Q: We’re looking for an effective and inexpensive way to add some liveliness to our bare, boring walls. Any suggestions?

A: Nothing increases the appearance of size in your home like a mirror. Big or small, mirrors effectively double light and volume, increasing brightness and giving us a pleasant sense of openness.

Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall

In powder rooms or any bathroom that I wish to make feel bigger, I like to run the mirror from the backsplash all the way up to the ceiling. The larger the mirror, the bigger the impact. In bathrooms, mirrors provide both function and ambiance, brilliantly reflecting the scenes around them.

But don’t make the mistake of limiting mirrors to your bathrooms. Mirrors can be used like windows, creating the illusion that there is another room adjoining the one you are occupying. A mirror is also like a living painting, reflecting a changing picture every time the viewer moves. Always consider the view the mirror will be reflecting. Some views are great to accentuate. Others, not so much.

We recently added a mirror to our dining room where we had also hung a colorful piece of Italian artwork. Below the art, we splashed more color by resting flowers and glass decor on a buffet serving table. But this brilliant scene was only visible after entering the room. Once we added the mirror across from our scenic décor, the colors were carried back through the entrance, enabling us to enjoy it from our home’s entry and living room.

Proper Care

Mirrors are made by applying a thin layer of silver to glass. Yes, that’s real silver—and silver tarnishes easily when exposed to oxygen. Installation is important. Always choose professionals who specialize in this product. The mirror should be sealed after it is cut to fit your home, then well-secured for safety and so the highly reactive silver is well-protected from contact with other metals. A properly sealed edge and installation will help keep your mirror looking great indefinitely. Talk about a lasting impression!

Mirror Magic!

Other good places for a mirror? Aside from adding a decorative-window effect to your home, mirrors are great for your workout room or at a stair landing. And a full-length mirror at your closet is very helpful in providing a full picture of how you look. The same goes for having one at the entry for a last look before you leave.

Dollar for dollar, nothing punctuates and adds pizzazz quite like adding a plate-glass mirror to a room. Mirrors sparkle and brighten, adding dimension and multiplying surrounding features. Bright, brilliant, room-expanding, and easy to maintain, mirrors are a great way to add something special to your home.

Kevin and Terri Kartak, of AAA KARTAK Glass & Closet, are members of the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties (MBAKS). If you have a home improvement, remodeling, or residential homebuilding question you’d like answered by one of MBAKS’s nearly 3,000 members, write to homework@mbaks.com.