So you’ve made the wise decision to decorate that prime spot above the bed with a trusty mirror.
The next step is to take a deep dive into the wide array of options available to you, ensuring you end up with something that elevates the bedroom and expresses your personality.
Luckily for you, we’ve done the deep diving and brought the best of the best ideas to the surface.
The list below offers irrefutable evidence that mirrors can be as beautiful as they are functional, and often all it takes is some consideration for how they are displayed.
In the event you decide that mirrors aren’t for you, we have also put together a list of ideas for decorating above the bed that draws on all corners of the world of decor, both weird and wonderful.
Run with an overlapping design
Everybody knows it feels great when people are begging for your attention, and if you can honestly say you’ve never had that happen to you, all the more reason to pick an overlapping mirror.
Why? Because the overlapping design features a number of mirrors at different depths, almost like they are tripping over each other to be the one that mirrors your reflection.
Rally behind this outreaching effect and you’ll never have to worry about dull and boring walls ever again.
Create an asymmetrical look
We know that going from one mirror to two or three mirrors will be felt on the wallet, but it means your scope for creativity widens.
Placing a larger mirror next to a smaller one probably won’t send your pulses racing anytime soon, and that’s okay because who wants their place of rest to be overly energized?
Rather, it will achieve a warm and friendly asymmetrical effect that doesn’t make a fuss of itself and will ultimately do the job of filling that tricky spot above the bed.
Hang it horizontally
As beautiful as your mirror is, don’t just plonk it on the wall without giving prior thought to things like height and positioning in relation to the bed.
These small considerations can make a big difference to the look and feel of the whole room.
Especially in the case of king beds, double beds or any bed with wide dimensions, it makes perfect sense to place your mirror in a horizontal format as the eye is attracted to objects that run parallel to each other.
Bring harmony using symmetry
If an asymmetrical arrangement doesn’t do it for you, try your luck with a simple symmetrical pattern and a warm sense of harmony that comes with it.
Start with a regular sized mirror at the center and flank it with smaller mirrors on either side, and don’t be afraid to keep adding mirrors without breaking the symmetry until you’re satisfied with the results.
Play it safe with a big round mirror
This list endeavours to bring you the trendiest and most creative mirror-based ideas for decorating above the bed, and though some ideas really push the boundaries, you shouldn’t be deterred from keeping things simple if simple works for you.
With that in mind, a lone mirror can solve all your decorating woes in an instant so long as it’s on the larger side and enjoys a central placement on the wall.
Introduce an accent color
Just when you thought mirrors couldn’t get any more talented than they already are, helping to make small and poorly lit spaces feel larger and better lighted, as well as ushering in some interesting shapes, it turns out this truly amazing décor can also add a pop of color to your walls.
We’re talking about the frame, and it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that if you pair a bold-colored mirror frame with a neutral-colored wall, the whole space comes to life.
Add drama with a multi mirror
When you forgo the functionality side of things in the hunt for a mirror, you will find that all of a sudden your choice of design knows no bounds.
It’s less about making the space feel larger and brighter, and much more about establishing a focal point.
Multi-mirrors definitely verge on the abstract, and if abstract art is anything to go by, there’s no question that a multi-mirror above the bed will turn heads and get people talking.
Angle it off
Whatever you choose to display on the wall behind the bed, or any wall in your home for that matter, make sure that it doesn’t look crooked otherwise the eye is going to have a hard time ignoring it.
However, hanging your mirror off-kilter can have a highly desirable impact if you use the right shape and angle it off properly.
In other words, take a square mirror and rotate it 90 degrees to produce a lovely diamond effect. Just be wary that over or under rotating a square mirror could be noticeable for all the wrong reasons.
Put big and small together
It’s not often you get to enjoy the best of both worlds when making decorating decisions, and the same goes for those huge life decisions in general, so when the opportunity presents itself you should grab it with both hands.
A large mirror has plenty of reflection space, but small mirrors are cute and decorative, so why not reap all the rewards and opt for an ensemble piece that showcases different size mirrors?
Go all in with a mirrored headboard
In bedrooms where the battle for space is very real and it feels like the walls are closing in on you, it’s worth exploring ways to use mirrors for embracing and distributing natural light in vast quantities.
Placing a sizeable mirror above the bed is a step in the right direction, but you’d fair better with a solution that takes advantage of every square inch of available wall space.
To this end, consider that a headboard-size mirror would sit nicely behind the bed and capture more sunlight than you could ever dream of.
Change the energy with a macrame mirror
Nobody in their right mind wants to spend their day in a stiff and sterile office (by the way, we have tips on how to design a home office) and then spend the night sleeping in a stiff and sterile bedroom.
If that’s your idea of hell, you can look to your mirror frame to loosen the vibe.
Something with heaps of boho charm, such as a macrame mirror, will have no problem bringing about a much needed shift in energy so that your bedroom’s a restful space that you actually want to spend time in.
Leave the bracket exposed
Floating shelves are very popular because the bracket is hidden from view and this leaves you with a tidy aesthetic.
Mirrors are often mounted via the back for the same reason, but doing so robs you of the chance to bring other decorative elements to the fore i.e. the strap that acts as the middle man between the bracket and your mirror.
Think along the lines of a thick fibre rope attached to a porthole mirror and just like that you have a nautical theme on your hands.
Complement an art piece
Teamwork makes the dream work and the same is true for all things wall decor. As long as it doesn’t look as though your pieces are fighting for the limelight, you’re good to go.
Assign primary and secondary roles so that it’s clear that you are complementing the main piece, such as by using small mirrors alongside a larger piece of art, perhaps in an asymmetrical manner for added visual interest. This works just as well with the roles reversed, by the way.
Having touched on artwork, it would seem appropriate to point you to our guide about displaying art above the bed. Spoiler alert: there’s tons of ways to do it and it always turns out amazing.
Step over the line
Maybe the wall behind the bed has been partially wallpapered or painted in two tones, in which case your mirrors have the chance to command some authority for themselves and create an interesting overlapping effect above the bed.
To be more precise, the lines where two different surface-types meet is exactly where you want your mirrors to sit because this will unify the wall, and the very concept of unification has positive connotations.
Touch the headboard
While the prevailing wisdom is to place decor several inches above the headboard to give it space, just as you would when decorating above the sofa or some other key piece of furniture, do not underestimate the level of intimacy that fills the room when physical contact is made.
Indeed, if you feel somewhat alienated from your favorite decor then the obvious thing to do is bring them closer into your orbit. Unless you’re happy to share a bed with your mirror, this means placing it directly on the headboard.
Bring the outdoors in
If you think a man-made mirror can’t conjure up a real sense of mother nature in all her natural beauty, you need to have a serious re-think!
The design potential of mirror frames goes on and on, adding further emphasis to the fact that mirrors have no equal when it comes to versatility.
So let us introduce you to the idea of some rustic charm above the bed in the form of a timber slice mirror, complete with bark edge to help hold up the illusion that you are sleeping in the middle of a forest.
Shape the corners
It may be tempting to dismiss the notion that lines convey feelings, but to do so will leave your above-bed aesthetic looking and feeling rather one-dimensional.
All the different subtleties can add up. And besides, interior design experts don’t say this kind of stuff for the fun of it.
Knowing that straight lines and sharp corners can put the eye on high alert, whereas curvy ones are playful and soothing, why not settle on a shape of mirror that draws on both extremes?
Rise and shine with a sunburst mirror
“Everyone’s doing it” is often said in a derogatory tone – a hint that you should be aiming to break new ground with each and every decorating decision – but there’s nothing inherently wrong with following the herd.
After all, there has to be a reason why something becomes a trend.
As for sunburst mirrors, their popularity comes down to the fact they are a fusion of mirror and wall art that resembles the sun, and they’ve shown no indication of falling out of favor anytime soon.
Rock a fringe
Whoever invented the mirror all those centuries ago probably never imagined the day when this staple decor would start rocking a fringe, but here we are.
Fringed mirrors are exactly what they say they are: a mirror that’s trimmed with soft fringing along the bottom, though if you can’t get enough of this fun finish, you can find versions with fringing all over.
You’d be hard pressed to find someone that isn’t sold on the idea of a fringed mirror above the bed in all its bohemian beauty.
Disrupt your reflection
Cohesion is a key ingredient in spaces that please the eye to a very high standard, so it would be wise to take stock of your bedroom’s existing theme and letting that inform your choice of mirror.
A basic mental calculation will tell you that a contemporary bedroom should be furnished with contemporary decor, and it just so happens that mirrors featuring opaque panels to disrupt your reflection are the definition of contemporary – and super decorative, may we add.
Accelerate the ageing process
More and more of us are turning to antiques in the hope of bringing charm and character into the home.
If you’re scratching your head wondering how to get your hands on old-world items, you will be pleased to hear that ‘new’ antiques have near enough the same impact as a genuine period piece.
In fact, you can find mirrors in a ‘distressed’ style that basically means they have been designed to appear aged and weathered, such as by adding speckled detailing, and it’s the perfect alternative to a regular clear glass mirror.
Experiment with even numbers
Odd-numbered compositions are said to be more relaxing for the viewer since you can easily and naturally focus in on the center e.g. the middle piece of a three-piece set of artwork.
Contrast this with even numbers, where you have to think a little bit harder about where you want to rest your gaze.
But as long as you go with a uniform set, decorating above the bed with mirrors in even numbers can look quite regal – the kind of sight you’d expect to see in a stately home.
Square the circle
Strictly speaking, it’s impossible to square a circle, as any seasoned mathematician will tell you.
However, you can most certainly put a square inside a circle and vice versa, which has surprisingly good results in the realm of home decorating.
Let’s say your headboard features a decorative frame – the area inside is practically crying out for a rounded element to offset those straight lines and sharp corners.
And what better rounded element than a round mirror, with space-increasing capabilities to boot?