19 Bathroom Mirror Ideas for Upgrading Your Vanity

A decorative bathroom mirror enhances the vibe of a bathroom and works a little magic at the same time—giving the illusion of a brighter or larger space. Upgrade your bathroom’s style by swapping out your current mirror for something new.

By Kat Hodgins | Published Oct 31, 2022 5:26 PM

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Gold and black backsplash bathroom mirror idea

Photo: istockphoto.com

The bathroom mirror can make or break the aesthetic of the room. Decorative bathroom mirrors are an important feature in the primary ensuite, guest bathroom, or half bathroom. Mirrors can be functional too—offering storage space for bathroom products, potted plants, and more. When placed strategically, mirrors reflect light into dark corners, and enlarge the appearance of a bathroom.

Since the average person spends about 416 days of their life in the bathroom, choosing the right mirror is important, because you’re going to see it…a lot. From simple and elegant to technologically advanced, there are many mirror ideas out there. Here are 19 of our favorite unique bathroom mirrors.

1. Swivel Mirror

bathroom mirror ideas swivel mirror

Photo: magnolia.com

Offering a twist on a traditional oval mirror idea, the Aimee Oval Swivel Mirror mounts to the wall at the top and bottom, but the design enables users to modify its placement. Gently holding the frame, you can pivot this fancy bathroom mirror left to right. Natural light changes by the minute; the pivoting nature of this mirror helps you to catch the best light at any time of day. 

Designed with a simple, yet upscale style, with a hand-applied finish, this bathroom mirror idea available at Magnolia adds some sophistication to bathrooms with limited wall space.

2. Backlit LED Mirror

3D render of an Anten LED Backlit Mirror on a black hexagonal tile wall

Photo: amazon.com

Bring some drama to your bathroom mirror, by selecting a backlit option, or better yet, one that’s frontlit and backlit. These cool bathroom mirrors are an excellent option, as the LED lights illuminate your entire face with clear, even light—no more shadows!

A ANTEN’s mirror has a clean, modern appearance, but when the light comes on, it flips the atmosphere in the bathroom, especially if it’s not competing with a natural light source. With three color modes, adjustable brightness, and anti-fog settings available through smart touch functionality, this mirror does much more than simply reflect. To properly install the mirror (and hide the plug), we recommend having an electrician set it up.

3. Custom Cut-Out Mirror

Custom bathroom mirror and sink

Photo: Susie Hersker; Design Directives, LLC; Photographer: Dino Tonn

Take your bathroom vanity to a whole other level, by installing a custom cut-out mirror. Though it is possible to DIY a fancy bathroom mirror, it takes a bit of skill and the right tools—especially if you’re adding curved lines to the design. It may be preferred to bring your bathroom mirror designs to a professional mirror cutter to create a bespoke frameless mirror for your space. Large, frameless cut-out mirrors are generally supported by the backsplash and secured to the wall with strong mirror adhesive.

4. Arch Mirror

Art deco-style mirror with curved arch shapes on the top corners

Photo: wayfair.com

Add a touch of class without going too ornate with an arch mirror secured over the bathroom sink. The Rosario Arch Metal Mirror available at Wayfair is 36 inches tall by 18.25 inches wide, making one slender enough for many small half baths or a pair for use over double vanity sinks. Though unimposing, the gold bathroom mirror weighs approximately 16 pounds, so it’s best secured by mounting the mirror to a stud in the wall. 

5. Framed Mirror

DIY wood-framed bathroom mirror with a small hanging plant over a round vessel sink

Photo: Ohoh for BobVila.com

When you think of a mirror frame, you may think of something decorative, rather than something functional—but bathroom mirror frames can be both. Transform a simple mirror with a shadow box-inspired frame, and use the deep frame as a little bonus shelf. This small bathroom mirror transformation doesn’t take long, and can elevate the look of a bathroom for the price of your time and materials. 

6. Long and Narrow

Typical design advice for an ideal mirror size is that a bathroom mirror should be 4 to 6 inches narrower than the width of the vanity. Selecting a long and narrow mirror may break the traditional rule regarding size, but when design rules are broken well, the results can be stunning—just like this framed bathroom mirror idea. 

A narrow mirror is not only practical for a smaller bathroom, but also creates a long, vertical line, making the ceilings appear higher. Contemporary style like this often looks very chic in some minimalist homes, and can elevate the appearance of a small bathroom.

7. Modern Medicine Cabinet

Two square Kohler medicine cabinet mirrors hanging over a double vanity sink

Photo: amazon.com

Medicine cabinets have been around a long time with good reason. Behind the mirror, they offer a handy place to store all the little necessities in the bathroom, including medication, face wash, contact solution, makeup brushes, and more. 

Modern, minimalist medicine cabinets, like this frameless design from Kohler available at Amazon, offer practicality to a bathroom vanity. The small bathroom mirror is 20 inches tall by 16 inches wide by 5 inches deep, and the adjustable glass shelves accommodate sizes from large bottles to razor blade refills. Install the medicine cabinet in the wall cavity to give it a cleaner finished look.

8. Frame Bathroom Windows

Two bathroom windows over a double vanity sink framed by mirrors in an upscale bathroom

Photo: SEK Architects; Interior Design by Marla Mueller; Photo by Peter Rymwid

If you are fortunate enough to have larger windows in the bathroom, think outside the box when it comes to your decorative bathroom mirror. Hanging mirrors opposite windows does brighten a room, but depending on your layout, you may want to embrace a more unique bathroom mirror idea.

Use frameless mirrors—large or small—like tiles, and stick them to the wall with mounting adhesive. Depending on the style of your bathroom, you may opt to add trim to frame the mirrors’ perimeter.  

9. Smart Mirror

Aquadon Vision Smart Mirror

Photo: wayfair.com

Time is precious, and mornings often benefit from multitasking as much as possible. Installing a Vision Smart Mirror maximizes efficiency, giving you Bluetooth access to your calendar, news updates, traffic reports, weather, and more—including smart apps that connect to your favorite streaming services. In addition, the illumination ring around this cool bathroom mirror gives you the best light for getting ready to face the day.

10. Cross-Corner Mirror

Cross-corner bathroom mirror

Photo: etsy.com

Though you can hang these decorative bathroom mirrors horizontally, positioning them vertically gives the impression the walls and ceilings are higher than they appear. Frames that spill out over the corners add a flourish of design aesthetic that’s visually appealing, but not overwhelmingly ornate. Matching the color of the frame to other bathroom features, like cabinet hardware, light fixtures, or planters helps create a cohesive, compelling aesthetic.

11. Corner Vanity Mirrors

Corner bathroom vanity with a bathroom mirror on both walls

Photo: istockphoto.com

Corner vanities often come with the question: Which wall will have a bathroom mirror? However, who says you can only choose one wall? Here’s a vanity mirror idea: Instead of adding one bathroom mirror, double down and add two. This design suggestion works for both L-shaped vanities and triangle vanities. 

Dual mirrors reflect different aspects of the bathroom, making the room appear much bigger, and offer greater reflection of natural light, bringing in more brightness than one mirror. With this setup, you should be able to see yourself in both mirrors at the same time. If the corner’s angle is less than 90 degrees, make sure to space the mirrors away from the corner. If you mount frameless mirrors directly where walls meet at an acute angle, it can produce three or more images of the person in front of it, and may give your bathroom more of a funhouse feel than a charming aesthetic.

12. Coastal Mirror

Coastal design is all about evoking the soft tones, natural light, and aesthetics of the shore. It’s peaceful and serene without being kitschy. This cool bathroom mirror feeds into this design aesthetic, with neutral or light colors, materials that remind us of the beach or ocean, and a round shape that brings softness to a room.

13. Shelf Mirror

Small black bathroom mirror with a metal shelf built into its frame

Photo: wayfair.com

There is always usable space that can be found in a bathroom. Instead of cluttering up your countertop, install a bathroom mirror with a built-in shelf. We like this Gracie Oaks metal wall mirror available at Wayfair for its design and functionality. 

The rounded black corners and minimalist iron shelf guard looks great, and the slender rail ensures whatever you store there doesn’t tumble down by accident. At 16 inches tall by 35.75 inches wide and 6.5 inches deep, the mirror is wide enough to see a face and still use the shelf for small planters and personal care items.

14. Half-Moon Mirror

Wide half-moon bathroom mirror hanging over a double vanity sink

Photo: etsy.com


Most often bathroom mirrors are squares, rectangles, ovals, or circles. When it comes to bathroom mirror ideas, you’re not limited to the typical. You can choose something a bit more unique, like these thin-framed half-circle mirrors from ModelLineDesign on Etsy

This half-moon shape takes the hard straight line of a quadrilateral and the soft arc of a circle, creating a shape which ties nicely into bathrooms that have both right angles and softer shapes. The bigger the size, the heavier the mirror, which is why these particular half-moon bathroom mirrors attach to the wall with durable French cleats.

15. Distressed Farmhouse Mirror

Wide rectangular bathroom mirror framed by dark reclaimed wood with distressed wood grain

Photo: etsy.com


Whether it’s for your family cabin or a rustic-style home, a farmhouse mirror makes a water closet feel a bit more cozy. Plus, thick, wood-framed farmhouse mirrors look amazing in a bathroom with a freestanding tub, mismatched textures, and timber shelves. 

MullerDesignsCA makes decorative bathroom mirrors with big frames to suit this aesthetic. This bathroom mirror can fit in with the other elements of the room, but not be matchy-matchy. Customers can select from a range of sizes and colors, to get just the right look for their bathroom. The construction is reinforced for a secure hold, and German-made hardware supports the weight of the mirror. 

16. Barn Door Mirror

Bathroom mirror on a barn door-inspired track over a double vanity sink

Photo: wayfair.com

Carry a design element from other areas of your home into the bathroom for a more cohesive style throughout. For instance, the barn door you have to your laundry room translates well in a bathroom too. Except instead of being a door, it’s a mirror.

This Laurel Foundry Modern Farmhouse Barn Door Mirror is functional artwork for your bathroom. The wood-framed mirror comes in 10 finishes and four different size options to suit varying requirements. It comes with a 72-inch track, which can be sized down by a handy DIYer. This bathroom mirror idea can be used for style, to roll over a window for privacy, or to cover an inset medicine cabinet.

17. Large Recessed Medicine Cabinet

bathroom mirror ideas

Photo: istockphoto.com


A clean, modern look does not pair well with cluttered countertops. Hygiene product lovers and makeup enthusiasts need a place to organize their supplies. This Glass Warehouse oversized recessed medicine cabinet mirror available at Wayfair is enormous, measuring 32 inches tall, 48 inches wide, and about 5 inches deep. As this bathroom mirror has three soft-close doors and four adjustable glass shelves, there’s hardly a need for additional shelving in the bathroom. 

Being an inset medicine cabinet, it needs to be installed directly in the wall. Once in place, the mirrored doors only stick out 1-inch from the wall, making it an incredible space-saver.

18. Round Frontlit Mirror

bathroom mirror ideas round frontlit mirror

Photo: istockphoto.com

A bathroom mirror is a focal point in many bathrooms, and it’s hard to go wrong with a round mirror—especially one that makes a statement. Small vanities and pedestal sinks look balanced with a round mirror, even one with an ornate frame, providing it suits the design elements of the rest of the room. 

Opting for a frontlit bathroom mirror with a built-in ring light gives you one very important perk, it evens out the lighting. You can shave or apply makeup with precision, so you can leave the house looking your best.

19. Unconventional Mirror Hanging

Tall half-moon bathroom mirror with backlighting hanging over a bathroom sink and washer

Photo: istockphoto.com


Before you secure your mirror to the wall, experiment a little with the positioning. Though a mirror may be built to hang in a certain direction, there’s nothing to stop you from rotating the mirror, mounting it on an angle, or adding your own lighting or frame to make it your own. 

When implementing some unique bathroom mirror ideas, keep a sense of balance in place. For example, a half-moon mirror hung vertically adds some visual weight to one side of the bathroom vanity. Adding some decor detail—lanterns, a hanging plant, or a small sculpture—makes the mirror feel balanced and not off-kilter.