In this guide
- Where to put a mirror in the bedroom
- Bed facing mirror: yes or no?
- Above bed mirror: proportions and height
- Hanging a mirror above the bed safely
- The full-length mirror: seeing yourself head to toe
- Which shape for bedroom mirrors
- Mirrors and lamplight in the bedroom
- Mistakes to avoid
- Frequently asked questions
A bed facing mirror is the first idea most people have, and the one that divides opinion the most. In a bedroom, a mirror does two jobs: it helps you get dressed, and it works with the light in a room that is often smaller and darker than the living room. Placed badly, it bounces a streetlight into your eyes at night or shows you at your worst angle when you wake up. Placed well, it doubles the morning light and gives the wall depth.
This guide covers the three classic spots (across from the bed, above the bed, full length by the closet), with the measurements that work and the mounting precautions that matter above a place where you sleep.
In a bedroom, hang the mirror on a wall perpendicular to the window: it spreads daylight without reflecting you from the bed. Above the bed, choose a width of about two thirds of the headboard and leave 8 to 12 in (20 to 30 cm) of space. A bed facing mirror works if the room stays dark at night.
Where to put a mirror in the bedroom
Start with the window. It decides everything: a mirror creates no light of its own, it only returns the light it receives.
On the wall perpendicular to the window
This is the safest spot. The mirror catches low morning light and sends it toward the back of the room. It is not in line with the bed, and you are not backlit when you look at yourself. A 20 × 60 in (50 × 150 cm) mirror on this wall is enough to brighten a bedroom of about 130 sq ft (12 m²).
Next to the closet or dresser
For getting dressed, the mirror belongs where you choose your clothes, with at least 5 ft (1.5 m) of space in front to see yourself head to toe. A full-length mirror leaned against the wall next to the closet means no drilling, and it can move with the seasons.
By the bedroom door
A mirror beside the door, inside the room, gives you a last look before you leave. It does not face the bed and stays out of sight from under the covers.
Bed facing mirror: yes or no?
A mirror across from the bed has one real advantage: it is often the only large free wall, and a big mirror there makes the room look noticeably larger. It also has three concrete drawbacks.
- Reflections at night. Light from an alarm clock, a standby screen or a streetlight bounces back toward your eyes. If you sleep badly, this is the first thing to check.
- Movement in your field of view. Waking up at night and seeing a figure move is startling, even when you know it is you.
- Tradition. Mirror facing bed feng shui advice says no. It is a belief, not a physical rule, but many people simply feel calmer without it.
If you want the mirror there anyway, three fixes reduce the problems: shift the mirror so it does not reflect the mattress from the pillow, tilt it slightly upward (a mirror leaned on the floor against the wall does this naturally), or add blackout curtains to cut outside light. An adjustable floor mirror can be angled in seconds and turned toward the wall at night.
Above bed mirror: proportions and height
Above the headboard, the mirror takes the place of a painting. It works best horizontal or arched, and it should never be wider than the bed. The two-thirds rule applies here too.
| Bed width | Mirror width | Space above the headboard |
|---|---|---|
| 35 in (90 cm) | 22 to 26 in (55 to 65 cm) | 8 to 10 in (20 to 25 cm) |
| 55 in (140 cm) | 35 to 39 in (90 to 100 cm) | 8 to 12 in (20 to 30 cm) |
| 63 in (160 cm) | 39 to 43 in (100 to 110 cm) | 8 to 12 in (20 to 30 cm) |
| 71 in (180 cm) | 47 to 51 in (120 to 130 cm) | 10 to 12 in (25 to 30 cm) |
A standard queen bed, 60 in wide, sits between the last two rows: aim for a mirror about 40 in (100 cm) wide. Without a headboard, use the top of the pillows as your guide: the bottom of the mirror goes 12 to 16 in (30 to 40 cm) above them, roughly 37 to 43 in (95 to 110 cm) from the floor on a standard bed. For a boho bedroom, two narrow 16 in (40 cm) arched mirrors spaced 4 in (10 cm) apart can replace one large mirror and read as a faux headboard.
Hanging a mirror above the bed safely
This is where mounting matters most, because you sleep underneath. Glass 4 mm thick weighs about 2 lb per sq ft (10 kg per m²), and 5 mm glass about 2.6 lb per sq ft (12.5 kg per m²): a 43 × 28 in (110 × 70 cm) mirror already reaches 18 to 22 lb (8 to 10 kg) with its frame.
- Never hang it from a single wire on one nail. Use two screwed anchor points, or a French cleat (a beveled wall rail) that spreads the load.
- Match the anchor to the wall: metal expansion anchors for drywall, anchors designed for hollow brick, standard plastic anchors in solid concrete.
- Check the load rating on the anchor packaging and keep a comfortable margin over the real weight of the mirror.
- Before drilling, locate electrical cables: avoid drilling straight above, below or beside an outlet or a switch, where wires often run. A stud and wire detector removes the doubt.
The full-length mirror: seeing yourself head to toe
A simple rule of optics: to see your whole body, you only need a mirror half your height, whatever the distance. A person 5 ft 7 in (170 cm) tall sees themselves fully in a 33 in (85 cm) mirror, provided its top edge sits just above eye level. In practice, choose taller (55 to 67 in, or 140 to 170 cm) so everyone in the household can see themselves without adjusting it, and to gain the space-enlarging effect.
A mirror leaned on the floor against the wall should be secured with an anti-tip strap, especially with children or pets. A model on an easel stand is designed to stand on its own. Either way, keep 12 to 16 in (30 to 40 cm) of clearance in front so you do not knock it in passing.
Which shape for bedroom mirrors
A bedroom calls for soft shapes. A round mirror in bedroom settings, 24 to 32 in (60 to 80 cm) across, softens a straight headboard and suits japandi bedrooms: see our round mirrors. An arch adds height under a ceiling of about 8 ft (2.5 m). An oval, full length, lengthens the silhouette. In a boho bedroom, a rattan sunburst works above the bed on its own at 28 to 35 in (70 to 90 cm) across: being light, it weighs only a few pounds. A light wood frame warms white walls, and a black metal frame gives structure to a room in sand tones.
Mirrors and lamplight in the bedroom
In the evening, the mirror reflects your lamps. A bedside lamp placed next to a mirror doubles its glow, as long as you choose a warm bulb, around 2700 K, and place it so the bare bulb is not visible in the reflection from the bed. A shade that is opaque at the top solves this. For a dressing mirror, a more neutral light (3000 K) placed in front or on both sides avoids shadows under the eyes.
Mistakes to avoid
- A mirror that is too small above a large bed: it looks like it is floating. Stay within the two-thirds range.
- A mirror that reflects a cluttered wall or a pile of laundry: it doubles the mess.
- A mirror with its back to the window: you only see a dark silhouette.
- Light-duty hardware above the bed. Two screwed anchor points, always.
To go further, browse our wall mirrors by shape and size, with your bed measurements at hand.
