A Guide to the Perfect Bathroom Mirror

One of the most often overlooked yet important parts of any bathroom is the mirror. It's amazing how such a simple thing can make a huge difference to your bathroom. A well chosen and well placed mirror can add light and a feeling of warmth to your room, making your whole bathing experience much more cosy, relaxing and luxurious.

A good bathroom mirror is especially important in smaller rooms. When space is at a premium, a mirror will create the illusion of extra space and light - this is especially useful for ensuites and guest bathrooms. This effect is magnified further when using more than one mirror, as well as enhancing the decor and features of your room. While the importance of a mirror is beyond question, it is essential that a suitable mirror type is chosen. Read on to find out about the various types of mirror on offer, the advantages of each, and to discover what type of mirror is the perfect match for your bathroom...

"Why Can't I Use Just An Ordinary Or Wooden Bathroom Mirror?"

It may be tempting to choose a wooden mirror for your bathroom, given their relatively cheap price. Many choose wood for their mirror frame believing it will provide a rustic, traditional or vintage feel for their bathroom renovation. While this may be true, the big problem you'll encounter with wooden bathroom mirrors is moisture. Regardless of how expensive or well-made a wooden mirror may be, it will still succumb to the damaging effects of the high moisture levels in your bathroom.

Hot steam, splashing and a generally moist and damp atmosphere is the worst thing for wood. The wet environment of your bathroom will, over time, rot and wither any wooden mirror frame. Wet wood can crack, warp and wither over time, ruining the look of your whole bathroom. This is not to mention the bacteria that gathers in wet, untreated wood. Many mirrors feature wooden backboards and supports which can also be damaged by moisture. This is why we insist on selling only metal, moisture resistant bathroom mirrors, to ensure your stunning new bathroom fittings will still be looking great in years to come.

Illuminated Or LED Bathroom Mirrors

A real enhancement to any bathroom can be provided via LED Illumination, or indeed any kind of light on your mirror. These can dramatically transform a dark and dingy room into a welcoming and inviting bathing environment. A good illuminated mirror can bring your bathroom to light, adding a warm glow that will enhance the relaxing and luxurious aura of your bathroom. Highly popular for ensuites and smaller rooms, Illuminated or LED lit bathroom mirrors reduce gloom and can make a room feel larger and more expansive.

LED lit bathroom mirrors are the most popular, thanks to the brilliant light output the tiny LED bulbs produce. LED bulbs are dramatically more energy efficient than a standard bulb, helping to reduce electricity costs - as well as coating your bathroom in a soothing, flicker-free light. These mirrors are usually wired directly in to your mains supply, but can on occasion be provided battery operated.

Many of the LED Illuminated mirrors we sell come complete with in-built demister pads, shaving sockets and clocks - more info on these features can be found below.

Backlit Mirrors

Also highly popular are Backlit Bathroom Mirrors. These offer the same advantages as those listed above, but can be slightly cheaper depending on the size of the mirror in question. The difference between a Backlit and standard LED Illuminated mirror is where the bulbs / lighting source is situated. Backlit mirrors have their bulbs mounted towards the back of the mirror, with the light shining beautifully through carefully etched shapes in the glass. This is opposed to the mirrors above, which have their bulbs mounted on top of or within the mirror surface.

Thanks to their backlit design, these mirrors can incorporate a wider range of lighting shapes than many other types of mirror, allowing new and unusual styles and designs which can truly make your bathroom stand out from the crowd. While often not quite as bright as the LED mirrors above, these provide a subtle and warming glow which would greatly benefit the feel of any bathroom. These mirrors are the perfect thing for your morning shave or checking your make-up.

We currently have five eye-catching designs available in our Backlit Mirror range, as well as more information on the various designs available.

Mirror Cabinets

In today's modern homes, space is increasingly at a premium - this is especially the case in many modern apartments and in guest or ensuite bathrooms. In situations like this, it is advisable to make the most of every inch of space you can. This is where a good Mirror Cabinet can make a real difference. Combining all the stylish looks and excellent design from the mirrors above, with a practical storage solution, a good cabinet can be an essential part of any bathroom.

The Cabinet Mirrors in our range, for example, have a stylish and memorable mirror front, behind which lies a sturdy and well designed shelved storage unit. These are perfect for tidying away the many jars, bottles and other items that would otherwise clutter up your bathroom - all the while having these items easily within reach. The most popular mirrored cabinets are currently either in chrome / aluminium or white, as these are by far the most fashionable looks currently on the market.

The advantages of this type of mirror are many, so it is easy to see why millions of homes throughout the UK have a mirrored cabinet in their bathroom.