Illuminated Mirrors Blog

On-trend organically shaped pebble mirrors.

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This year we are seeing a growing love of beautiful imperfection and refreshing authenticity in bathroom design and styling. Gone are the days of symmetrical spaces with perfectly shaped objects. Instead, we are moving to a place of comfort and injecting a sense of serenity and harmony into the room. This trend is very much inspired by the social directions of mindfulness, quality of life and enhancing the home environment.

Bespoke Illuminated mirror with walnut frame

Embracing the forms seen in the natural world, with many flowing lines and curves, one of the ways in which we see this styling trend taking shape in the bathroom is through pebble shaped, organic looking mirrors.

By their very function, bathrooms can sometimes appear a little sterile, so organic-shaped mirrors help create a striking focal point, and bring an understated and elegant, free-flowing asymmetrical design quality to the interior.

How to style with an organic shaped mirror:

Before embarking on any bathroom styling project, it is important to think about the bathroom interior design holistically, as there are many pebble shaped mirrors options, all providing a slightly different aesthetic. It is therefore a good idea to consider how you want your bathroom identity to look, before investing in a pebble style mirror.

Stripped back simplicity:

Frameless organic shaped mirrors softly finish off a pared back, effortless Scandinavian, or Minimalist bathroom. Combine with simple fixtures and fittings, clean lines, and subtle colour palettes. This look is unfussy, simple, and structured with a soft elegance and knowingly understated style. Less is more here, both in terms of colour and design.

Sculptural and stylish:

Acrylic edge-lit pebble mirror

Pebble shaped mirrors with acrylic edges offer a contemporary style which provides a sculptural, modern, and minimal style. They can be paired perfectly with sleek materials such as granite and marble and help create a break in the straight lines of the rest of the bathroom. Combine natural materials with high end finishes to complete the look. – Think polished concrete, floor to ceiling marble, and dark, statement furniture.

Introduce a pop of colour through the mirror frame edge, and thread the same hue through the rest of the room. – Be sure to repeat it at least three times within the bathroom to help balance and subliminally tie everything together visually for a harmonious design.

Go Boho

Mirrors with natural, timber edged frames work well for a warmer, bohemian styled bathroom. Pair with other nature inspired elements such as stoneware or bamboo for a tranquil scheme. Add an earthy colour palette of Olive green, Terracotta and Clay for a Bohemian vibe, or stick to calming off-whites and Greige for a Japandi theme. This trend works particularly well for eco-friendly or sustainable styling in bathrooms

Enhance with elegance:

Frosted edge-lit pebble mirror

Organic bathroom mirrors with frosted edging add a little sense of luxury to a naturally styled bathroom. They subtly finish off the mirror to create a refined frame that doesn’t draw attention too strongly and instead finishes off the room with elegance.

Having an illuminated frosted edge also makes a great contemporary alternative to heavier, metal frames.

Top tips for styling bathrooms with organic shaped mirrors:

  • Avoid combining this mirror type with harsh geometric prints, in favour of natural, organic shapes. Think about natural elements; the irregularity of mountains, rivers and seascapes and be inspired by these. Geometrics with hard lines are unlikely to sit well with a pebble shape. Instead, pair the soft, flowing lines of the mirror with accessories that have the same design principles such as asymmetrical, wavy curves. This will help coordinate the scheme and pull it all together.
  • Enhance the feeling of nature by hanging the organic styled mirror opposite a window to reflect the outside back into the room. Seeing greenery from the outdoors will highlight the natural elements in the room and help elevate well-being too. Mirrors are also a great way to bounce and reflect daylight back into the bathroom, too which can really help brighten the space.
  • Pair an irregular edged mirror with rounded or oval shaped basin and rounded taps. Friendly, soft, and understated design with rounded corners will tie the whole interior style together. Just one or two angled or hard lined objects are enough to cause a discord within an interior scheme, so favour softer lines to match your organic scheme.
  • Select mirrors with lighting already built in to draw attention and really add impact to a wall, as well as offering a practical lighting solution, too.
  • For a sleek and understated appeal, select a subtle, slimline mirror to finish off the bathroom.

How to wow with Worn Gold

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There has been a welcomed resurgence lately of the use of warm metals such as Copper, Bronze, and Gold, particularly within a bathroom environment. More recently, this trend has embraced the aesthetic of a little imperfection, to create understated and effortless style and opulence, through the appearance of Worn Gold.

This sense of glamour and luxury was previously mainly seen in boutique hotels, but you only have to look online to see that it has become a big trend within our homes – because who doesn’t want a hint of splendour?

Using Gold in the bathroom doesn’t necessarily mean that it will result in a traditional aesthetic; you can style a Worn Gold bathroom with classic, glamorous looks as well as an edgier, more modern industrial chic, through just a few tweaks to fixtures and fittings selections.

The main thing to remember is that Worn Gold has the effect of a patina to it which gives it the more rustic, lived-in look. This is key to creating a bathroom that exudes effortless warmth and sophistication.

So, if you’re looking for ways to re-style your bathroom from drab to fab with a Worn Gold vibe, here are our top tips to get the look. >>

Consider your colour palette

When planning your Worn gold bathroom, try to create a mood board that encompasses the styling and colour palette that you’d like to achieve. A few things to consider are whether you want Gold to be the main colour, or perhaps a highlight within the scheme.

Here are a few of our favourite Old Gold palette combinations for inspiration:

Dusky rose and olive green are soft and understated colours that create a light and natural combination. Add worn gold fixtures and fittings to this palette to style a premium look and feel. 

For a more industrial take on the trend, adding deep, saturated colours such as navy or charcoal will complement the gold in the room and make it pop.

Alternatively, fresh white and stoneware such as white/neutral marble and granite can give a more subtle backdrop to Worn Gold.

Be bold with brassware

Brushed brass or gold effect taps, and shower heads are a sure-fire way of pulling in a hint of refined luxury to elevate your bathroom and create a worn gold bathroom scheme.

Updating other fixtures and fittings such as furniture door and drawer handles to tie in, will help create a coordinated, seamless aesthetic that easily hangs together, and is a great way to ensure that any existing cabinets align with your new look.

Top Tip! >> Leave the super-shiny, highly polished brassware for another scheme, and instead look for brushed and matte finishes for a raw aesthetic.

Add wow factor to your walls and floors

The right wall and floor coverings can help ground an interior scheme. Since they affect the largest expanse of space in a bathroom, they are one of the key decisions to make when it comes to directing the interior design.

If you enjoy pattern, add a feminine flourish to your worn gold scheme by selecting an opulent wallpaper in a bold print. Enlarged botanicals with metallic gold in are a great way to thread the colour palette through the room and will create a vibrant, maximalist scheme.

Top tip >> When selecting a bolder print, it’s important to consider whether you want to create a feature wall or if it’s a design you’d like to envelope the whole room with. Busy prints are best used in small doses, whereas less detailed designs can more easily be used in the whole room, regardless of print size.

In contrast, abstract and geometric designs can offer interest in a sleek and modern scheme.

Top tip >> When wallpapering a bathroom, use decorators varnish to seal it and make it splash-proof, or better still, choose one that’s suitable for scrubbing/wiping down.

To wholly embrace the worn look and feel, consider selecting Worn gold bathroom tiles like these by Crown. To get the maximum realistic patina effect of this tile, it is worth covering a large expanse of space.

Aged-gold effect travertine tiles are a good option for a worn looking floor, or for smaller budgets, a similar look can also be achieved with lino.

Illuminate the room  

When considering lighting for your Worn Gold bathroom, continue the brushed or worn brass effect through to your lighting selections.

Where space allows, brushed metal wall sconces make a great style statement. Team with white gloss shades for an elegant, Scandi style.

For an industrial style bathroom, worn gold metal wall lights paired with charcoal and other darker hues can provide an edgier, more modern feel.

Top tip >> To enhance the golden glow, choose warm white lighting instead of cooler, blue light which can leave a space feeling more clinical and less welcoming.

Fabulous finishing touches

An effective way of instantly enhancing a Worn Gold styled bathroom is with a few finishing flourishes such as mirrors and accessories.

Neutral towels with texture such as waffle weaves and seer sucker styles work well with worn gold and will contrast nicely.

Darker colours pair nicely with Gold and can really add drama to a space.

Brushed brass bathroom accessories are a great way to continue the theme and finish it all off. It is well worth paying attention to small details such as the pump and any other brassware on the accessories, to ensure that the scheme ties in tonally and that the metals all sit well together.

Mirrors with matte gold or brushed gold edges can really level up a bathroom, amplify a scheme and are often the key ingredient in grounding and combining an aesthetic.

For a stronger reference to the gold scheme, select mirrors with larger frames where the gold effect is more prominent, and for more subtle, modern takes on the look, choose mirrors with thinner gold frames to pull the interior together in an understated and elegant way.

Let there be lighting!

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Choosing the lighting for a bathroom is a big decision which requires a little foresight and planning. From aesthetics and style to functionality and safety, there are a number of factors to consider when selecting bathroom lighting that delivers both practically as well as visually.

One of the main aspects to consider, is bathroom lighting safety, which is of paramount importance, and why it is always recommended that a trained electrician installs any new bathroom lighting. There are a number of regulations to adhere to, including IP rating, which measures the likelihood of steam or water accessing the light fitting, placements of fixtures within the different zones of bathrooms, and the general suitability of lighting fixtures and fittings for bathrooms.

Bathrooms are predominantly bathing spaces… So why is good bathroom lighting such an important aspect of the design?

Often in smaller rooms, or if the bathroom is in the middle of the home, there may very little, and sometimes even no source of natural light. In this scenario bathroom lighting will often be selected as a substitute for natural light. This means that it needs to do more than simply brighten the room, and so several light sources are likely needed to cover various tasks and functions.

Bathrooms are where we do a lot of preparation for the day – from makeup to shaving, to hair, we need to be able to see clear detail (and often on a microscopic level!) Decent lighting will make these jobs a lot easier to do!

From an interior design perspective, better bathroom lighting can immediately transform a space, and it also helps draw attention to certain aspects of a room.

You can save on the cost of energy by investing in decent lighting solutions. By selecting energy efficient lighting such as LED’s, you will use less power consumption which means that the lights will last a lot longer, prolonging their use as well as protecting your wallet a little in the process.

Bathroom dimmer switches are also an energy efficient option, as even on their brightest setting they use significantly less electricity than a standard light switch. As well as adding a subtle ambient glow, dimmers can also help with the adjustment of your eyes between darkness and light – a gentle way to ease into those dark winter mornings!

So now we’re fully versed in what is so amazing about great bathroom lighting, what are the different types, and why do we need them?

If you have begun your research into bathroom lighting, you may have noticed that there are a broad range of different types on the market. The key thing to note is to use lighting to layer and highlight different zones of the room, enhancing experience and functionality of those areas dependent upon their usage.

  • Recessed spotlights

Spotlights sit within the ceiling so that the lightbulb is flush with the ceiling surface. By positioning spotlights equally throughout the bathroom, you can ensure that the room is evenly lit for general lighting use. They’re a great option for smaller spaces, since they don’t encroach into the bathroom itself at all.

  • Short bathroom ceiling lights

If space is not an issue, ceiling lights make great alternatives to recessed spots. Choose a short ceiling light that sits up to and over the ceiling fitting to light the bathroom as a whole.

  • Bathroom ceiling chandeliers

Used to enhance a space visually and add a little luxurious elegance, a chandelier is a great option for adding a show-stopping statement to larger bathrooms.

Top tip >> Before hanging chandeliers, ensure that you check the weight and bathroom suitability first.

  • Bathroom wall lights

Often positioned to frame the sides of a mirror, wall lights are frequently selected for their decorative qualities as well as for their functionality. Usually chosen to add a soft glow to a room, they’re an ambient addition that has the additional use of helping brighten the space.

Top tip >> Since many bathrooms are tiled, the installation of wall lighting fixtures and fittings always needs to be planned intricately as selecting the wrong position can have costly implications.

  • Bathroom mirror lights

Used to enhance and illuminate a bathroom mirror, bathroom mirror lights can usually be found around the edge of the mirror frame. Depending upon the design, the lights are positioned to the sides, top or bottom of the mirror and can emit anything from a soft glow to stronger lighting appropriate for such tasks as the application of makeup and shaving. Whilst not designed to be the primary or sole light-source of a bathroom, they do provide optimal lighting for beauty regimes.

Top tip >> Consider how bright you need your lighting to be. For example, do you require strong, focussed light directed to one specific area, or perhaps it’s more of an overall glow to enhance the whole room? Brightness is measured in Lumens, so it is a good idea to take the time to check and compare the Lumens across different LED lights.

Once you have established the type of lighting that you would like for your bathroom, another key consideration is the temperature of light.

By temperature we mean how ‘cool’ (blue toned) or ‘warm’ (yellow toned) a light is, which is measured in Kelvins (K).

Generally speaking, a warmer light (around 3000 Kelvins) will emit a gentle, more flattering and even glow – ideal for photographs and for assessing how you may look in an environment with softer light. Cooler, more natural lighting (around 5000 Kelvins) provides a more intense, harsher light, and is therefore more suitable for tasks such as makeup application as it provides a true reflection of detail and colour.

So, which is better?

The temperature of the light is therefore an important decision to make when it comes to installing lighting. Ideally, if you are looking for both task lighting in the bathroom and would also like the ability to be able to see how you would look in varying lighting environments, then it may be worth considering illuminated mirrors that have the benefit of being able to switch between different lighting temperatures.

The best of both …

All our UK manufactured mirrors use CCT (corrective colour temperature) LED lighting, which enables the user to flip between 3000K and 5000K, meaning that you can quickly see your reflection in different lighting scenarios and feel better prepared for your day (or night) ahead.

Colour corrective temperature lighting also means that you can mimic the natural light of a day, by setting it to 5000K for the cooler light of a morning (an ideal setting to gradually wake you up for a morning shower!) and you can then change it to 3000K to appear warmer for the evenings – ideal to create a calming atmosphere for bedtime. This can be especially helpful in supporting and enhancing circadian rhythms, and for helping children with night time routines too.

Design your bathroom lighting to coordinate with your interior.

Lighting a bathroom needn’t only be about the technical aspects of design. There are also ways to add more colour to an interior, solely with clever lighting. If you are looking to add pops of colour as well as better lighting, then it is worth considering colour changing LED lights.

Ultra-versatile dual white LED lights, coupled with our Spa Mode lighting can instantly and dramatically change the look of the interior simply with the flick of a switch. Used within many of our mirrors, you can quickly and easily control the light colour of a room and therefore the mood and aura too.

For example, if your bathroom is all white, you can inject colourful yellow and orange lights to add warmth and a welcoming feel for visitors.

Calming blues and greens can add a spa-like sanctuary feel, perfect for relaxing baths and R&R.

To find out more about lighting options within our mirrors, take a look at the collection here

Fabulous framed mirrors

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Framed mirrors are most certainly on an upward trajectory in terms of 2022 style stakes, and so if you’re looking for a way of refreshing and pulling a room together, they may well be something to consider when selecting your next mirror for the home.

Frames are able to completely alter the overall look and feel of a mirror in an instant, and can tie any mirror into any interior scheme. – Small touches such as tying your bathroom taps, bedroom furniture or dressing room details in with the material or colour used for your mirror frame can go a long way in terms of pulling a whole look together for an effortlessly coordinated scheme.

So, how do you decide which framed mirror is best for your own space?

First of all, it’s important to consider whether you want the mirror to blend into its surroundings, or whether you’d like it be a statement piece, almost like wall art, that creates a stand-out focal point in the room.

It’s also a good idea to know exactly where your mirror will be positioned in your room, because this can often dictate the size and shape of it, and therefore also the type of frame.

Mirror frames can come in all manner of materials, from wood to metal, colours (any colour under the sun), and also with varying thicknesses of frame, from minimalistic, thin styles to wider, bolder designs.

Here are a few of our favourite framed mirror styles for a little home inspiration …

Traditional elegance

Quite often more ornate, with a classic look and an air of romanticism and sophistication, traditional mirrors with moulded frames look great in period homes and classically styled interiors.

But if you’re updating a mirror, you may also be longing for modern features and functionality like LED’s or touch sensors, so with a more traditional finish it may be worth considering a fusion design. – There are many ways to get salon-standard lighting that’s perfect for hair and make-up, but with the elegance of more traditional frames.  

For example, as all of our mirrors are fully customisable, we can retro-fit lighting to traditional frames, like this Hollywood bulb framed full length mirror, which would look amazing in a glamorous, vintage styled dressing room space or bedroom. The lighting helps to keep things functional, and allows the best of both worlds with a stand out, timeless mirror design and with all the clever mod-con touches that you need as well.

Sleek and sophisticated

If you have a minimalistic bathroom, you may be wondering how to tie your mirror design into your scheme, when for your own style preferences, perhaps less is more?

By opting for a stylish, powder-coated, understated frame that just adds an edge of sophistication to a mirror, you can help draw the eye to a focal point in the room and also ensure that it ties in with the rest of the interior.

For bathrooms with brass fixtures and fittings, we’d recommend opting for a gold painted metal frame, like this one which will help to pull everything together and will ground the mirror on the wall. These bespoke twin bathroom mirrors have rounded corners to tie in to the curves of the fixtures and fittings, and are backlit for added impact.

And to complete an elegant dressing room scheme with something ever-so subtle, just a hint of brass surrounding the mirror edge can sometimes be just enough to frame the mirror and add extra elegance.

Pretty in pink

Pink or rose gold framed Hollywood style mirrors provide a bold statement in a dressing room, perfect for added drama and for pulling in highlight interior colours to create a strong synergy.

Pink framed mirrors work particularly well in green and gold dressing room spaces, and add an element of fun and flamboyancy.

Painted frames offer an option to create a subtle, harmonious look to your room by pulling in existing room shades, or alternatively you can try adding a punchy colour pop with a contrasting coloured frame

Grey painted frames are a great option for neutral schemes, and they work really well as a base for most other colours, too.

The addition of LED lights as an internal border here serves the purpose of enhancing the dressing room space above the table and provides the perfect spot for makeup application.

Illuminated illustrations

If you have something a little more bespoke in mind and would like a more illustrative, patterned design for your mirror frame, we can etch any image accurately onto a mirror, which makes a fabulous option for creating bespoke, stand-out unique framed mirror designs for businesses and homes alike.

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Industrial Luxe

Sometimes a simple black frame is all that is needed in order to pull an interior scheme together. From painted painted wood frames to powder-coated metal frames, available in all manner of shapes and sizes, black frames are sleek, sophisticated and very on trend for 2022 for an industrial bathroom, bedroom or dressing area with an element of luxury.

Opt for smaller, rounded mirrors above basins and tie them in to black heated towel rails, shower panels and taps for a cohesive feel.

And if you’re looking for big impact, select large, floor standing panel mirrors, edged in black for a bold statement in a walk in wardrobe or dressing area.  

Add bright LED lights around the frame for an extra glow up – ideal for hair and makeup application.

Nurturing nature

Pebble frames are big news when it comes to interiors for 2022. With their natural, organic shape, they look perfect encased by a wooden frame. Ideal for Scandi style interiors, and also cottage influenced rooms too, wooden frames are a gentle addition to complete a welcoming, homely scheme with warmth and comfort.

Print a pattern

For something a little bit different, why not consider printing onto frames? Printed frames allow you to match your mirrors visually with any of the materials within your interior, helping to pull everything together for balance and synergy. Take this marble scheme bathroom, where we have printed a marble design onto one of the edges of our backlit mirrors for a cohesive bathroom design.

Does my bathroom need a demisting mirror?

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Long, hot showers are one of life’s little luxuries. – The only real frustration can be all the steam to contend with afterwards, especially when you are in a rush to get ready for work or the school run.

The age-old technique of wiping mirrors with your hand immediately after showering often causes a buildup of smudges and smears, and de-fogging with towels can leave thread and fluff residue, which can be almost as irritating as the steam itself. – Not to mention the fact that just a couple of minutes later you are left with a fully misted up mirror again.

Post-shower condensation on your bathroom mirror can really delay you getting ready, adding time and unwanted stress to your morning routine.

Luckily as bathroom mirror specialists, we have a solution that will always keep the whole of your mirror steam-free, and your reflection crystal clear.

The majority of our mirrors contain hidden heated demister pads as standard, which gently work to clear your mirror of condensation efficiently and safely, to reveal a full and clearly illuminated reflection …

So, you may be wondering how an Illuminated Mirrors demisting mirror can help you keep your bathroom mist-free?

Our hidden demisters quickly and efficiently de-fog our mirrors

If there is one thing that we all value and would like more of, it is time, and these mirrors are ideal if you are in a rush since you can quickly see your whole reflection without the worry of condensation on the mirror immediately after showering. Our demisting mirrors enable you to get on with your beauty routines as quickly as possible, and the technology is cleverly hidden too, so no need to worry about the pads impacting your sleek and seamless bathroom design.

They have a safe and durable demister functionality

There is no need to be concerned about safety either, since our demister features have a high temperature tolerance, as well as being able to resist dust and moisture too, meaning that they provide long-lasting, high performance. The surface of the demister pad itself has a low temperature which means that it cannot overheat.

Anti-fog mirrors help elevate the bathroom design

Demisting mirrors can improve the bathroom design in terms of look and feel by providing a perfectly functioning room that always looks great (even after showering). They also add a sense of luxury from a practical perspective too because you have the benefit of a fully functional mirror immediately after bathing, providing a space to get completely ready for the day. This makes demister mirrors the perfect option for a guest bathroom too, by providing added comfort and style for visitors.

Our demister mirrors have full size de-fogging technology

Unlike many other mirrors on the market where the demisting technology only covers the central space, on our demisting mirrors, the whole of the mirror surface remains fog-free (no matter how steamy your bathroom becomes).-  If you’re selecting a large mirror for your bathroom, we think it’s important to reap the benefits of that by having the ability to see a full and detailed reflection at all times, to help streamline those post-shower beauty routines.

A demister mirror helps avoid damp

The full-size de-steaming functionality also makes our demister mirrors perfect for bathrooms with no windows or a lack of decent ventilation. They can really help bathrooms that usually remain damp for hours after having the shower switched on, by clearing the condensation quickly and effectively.

They are easier to keep clean and clear

Anything which helps keep a bathroom cleaner is a plus in our book. Investing in a mirror with built in demisters means that there is no need to wipe and re-wipe… You will spend less time leaving smears, streaks, and smudges with towels every time the mirror mists up, leading to less time spent cleaning the mirror to get rid of said smudges. – Win, win!

Demisting mirrors are economical and efficient to run

The operational costs of a demisting mirror are minimal. The little money it costs to run one easily offsets the outlay of extra cleaning and time due to smudges and smears that otherwise mount up from removing the mist.

Almost all of our mirrors come with built in demisters, and many of our cabinets have the demisting technology option, too, so there is a vast variety of choice when it comes to selecting a demister mirror to suit your bathroom.

Here’s to a fog-free bathroom!