Mirrors for Different Interior Styles
Choosing mirrors for different interior styles is less about the glass and more about the frame around it. A mirror is a large, reflective object on the wall, so its frame sets the tone of the whole room. Get the style right and the mirror looks as though it was made for the space; get it wrong and it fights everything around it. I make decorative mirrors to order in my workshop, one at a time, so I spend a great deal of time helping people match a frame to the way a room is already decorated. This guide runs through the interior styles I am asked about most, and the kind of mirror that suits each one. If you would rather read it the other way round, organised by mirror type instead of by room, I keep a companion piece on glamour, vintage, classic and modern decorative mirrors.
Glamour interiors
Glamour rooms lean on contrast and shine: deep colours, velvet, brass or gold accents, and plenty of light. A mirror earns its place here by adding another point of reflection and a little drama. I usually build these frames wide, with a milled profile that catches the light, then finish them in genuine gold leaf or a high-gloss black. A black and gold pairing is a reliable choice, and I have written separately about a black and gold framed mirror if you want to see how the two colours work together. A piece like my Nero Glam mirror shows how that reads on a wall, and my glamour mirrors gather the finishes I make in this direction.
Modern and minimalist interiors
Minimalist rooms want the opposite: a mirror that does its job without announcing itself. Here I keep the frame narrow and quiet, often a slim gilded lip or a simple painted edge, so the reflection and the wall do the talking. My Linea Slim mirror, with its narrow gold frame, is a good example of that restraint. In the most pared-back schemes a frameless mirror can be the honest answer, and I have set out when that works in my piece on frameless mirrors and minimalist spaces.
Classic and traditional interiors
Traditional rooms carry ornament well, so this is where a properly made frame comes into its own. I build these from solid timber, mill the profile myself, and usually join the corners with biscuit joints for a clean, stable mitre. A gilded or off-white finish over a chalk gesso ground sits happily alongside panelling, cornicing and antique furniture. Something like my Aurea Toscana mirror, gilded in 23 carat gold, suits this setting, and my classic mirrors are all made in the same spirit: the frame is genuinely built in the workshop rather than bought in and relabelled.
Vintage, rustic and shabby chic interiors
These styles celebrate age and wear, so the finish is the whole point. I hand-rub and distress the paint, let a warmer bole colour show through the gilding at the edges, and keep the timber honest. The result reads as something found and loved rather than something new. My white shabby chic mirror is a good illustration of that worn, softened look. It is one of the most popular directions in my range of decorative mirrors, and because every finish is applied by hand, no two pieces come out identical.
Getting the shape and proportions right
Style is not only about finish; the outline of the mirror matters just as much. A tall rectangle suits a formal, symmetrical room, while a softer or irregular shape brings movement to a modern scheme. I have written about choosing between a classic or a more original shape, and about irregular shaped mirrors for rooms that want a single focal point. As a rule, the busier the frame, the simpler the shape should be.
How the finish carries the style
Nearly all of the character in a mirror frame comes from the finish, and this is the part I control most closely. I work in the traditional way, laying genuine gold leaf from 6ct through to 23.75ct over a chalk gesso ground by water gilding, and I hand-paint and rub finishes where a scheme wants colour rather than metal. The same thinking applies to picture frames, so if you are coordinating both, my guide to matching a frame to your interior style covers the frame side. The glass itself is SGG Miralite Pure Diamant, a low-iron mirror that keeps the reflection clean and true rather than green.
When a made-to-measure mirror makes sense
Stock mirrors come in stock sizes, and a decorating scheme rarely obliges. When a mirror needs to sit between two windows, fill a chimney breast or match an exact colour, I make it to measure so it fits the space instead of compromising it. My made-to-measure mirror in a silver frame is one example of a build sized to a specific wall. You can read how the whole service works on my bespoke mirrors page, and see the format across my framed mirrors. I agree the exact finish with you beforehand from photographs of frames I have already made, so you know how yours will look before I begin.
Frequently asked questions
Which mirror style suits a small room?
In a small room I keep the frame slim and the finish light, so the mirror adds a sense of space rather than weight. A simple gilded or pale painted edge bounces light around the room without dominating it.
Are gold framed mirrors still in style?
Yes. Gold has moved on from bright, uniform brass towards softer, hand-gilded tones. A frame finished in genuine gold leaf over a warm bole reads as timeless rather than trend-led, which is why I still make more gold than any other finish.
How do I match a mirror to a room I have already decorated?
Start with the frame, not the glass. Choose the finish and profile that echo the materials already in the room (the metals, the timber, the paint), then pick a shape that suits the wall. If nothing off the shelf fits, a made-to-measure mirror lets you match the scheme exactly.
Not sure which style is right?
If you are weighing up a mirror for a particular room and are unsure which style will sit well, send me a photograph of the space. I will suggest a frame profile and finish, show you comparable work I have already made, and build the mirror to fit. To start narrowing down the look, browse the finished examples in my decorative mirrors collection.