4 min readMirrors are a designer’s best friend. They make a small room feel larger, a dark room feel brighter, and invite dimension into an interior. Sometimes, though, even a regular flat mirror doesn’t bring enough movement and playfulness to a space to satisfy the decorator, whether that’s an expert or a regular homeowner. When this is the case, designers reach for something that’s been around for centuries: the convex mirror.
Though convex mirrors have a somewhat “trippy” appearance and feel like an ultramodern design detail, they actually gained popularity during the Renaissance, according to The Convex Mirror Company. These bulging, reflective pieces of decor were used in grand halls and large spaces as they could reflect much more of the rooms they were in compared to a flat mirror.
“The mirrors were a creative and practical way for a person to see and monitor the entire room while appearing discreet,” adds Stephanie Hunt of design firm The Flairhunter. Hunt has been using convex mirrors in her designs for over 25 years, and though they may have originally been used in more formal spaces throughout history, she explains that those rules don’t apply today. “If you love a convex mirror as I do, you can always find one that matches your decor style. Or, better yet, add a bit of flair by choosing a convex mirror that mixes genres for something more interesting.”
Because these mirrors are bolder than others, it can be tricky to know how to decorate with them. We asked Hunt and two other designers to share how they use this historic design detail in a home, and they gave us all their expert tips.
Treat It Like Artwork
Designer Jeanne Hayes, founder of Camden Grace Interiors, suggests thinking about a convex mirror as a piece of artwork. Though mirror selfies always look cooler in a piece like this, this isn’t the reflective decor you’d want to gaze into while getting ready for the day, so don’t treat it as a regular mirror. Display one or a few in a group (like in this dining room) above a console, fireplace, or built-in, and lean into them as a sculptural focal point.
Though at one point these were displayed in ornate, gilded frames, Hayes emphasizes that this older and more luxurious origin is what makes convex mirrors so versatile today. “In a traditional room, they can feel collected and timeless, while in a more contemporary space, they read sculptural and fresh.”
Pay Attention to the Reflection
Look back at how convex mirrors were used in the Renaissance and go into the design process with the same intention. “Convex mirrors capture a wide view, so place them where they'll reflect something beautiful—natural light, architectural details, or a well-styled vignette,” Hayes says.
Regular artwork would’ve still looked beautiful in the above alcove, but Hayes was able to bring the color palette to this wood-paneled niche more naturally with the artfully hung convex mirrors. Inside, the exact hues of the room are reflected at you and break up this darkened space.
They feel like an unexpected element, almost like they’re windows into another world. “Mixing periods and styles often creates the most interesting interiors, and a convex mirror can be the element that keeps a room from feeling too expected.”
Frame It Carefully
Some convex mirrors come frameless, others don’t, and it’s important as the decorator of your home to know how to style them. Gina Elkins of Studio Casa Vita says if you’re going to go with a framed option, then choose a wide frame. Whereas if you’re going frameless, then create a curated grouping of various sizes, like a gallery wall, or a grid arrangement to make the collection look more like an intentional art moment.
In this rustic entryway, Elkins used a single large convex mirror with a bulky frame to add juxtaposition and balance against the aged brick floors and pecky cypress ceiling boards. “The wide frame keeps it from reading as too stark or modern, and painting it to match the house trim color helped it feel less like a decor moment and more like an extension of the architecture itself,” she explains.
Size Matters
As with many other design choices, be mindful of the proportions in your home. You likely wouldn’t install a giant U-shaped sectional into a tiny living room, and you shouldn’t put in a convex mirror that looks awkward in the space.
“In order to avoid looking like a convenience store security mirror, convex mirrors need to be designed at just the right scale in relation to the space around them,” Elkins says. “However, intentionally oversized or undersized can lean into the playful nature these mirrors are known for.”
Put Them Outdoors
Take the fun outside and put a convex mirror against your house near your garden or outdoor kitchen. Hunt added a very nautical one she found while vintage shopping to the front porch of a recent project. “To me, it is really just art reflecting the oaks and agaves in this Montecito bungalow,” she says. It fits the vibe of the coastal town, and the brass detailing gives it even more intrigue.
Pair Them Together
Convex mirrors don’t have to be focal points of a space—place them somewhere people won’t immediately be drawn to, like right below the ceiling or scattered throughout a classic art-filled gallery wall. “I love using a trio in staggered sizes for an odd strip of horizontal wall,” Hunt explains. “This works especially well over a window if there aren’t window treatments mounted over it.”
Even when they’re not placed at eye-level, they add such a unique feel to any type of space, whether it’s ultra-modern, moody and elevated, or classically traditional.
