Given that the couch is a central piece of living room furniture, what you display above it will become the center of attention.
Mirrors are always a good choice because their purpose is to be stared at, but it’s not as easy as picking any old mirror, plonking it on the wall and calling it a day.
Placement and arrangement matters just as much as the design, so there’s a lot to consider if you want an aesthetic that stands up to scrutiny.
For the best possible shot at success, familiarize yourself with these 18 creative ways to hang and display mirrors above the couch.
1. Style with even numbers for a formal look
Believe it or not, the visual difference between odd and even-numbered groupings of mirrors is like night and day, with the former bestowing a relaxed energy and the latter striking a more formal tone.
If you plan on hosting esteemed guests, then it makes sense to work with mirrors in even numbers, ensuring everything is straight and lined up perfectly, and you should find it has the same effect on your posture when sat down on the couch.
2. Space them out to capture different elements
If you have several mirrors over the couch in a close-knit arrangement, they’re going to reflect the same stuff, which is a huge missed opportunity in rooms where there’s lots happening visually.
Try to be more strategic with your placement, so that one mirror bounces light around the space, another spotlights your favorite decor, and if possible have one that offers a sneak peek into an adjacent room.
3. Choose a slatted mirror to draw the eye up
Have you always loved the idea of wood slat walls, but you don’t want a design element on that kind of scale for fear of overpowering the space?
Well you’re in luck because you can introduce a series of lush vertical lines on a scale that’s just about right with a slatted mirror above the couch, certain to have you eyeing up (and down) its reflection.
4. Keep it simple with a round mirror
We know it’s hard not to groan when you hear interior design experts talk about the hidden meaning behind the simplest touches, but they don’t say these things for the fun of it!
For example, different lines evoke different emotions, and it pays to use them in the right ratio to make the space aesthetically pleasing.
Chances are your room is replete with straight lines and sharp corners, which symbolizes power and strength.
In this situation, feel free to be a bit pedestrian and knock yourself out with a circular mirror over the couch to soften the look while balancing the visual equation.
5. Lean it behind the couch for casual vibes
You may have reservations about putting a big, beautiful floor mirror behind the sofa as only half of it will be visible when you paid full price. However, the very fact it’s hiding from you makes it all the more conspicuous.
Moreover, leaning a mirror against the wall lends a palpable sense of casual charm, which is exactly the kind of energy you want in a room that you intend to kick back and relax in after a really long day.
6. Go with a strap mirror to fill more space
A small or medium sized mirror is going to drown on a large wall, leaving you with an aesthetic that’s underwhelming at best.
This is why it’s often a good idea to leave the bracket exposed and hang the mirror with a strap, as this extra mechanism allows you to fill a larger volume of wall space.
And not to mention, strap mirrors are fabulously high-end.
7. Run it horizontally to widen your field of view
In spaces with limited square footage, the name of the game is to make the room feel larger than it really is, and you can leave it to the humble mirror to do just that.
Forget about the bells and whistles – this situation calls for a sizeable, no-frills mirror placed horizontally over the couch to emphasize the wideness of the interior as much as possible, so you get to chill on the sofa without feeling as though the walls are closing in.
As long as it has a beautiful living room to reflect, a horizontal mirror can land as much visual impact as artwork.
8. Flatter yourself with overlapping mirrors
We can all attest to how good it feels when people fight for your attention. Now, wouldn’t it be great if you were made to feel like the center of attention each time you walk into the living room?
That’s what you can expect when you hang an overlapping mirror above the couch, with all the panels fighting tooth and nail to be the one that mirrors your refection, at the same time adorning the wall with a three-dimensional quality.
9. Use diamond shaped mirrors for a luxurious touch
Shape is often overlooked in the mirror selection process, but to do so could make your above-couch aesthetic poorer. Consider that you can transform a poor wall into something that enriches the eye with the right shape.
For example, diamonds have long symbolized wealth and prosperity, making a diamond shaped mirror the go-to option when you want the living room to have a degree of opulence about it.
Plus, this luxuriant shape lends itself perfectly to the overlapping effect.
10. Rely on the frame to introduce an accent color
If the sofa wall is colorless, it falls on your mirror to usher in that much-needed pop of color, otherwise you run the risk of leaving yourself with a space that looks and feels decidedly flat.
This is where mirror frames come into play, and the louder the better.
Choose a thick frame in a bold color, and maybe throw in a fun pattern for good measure, and you’ve gone from a dull space to one that’s alive and kicking in no time at all.
11. Bolt it down for a sense of permanence
If you warmed to the idea of hanging a strap mirror over the couch because of its decorative appeal, but the looseness nature of it doesn’t suit the mood of the room, there’s still hope yet.
Mirrors with metal hangers for secure hanging aren’t going anywhere once they touch the wall, giving them that permanent sense of belonging that we all crave.
Even if you don’t care so much about what your mirror signifies, this design certainly makes a great accent piece.
12. Focus on the frame material
From lifting light levels to increasing the sense of space, you’re already doing wonders for that spot above the sofa, and the whole room for that matter, by hanging up a mirror. And that’s only the beginning.
Your choice of frame material can help step things up a notch and generate wider applause for your styling skills.
For instance, when there’s a lot of rustic details nearby, a wooden frame will make your mirror feel part of its surroundings, showing you have an eye for coordination.
13. Go angular with geometric mirrors
An ordinary square or rectangular mirror isn’t going to have an extraordinary impact on the space in question.
It’s about presenting the eye with something new and unexpected, which is why you should wave goodbye to 90-degree angles.
Hexagonal mirrors are a good starting point in your hunt for an interesting outline since they work so well in groups – fit them together like a puzzle to create an enjoyable honeycomb pattern or space them out a little bit to tease the eye.
14. Elevate its status with a high placement
Furniture consumes the floor and lower-half of the room while your sight lines are served with decor and wall art and the like. So, what’s happening at the top?
You may be tempted to fill the space directly above the sofa with a statement-making mirror, what with it being the perfect height for a nice focal point, but a well-rounded scheme takes into account every part of the space.
To this end, consider placing that mirror high above the couch so it has pride of place, encouraging the viewer to engage all their neck muscles to take in the full proportions of the room, which would be an absolute boon for tall interiors especially.
15. Please the eye with an asymmetrical look
Get used to the word “organic” as you explore ways to arrange your favorite decor pieces, whether it’s mirrors over the couch or art above the bed, because it’s pretty important for achieving a naturally pleasing aesthetic.
Indeed, things that appear organic or natural to the naked eye have a calming effect on our mood. They are imperfectly perfect, so think twice before arranging a set of mirrors in a symmetrical manner on that wall.
By all means place your main mirror in the center so that the eye can lock-on with ease, and orbit it using smaller pieces without rhyme or reason so as to hit that organic sweet spot akin to something you would see in outer space.
16. Liven things up with organically shaped mirrors
We’ve shown you how to arrange mirrors on the wall so that it has an eye-catching, organic finish. Well, you can remove much of the headache from the decorating process by getting your hands on an organically shaped mirror.
In fact, a multi-mirror full of organic shapes is a really effective way to literally bring the wall to life as it bears a very close resemblance to cells inside a living organism, giving a whole new meaning to the living room.
17. Harness the power of the sun
Stars do a pretty damn good of decorating the night sky, and our own star is an invaluable source of light, making them not so different to mirrors when you think about it.
You could say that hanging a sun-inspired mirror above the couch is written in the stars!
All jokes aside, the sunburst mirror is probably one of the most popular designs out there right now, keeping living rooms the world over looking and feeling bright even when the weather outside is miserable.
18. Simulate a window
Were it possible to conjure up additional windows out of thin air, the mirror along with a whole host of wall decor would probably go extinct.
As things stand, the architecture is the architecture and you have to play with the cards you’ve been dealt. Or do you?
That dream of a window behind the couch can be made reality with some compromise. In other words, simulate a window with a panelled window mirror.
Not only will this add to the sense that the room is bigger than it actually is, arched window mirrors in particular will bring heaps of traditional charm.