three types: the leaning floor mirror, which has no stand or base and is designed to lean against the wall; the freestanding floor mirror, which has a base or stand and doesn’t need a wall to stay upright; and the cheval mirror, a highly recognizable classic mirror that stands by itself and allows the mirror to tilt up or down from pivot arms on its stand.
Shape
Floor mirrors come in several shapes. Aside from rectangular, floor mirrors can be elliptical or oval, rectangular with curved corners, or even arched. Arched floor mirrors boast a decorative curve or series of curves at their top, making them even more decorative than plain floor mirrors. In terms of width, floor mirrors can be narrow or wide.
Ceiling height
The height of your ceilings helps determine the size of your floor mirror. Low ceiling heights make a tall mirror look outsized and out of place, while tall ceiling heights make an undersized mirror look like an afterthought.
Function and location
Floor mirrors can be placed in most rooms where they serve different functions. A tall, slim floor mirror is helpful for getting dressed and trying on different outfits, from headwear down to footwear. Floor mirrors can also be decorative objects in themselves, drawing the eye and acting as focal points. Big floor mirrors add drama and energy to a living room, brighten up a hallway, or expand the space of a dining room and library. Conversely, there may be some rooms where you don’t want a floor mirror, such as the kitchen or perhaps the bathroom, but it’s up to you.
In feng shui, mirrors are powerful multipliers of energy and luck. However, they’re not encouraged for bedrooms, lest they startle the dreamer or their energy interferes with rest.
Staff
BestReviews
Features of floor mirrors
Height
Floor mirrors are typically large, tall mirrors that reflect a person’s full height. Mirrors need to be at least half a person’s height to reflect the whole body from a distance, and at least 48 inches tall for use in dressing head to toe. A height of five to seven feet is recommended for floor mirrors in general, but you can go even larger if your space is grand enough.
Frame
The frame of a floor mirror is an important factor in its impact and appeal. It also gives strength and support to the glass of the mirror itself. Floor mirrors, with their size relative to other mirrors, may enjoy impressive frames, ranging from simple frames with clean lines to ornately decorated ones that add drama and impact. Thicker frames support the mirror and keep it from warping or sagging. Floor mirrors with thin frames may depend on stronger backing to maintain integrity.
Base, stand, and feet
Freestanding floor mirrors and cheval mirrors have bases and stands that allow them to remain upright without resting on a wall. Bases and stands can have decorative purposes and impart a sense of lightness to a large floor mirror. Leaning mirrors generally have no base other than the bottom of their frames.
Glass type
There are several kinds of glass found in floor mirrors. Floor mirrors may have a single pane of glass or several. Shatterproof glass is very welcome and practical in a floor mirror, as its size and placement may invite more accidents than smaller hanging mirrors. Antique or vintage mirrors backed with real silver or mercury have a particular sheen and reflection quality many collectors admire, though thankfully, modern “mercury” mirrors don’t actually use it.
Thickness and backing
The thickness of any mirror is a measure of its strength, durability, and resistance to warping. For floor mirrors (which tend to be larger than other mirrors), a thickness of 1/4 to 3/8 of an inch is recommended. Floor mirrors should also have strong backing, such as wood, to support the weight of the glass and prevent warping.
Staff Tip
To clean a mirror without leaving streaks, try using isopropyl alcohol or a solution of vinegar and water and a microfiber cloth. Spray the liquid directly on the cloth, not on the glass.
Staff
BestReviews
How much do floor mirrors cost?
Inexpensive
You can find floor mirrors online that cost less than $120. These are mostly tall, narrow mirrors suitable for dressing but may also be used in small spaces and as accent pieces. These inexpensive mirrors may have thinner glass or backing and can be prone to warping or distortion. You can also find inexpensive cheval mirrors in this price range.
Mid-range
A wide selection of floor mirrors of good quality and size cost between $120 and $599. This price range encompasses leaning, freestanding, and cheval mirrors in all shapes with frames of manufactured wood, hardwood, or metal. The glass of these mirrors is usually more resistant to distortion and warping and sometimes has interesting or decorative tints and patina. Floor mirrors in this range tend to be larger than a basic full-length mirror.
Expensive
High-end floor mirrors cost from $600 and up, with luxury pieces from $1,000 to $3,000. Floor mirrors in this price range feature antique or antiqued patinas, frames of real hardwood that may offer gilding or silvering, unique designs, and designer pedigrees. Truly grand floor mirrors of thick glass, heavy backing, and impressive size can be notably expensive.
“Cheval” comes from the French word for horse. It’s said to come from the four feet at the base of cheval mirrors. An alternative theory is that it refers to the pulley, or horse, used to adjust the mirror’s height.
Staff
BestReviews
Tips
- Tilting a mirror backward makes your reflection look thinner. A mirror that tilts forward makes you look larger than you really are.
- Keep your space clean. If you pick a large, dramatic floor mirror, don’t surround it with clutter or crowd it with other furniture pieces — let it be the star.
- Watch your placement. Always remember to have a floor mirror reflecting beautiful or cheerful things. Don’t place a mirror where it will reflect a disorganized or unappealing part of your space.
- Check that it’s flat. When shopping for mirrors in person, you can check how flat a mirror is by taking a long ruler with you and placing it against the mirror.
FAQ
Q. Are floor mirrors accurate?
A. The accuracy of a floor mirror is influenced by the thickness and quality of its glass and the sturdiness of its frame and backing. A leaning or freestanding mirror can bend or sag with its own weight, warping across its width, which results in a person’s reflection looking shorter and stouter. If you need a floor mirror to reproduce a reflection accurately, it’s wise to put in extra time and cost into your shopping.
Q. Where shouldn’t you put a mirror?
A. A busy kitchen isn’t a smart place for a floor mirror. Kitchens tend to be hubs of activity, and a floor mirror may only get in the way, risking becoming a hazard. Kitchens get messy at least some of the time, which you don’t want to be multiplied by a large mirror. Kitchens also generate smoke and splatter, two things you don’t want on your floor mirror.
Q. How do I keep a floor mirror from slipping?
A. Leaning floor mirrors may look like they’ll easily slip out of place. If you’re concerned about a leaning floor mirror, look for floor mirrors with rubber pads on the bottom edge of their frames, or add furniture pads to mirrors that don’t have them. You may consider using furniture straps or affixing your floor mirror to a stud with a wall anchor.
