WRITTEN BY Sarah Pickard of Pickard Design Studio
Recently, residential bathrooms have started to mimic a trend that first appeared in hotel bathrooms, where lighting and reflection are showcased as the two most important design elements in the room. Instead of making mirrors an afterthought and placing them in predictable places, designers have begun to use them as visual focal points and sources of innovative design inspiration.
The biggest bathroom trend we are seeing at Pickard Design Studio is the emergence of electric mirrors, which have been used in commercial spaces for years. Hotels, country clubs, commercial restrooms and other similar spaces have all utilized these mirrors to illuminate spaces with minimal natural light. The lighting issues in residential bathrooms are no different, and electric mirrors provide endless creative solutions. Electric mirrors may be framed, frameless, square or round, and some even allow homeowners to install functional technology, like TV’s and additional USB or electrical outlets, for convenience.
People love these mirrors, not only because they bring an element of high fashion to one of the most intimate spaces in the home, but also because they cast light directly on the face, eliminating the unwanted shadows that overhead light sources often create. Additionally, Pickard Design Studio clients rave about the spa or resort-like feeling these mirrors bring to spaces where we’ve used their unique lighting to bring an element of tranquility and calm to the bathroom.
These mirrors can also provide solutions for bathrooms where wall space has become a design issue. If you don’t have enough room to display or hang actual artwork in the bathroom, consider using a mirror that makes the art for you. Mist Images is a company that creates mirrors with intricate patterns, scenes or custom graphics that are only visible after the mirror’s surface is exposed to steam, creating a visually engaging focal point.
The bigger the mirror, the better. If you have two sinks, consider using two mirrors centered over the sink bowls. If you install a decorative finish on the wall behind a mirror, we recommend using a minimum of four inches around the framed mirror to highlight the decorative finish and let the mirror stand out.
For an easy bathroom makeover, consider painting your existing mirror frame a contrasting color or metallic finish. Additionally, shopping at antique stores for old frames to pair with a furniture vanity is a quick and easy way to liven up a room. The contrast of aged and fresh elements makes for a visually appealing contrast.
Brilliant ideas, as always, from Sarah Pickard