Category Archives: Bathroom design

Could An Ultra Slimline Mirror Be The Right Choice For Your Bathroom?

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We are great believers here at Illuminated Mirrors in the notion that a bathroom mirror is never “just” a bathroom mirror. After all, even some of the smallest and easiest-to-miss details and features of a light mirror for the bathroom can make a significant difference to how the given mirror looks in the space, and the support it provides to the user’s lifestyle.

You may be reading this because you are in the market for a new bathroom mirror as a resident, or perhaps an interior designer attempting to realise someone else’s dream bathroom space. Regardless, you might have given a lot of thought to the all-round aesthetic of whatever mirror you specify, as well as its dimensions, and whether to opt for landscape or portrait orientation.

But why might you prioritise ordering an ultra slim light mirror for a bathroom? Below, we have set out some of the potential reasons:

  • A slim bathroom mirror can be great for saving space. In bathrooms that are particularly small and narrow, a mirror in “standard” thickness may easily overwhelm the rest of the room. You might be eager to introduce a sense of light and depth to the bathroom with your chosen mirror, but you may not want it to look bulky or inelegant.
  • A slimline bathroom mirror often looks great. In an age in which our smartphones and tablet computers seem to be constantly shedding the pounds while piling on ever-increasing slickness and sophistication, today’s super-slimline bathroom mirrors also get in on this spirit. If you desire a sleek, contemporary look for your bathroom, you might be convinced that an ultra-slim mirror would be the ultimate choice.
  • A slim bathroom mirror can pack in considerable functionality. We’ve come a long way from the days when a slim bathroom mirror was automatically a basic mirror as far as its features were concerned. Our own ultra slim bar LED mirrors at Illuminated Mirrors can incorporate elements like built-in demister pads, sensor switches, and up-to-the-minute lighting technology, to help provide the most convenient experiences.
  • A slimline bathroom mirror can be expertly engineered for the utmost durability. Not so long ago, an obvious argument against investing in an ultra-slim bathroom mirror might have been its susceptibility to breakage. Today’s leading ultra-slim bathroom mirrors, however – made from robust materials such as aluminium, and engineered to the most exacting standards – can be just as tough as the thicker models on the market.

What are the possibilities when you turn to us for a slim bathroom mirror?

Whether you are seeking to specify a mirror for your own bathroom or someone else’s – the latter as an interior designer or contractor – you can expect all the options from our team at Illuminated Mirrors.

That might mean ordering an ultra-slim backlit mirror boasting such features as touch sensor on/off operation and LED temperature control. Or perhaps you are most drawn to our ultra slim dot mirrors with their classic point lights in various styles, or 360° edge-lit mirrors, which incorporate lights carefully positioned around the mirror’s edge to create a clean, even light?

Even super-slim non-illuminated mirrors can be ordered from our team, their overall depth of just 18mm belying their sheer refinement. So, even if you aren’t specifically in the market for a light mirror for your bathroom, we can present exciting options.

Our commitment to an all-round bespoke design service means you can have the very greatest confidence in our team realising the ultimate bathroom mirror for your needs. So, please don’t wait to reach out to us to discuss in greater detail how we could serve your highest expectations when it comes to this imperative element of your bathroom.

Have You Considered What Shape Your Next Bathroom Mirror Should Be?

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If you are among the many people contemplating the merits of illuminated mirrors for their homes right now, you might imagine that the shape you choose for your mirror can’t possibly be that important.

After all, a stunning-looking reflective centrepiece of your room is a stunning-looking reflective centrepiece of your room, whatever its shape… right?

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Asymmetrical mirrors are a growing trend in interior design

As specialists in beautifully handcrafted bathroom mirrors here at Illuminated Mirrors, we beg to differ! Just like such aspects as the dimensions of your mirror, its frame, and whether it is portrait or landscape orientation, the shape of your mirror will impact profoundly on how it fits in with the broader visual scheme of your bathroom, and even how it is used.

Is it essentially just a case of choosing between a square or round mirror?

As you will see when you browse our comprehensive bespoke gallery, illuminated mirrors for the bathroom can come in nearly any shape imaginable, embracing all manner of interesting detailing.

From large rectangular landscape-orientation mirrors and rounded edge-lit mirrors, right through to oval, trapezium-shaped, and even pill-shaped units, the possibilities are practically endless. So, it isn’t only the most obvious square or round shapes that you can choose from for your next bathroom mirror.

Furthermore, it isn’t necessarily the case that a straight-edged, rectangular space can “only” ever have a straight-edged, rectangular mirror. Indeed, the look of a space that already has a lot of hard angles might be nicely softened and balanced out by a rounded mirror.

But on the other hand, a rectangular or square mirror can make a strong statement of its own – something that you might desire, given the tendency for a mirror to be the aesthetic focal point of the room in which it is hung.

So, in what bathroom settings might certain mirror shapes make sense?

Below are just some of the especially popular shapes for illuminated mirrors that you might consider for your bathroom:

  • Square mirrors

The sleek, symmetrical, and angular nature of square mirrors might make them a likely choice for those who wish to achieve a modern, contemporary aesthetic in their bathroom. However, mirrors in this shape also have a certain understated, timeless appeal.

  • Round mirrors

There is a certain simplicity to a rounded mirror that can make it a head-turning and striking choice of mirror for a broad range of interior spaces. Given the tendency for round mirrors to draw the eye, you might be especially likely to have yours placed above a table or countertop to help make it an even more powerful focal point.

  • Geometric mirrors

Mirrors in geometric shapes – such as hexagonal, octagonal, or pentagonal shapes – aren’t as commonly sighted as the aforementioned types. However, they can certainly enhance a bathroom’s appeal as a modern and contemporary space. They tend to work best in especially “busy” and high-profile spots, such as immediately above a bathroom sink.

Talk to us about what you need from a bathroom mirror

Whatever shape you might have in mind for your next bathroom mirror, or even if you’re still attempting to decide, we would be delighted to discuss your expectations and requirements from your next mirror, and how our skilled team can help fulfil them.

Please feel free to reach out to Illuminated Mirrors’ experts, as a first step on the way to making your dream bathroom mirror a reality.

Which is best for a bathroom mirror – a landscape or portrait orientation?

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If you have been giving serious thought lately to having a new large bathroom mirror installed in your home – whether or not it is also illuminated – you will probably already appreciate how big a visual difference the shape, size, and orientation of a mirror can make.

Choosing between landscape and portrait orientation for your large bathroom mirror might initially seem like a question of how you can make the most of your available wall space, and nothing more than that.

However, as we will explore further in this article, there will be a number of other aspects to consider when making your choice.

What do we mean by ‘landscape’ and ‘portrait’ orientation?

You might be more accustomed to hearing the terms “portrait” and “landscape” in your local art gallery than when you are comparing your options for a large bathroom mirror. So, before we go further, let’s be clear about the respective definitions:

Landscape backlit bathroom mirror
  • Landscape orientation, also often referred to as “horizontal” orientation, entails the mirror or image being wider than it is tall. As the name implies, in the world of art and photography, this orientation is associated with landscape images, panoramic views, and other horizontal subjects.
Portrait edge-lit bathroom mirror
  • Portrait orientation is also known as “vertical” orientation, whereby the mirror or image is positioned in such a way that the height exceeds the width. Most of us associate this orientation with – of course – portraits of human beings. Unsurprisingly, then, this is a common orientation for home mirrors.

Why might you favour a landscape bathroom mirror?

One relatively obvious reason to invest in a landscape mirror for your bathroom is the expansive view such a mirror can provide – not only of you, but also of your bathroom.

Unsurprisingly, then, when it comes to bathroom mirrors, landscape orientation is strongly associated with a sense of opulence. If you’re especially proud of your bathroom’s design and fittings, a large bathroom mirror in landscape orientation can be great for showing it all off – literally “reflecting” the impressive interior scheme back at you.

A landscape mirror can be an excellent choice for making the space in which it is hung feel wider, or for complementing a bathroom that is already wide.

Alternatively, a portrait mirror may seem a better choice for your bathroom

As you might imagine, a portrait or vertical mirror can be effective at making a room feel longer or taller. And, of course, it can work well in a tall room because of how it makes the most of the space available.

A large bathroom mirror in portrait orientation can also make sense due to the “portrait” that it captures of the viewer, encompassing their face and upper body. So, if you expect to spend a lot of time in front of your bathroom mirror perfecting your beauty routine or examining your physique, you may be especially drawn to the idea of a portrait mirror.

Naturally, there is much more than the orientation of your bathroom mirror that you will need to think about if you are seeking to choose the perfect one for your space. This is why we place such a strong emphasis on the bespoke nature of our service here at Illuminated Mirrors – because we really do recognise that no given set of needs is the same as the next.

Enquire to our team today to discover more about our made-to-order service, which can ensure you benefit from your dream illuminated bathroom mirror.

How to incorporate industrial elements into your bathroom

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Many people have embraced “industrial chic” in their homes in recent years, and you might feel drawn towards the same style. You wouldn’t necessarily have to look far for inspiration, after all.

Many homes (and even offices) have been fashioned from what used to be industrial units. Meanwhile, if you have recently converted your loft, you may have reacted with delight at seeing the exposed wooden panels and beams and taking in how good they look.

What you may not have realised, though, is how easily you can incorporate the same kind of style into your bathroom — if you know exactly how to go about it. So, let’s take a closer look at some of the ways in which you might achieve this.

Take the ‘less is more’ approach

Historically, industrial spaces have been designed more for practicality than for aesthetics. This is why many of them come with exposed brick walls; furthermore, there is often little attempt made to conceal plumbing fixtures such as pipes and valves.

So, you might look to strip out superfluous elements from your own bathroom, or at least aim for a relatively simple and sparse aesthetic with the fixtures and fittings that you do invest in.

You might consider this black bathroom mirror, for instance, which is super-slim at 20mm deep and framed with aluminium just 8.5mm thick. Don’t forget, too, that here at Illuminated Mirrors, we can create bespoke designs in accordance with your own preferences and requirements.

Reuse, reuse, reuse!

The prospect of adding industrial fittings to a bathroom often particularly strongly appeals to eco-conscious homeowners, as they may relish the opportunity to repurpose existing pieces that could have otherwise ended up in landfill.

Do you, for example, have a few woven baskets going spare around the house? If so, why not put them on display in your bathroom, filling them with such supplies as soap bars and shampoo bottles?

You could even go as far as attaching some salvaged signs to your bathroom walls. Other decorative items, though, might be best exhibited on shelves.

Open sesame — or rather, open shelving

You will likely wish people who enter your bathroom to be able to quickly and easily see any artwork pieces, potted plants, and beautiful ceramics you put there.

It stands to reason, then, that it may be best to strategically place these items on “open” shelves, instead of shelves tucked away inside cabinets that are likely to be closed a lot of the time.

Besides, open shelves can also be used for storing practical pieces that you might wish to keep within easy reach, such as toothbrushes.

Mix it up with metals

Why settle for just one type of metal in your bathroom — especially since doing so could leave this space of the home looking a little too “perfect” and uniform?

Integrating a range of seemingly random metals into your bathroom décor could render it discernibly “makeshift”-looking, and therefore faithful to an industrial ethos (although of course, you will still want to promote a certain degree of aesthetic harmony, too).

Imagine, for example, pairing brass taps and wrought iron rails with the black bathroom mirror we mentioned earlier (which, remember, comes with an aluminium frame). This, of course, could be just one of a multitude of interesting possibilities for your bathroom design scheme.

To enquire to the Illuminated Mirrors team about this product and our bespoke service, please reach out to us via email or Live Chat.

5 Features You Could Have Incorporated Into Your Next Bathroom Mirror

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A bathroom mirror doesn’t have to be a basic and merely “utilitarian” item – it can “reflect” the highest aspirations you have for your interior space, in more ways than one.

For a demonstration of what we mean, you might consider some of the features we can build into an LED mirror that we hand-craft for you. Whether you are a homeowner carrying out bathroom remodelling, or a trade customer, you will hopefully be inspired by these possibilities.

CCT LEDs give you the flexibility to switch between cool and warm lighting options.

CCT LED lighting

Did you know that all our mirrors now use CCT LED strip? This enables you to achieve cool and warm lighting on a single strip, as opposed to the previous situation with our backlit mirrors, where we had to ask customers to select either warm or cool lighting.

So, at any one time, you can take advantage of the more flattering warm light (which is great for selfies), or the more practical cool light, which gives truer colour in the reflection. The latter is perfect for the application of makeup, as what you see in your reflection in the cool light will be what others see when they “check out your look” in the street.

Rigel Shaver Edge Mirror
Bathroom mirrors with integrated shaver socket

A shaver socket

Achieving an immaculate shave will be important to you in a wide range of scenarios – whether you’re looking to make the best possible impression at that job interview, or getting yourself more than presentable for your son or daughter’s wedding.

Yes, an LED mirror from us can incorporate a discreet shaver socket for your utmost convenience.

Ambient K36s Shaver
Aura ambient underlighting/downlighting

Aura underlighting

It is a feature that you might not give a great amount of thought to including in your next bathroom mirror, until you realise just how profoundly such ambient illumination can infuse this part of your home with atmosphere.

With Illuminated Mirrors, you get eight different lighting colours to choose from. This enables you to bring to your bathroom the same pleasing vibe from the “mood lighting” you might already have installed elsewhere in your house, cultivating a sophisticated, “spa-like” environment.

Leon Audio Shaver
Play your favourite playlist directly through your mirror or cabinet

Audio Bluetooth capability

Once upon a time, if someone had suggested to you that your bathroom mirror could play your favourite music while you enjoy an evening soak, or even play an audiobook, you might have thought that person was referring to something they’d seen in The Jetsons.

Times change, of course; the next LED mirror you invest in for your bathroom could easily give you such multisensory experiences via a Bluetooth-connected device.

Creative engraving

You might have a vague familiarity with crude engraving, but we aren’t referring to that here; we’re talking about high-tech laser engraving.

Nothing less than the very best, most accurate finish is acceptable when it comes to etching a pattern onto the glass of an LED mirror for our latest customer. We can even incorporate optional coloured backlighting to maximise the visual impact of your bathroom mirror’s engraved design.

If any of the potential bathroom mirror features outlined above have got you thinking about how we could realise the perfect LED mirror for you, now might be the time to email the Illuminated Mirrors team to begin the discussion. You can also call us on 07893 952 606.