“Is it possible to hang a mirror opposite the front door” is a question that interests both fans of Feng Shui and simply those who like to decorate their living space in a functional and reasonable manner. There are various ways to mount a mirror on a wall; this, first of all, depends on its dimensions and surface features.
We will look at the most common options for installing mirrors, which even a beginner can handle if desired. Please note that the installation process must be started only after studying the detailed instructions, otherwise you may break the expensive product. So let's get started.
Is it possible to hang a mirror opposite the front door?
Is it possible to install a mirror opposite the front door?
It must be taken into account that installing a mirror opposite the front door is not safe in all cases. The following problems may arise:
- when bringing long, large items into the house, you can accidentally damage the product;
- some people may even confuse a mirror with the front door, and this is not only fraught with damage to property, but also with physical injury;
- The mirror can easily be damaged by a bag or a long umbrella when leaving the house.
Often a mirror is mounted on the front door to inspect oneself before leaving the house.
Of course, despite such nuances, some still prefer to place the mirror opposite the door, but for this it is necessary to take into account the safety rules:
- you should protect the place where the mirror is mounted from all kinds of damage, and do not place any bulky objects near it;
- it is necessary to prepare the wall for installation in accordance with all rules;
- It is recommended to use only reliable fasteners that match the size of the canvas.
Mirror cabinet opposite the front door
Many designers believe that such placement of a mirror helps to visually increase the space. At the same time, experts recommend mounting it on a wall that is located, albeit opposite the front door, but not close to it, which eliminates the possibility of the above problems.
Techniques for increasing happiness and wealth
One of the ways to attract money, good luck and happiness into your home is a mirror. Experts advise the following for both superstitious and skeptical people:
- The mirror must always be kept clean, wiped and prevent stains, scratches, and chips.
- Choose a suitable frame for it. It can be a wooden baguette, a frame made of metal or other material.
- Choose the correct form. Ideally, it would be a circle or oval. Canvases with sharp corners should be avoided.
And, of course, you need to smile at your reflection as often as possible so that the surface reflects and accumulates only positive energy. Feng Shui also suggests complementing the correct placement of the mirror with a number of other effective techniques that people have been using for many years:
- Select a wealth zone. It is usually located on the southeast side of the room. Place a money tree there, which should be watered regularly.
- Buy various talismans. These can be figurines: storks, fountains, an aquarium with fish.
- Hang a picture on the wall of a seascape.
- Place a three-toed toad or turtle on a table or chest of drawers, which are powerful accessories for attracting money.
The mirror has always been perceived as a mysterious object belonging to two worlds: the real and the witchcraft. If faith in magic lives in the souls of apartment residents, you should not place the product opposite the residential entrance. Skeptics can install reflective canvases wherever they like and not think about their mystical influence on family members. Ultimately, whether it is possible to hang a mirror opposite the front door, everyone must decide for themselves - it all depends on personal views and beliefs.
Smile at your reflection
Buy various talismans
Avoid fabrics with sharp corners
Mirror at the entrance: Feng Shui teachings
Some people prefer not to install a mirror opposite the front door, not only for security reasons, but also because of special beliefs. So, according to the Chinese teachings of Feng Shui, it is the entrance to the apartment that has special significance. It is believed that a mirror can interfere with the flow of positive energy. This means that it will reflect (repel) luck, which will not be able to enter the apartment.
According to Feng Shui, mirrors should not be hung in front of doors.
The area opposite the door is considered especially negative. At the same time, the canvas can be installed near the door itself (on the right or left), because such an area, on the contrary, is considered very favorable.
In addition, according to other beliefs, it is still allowed to install this piece of furniture opposite the front door. The main condition is the absence of reflective surfaces opposite it.
Video – Mirrors in the house according to Feng Shui
Mystical nature of the item
Since ancient times, people have been superstitious, and many things and household items were endowed with magical properties. Mirrors were no exception, so with their help they performed secret rituals, fortune-telling for the betrothed, and summoned spirits and souls of the departed. It is still believed that the sparkling surface makes it possible to bifurcate reality, creating two different, parallel worlds. In addition, it preserves the energy of objects and people reflected there.
At all times, many signs and beliefs have been associated with the mirror. According to Russian tradition, it was considered a diabolical creation, claiming that Satan gave this object to people so that they could communicate with their other self, and not with God. The Old Believers were generally forbidden to bring mirrors home.
Many signs and customs have much in common in the cultures of different countries:
- For most nationalities, a broken mirror foretells the death of someone close, the loss of a friend, or seven years of grief and misfortune.
- The Scots, like the Russians, cover reflective surfaces if a family member dies. Similar superstitions are found among representatives of African and Indian tribes.
- Brides should not look in the mirror. It is believed that the wedding will be unsuccessful and the married life will be short. To neutralize the negativity, it was necessary to remove the glove from one hand.
- The mirror surface poses a terrible danger at night. It is believed that it is capable of reflecting a trait. Therefore, most Slavic peoples were forbidden to look into a mirror or water surface after sunset.
Rus' also had its own signs:
- Children under one year old were not allowed to look in the mirror, nor were two girlfriends at the same time; it was believed that one would steal the groom from the other.
- A long look directed deep into the reflective panel could cause premature fading.
- In order not to look ugly and not give away your beauty to the other world, you had to refrain from eating in front of the mirror.
- When a person left the house, he lingered in front of the mirror, looked at himself from head to toe, at the same time unconsciously giving the order to his reflection to protect his home.
Eastern practices endow this item with the ability to fill the home with the right energy and create a cozy atmosphere. According to Feng Shui, reflective fabrics can attract and distribute invisible currents, affecting health and influencing life. That is why ancient teachings do not recommend placing mirrors opposite mirrors. It’s not for nothing that Chinese wisdom says: “If you want to change something, look in the mirror.”
Subtleties of installing mirrors on different types of walls
It should be remembered that the method of installing a mirror may differ depending on the type of wall, so you must first understand such features, and only then begin the process.
The installation method depends on the type of wall
Table 2. Features of various materials
| Material | Description |
Concrete | This is the most common material that most walls are made of. It’s quite easy to make holes in it using any drilling machine, and then you can install dowels there and screw in fasteners. |
Drywall | This is an equally popular material in which you can drill a hole using an electric drill. Only to fix the mirror you will need to use special anchors. In addition, mirrors heavier than 18-20 kilograms cannot be hung on such walls. If the product has a large mass, the ceiling will have to be additionally strengthened. |
PVC panels | In apartments, this material is mainly used for cladding walls in the bathroom, because it has good moisture-resistant properties. It’s easy to hang a mirror sheet on such a panel, but it’s better to plan its placement in advance, before covering the walls with slabs, so that there is no void behind them. |
Tile | This is also a fairly well-known facing material, which can often be found in the kitchen and bathroom. You can make holes in it for fasteners using a standard concrete drill. In addition, you can install the product in another way - with glue or tape. |
It is better to provide in advance a place for attaching the mirror sheet and not waste facing material on it
At what height should I install the mirror?
The exact mounting height of the product will depend on the type of room - for example, if we are talking about a bathroom, then it must be positioned at eye level. In addition, the height of the residents should also be taken into account. On average, the central part of the mirror should be at a distance of about 155-168 centimeters from the floor level.
If we are talking about installing mirrors in the hallway or dressing room, then it is important to position it in such a way that a person can see himself from head to toe. The top edge of the product should be 5-10 centimeters above the head.
The exact height of the mirror installation will vary depending on the height of the residents
Neutralizing Negative Predictions
You can neutralize the bad influence of a mirror or dressing table in the hallway by positioning it correctly.
If possible, rehang it so that the front door does not appear in the reflection.
It is convenient to place the product on the side wall of the furniture. A wardrobe with mirrored doors is also suitable.
Creative frames will help to successfully play with the idea of placing mirrors in the hallway. An unusual substrate or location at an angle to the wall or floor will do. It is comfortable to use such a product; negative energy will not accumulate in the item.
Features of placing mirrors in various types of rooms
The mirror can be installed in any part of the apartment, from the kitchen to the bathroom. In order for mirror products to serve for a long time, you should adhere to the following installation recommendations:
- In a limited room, it is recommended to mount the mirror opposite the window. This way the rays of the sun will be reflected in it, thereby visually increasing the size of the room.
- If you install a mirror sheet on the entire wall, it will help to visually increase the area.
- In the kitchen, it is not recommended to install a mirror sheet near a gas stove or oven - due to constant temperature changes, cracks may appear on its surface.
- If you install a mirror in a bathroom or room with a swimming pool, it is better to carefully coat its edges with sealant to prevent the appearance of fungus.
The sealant will protect against the appearance of fungus on the surface
- It is better to cover the mirror in a children's room with a special film to prevent chipping.
- In a narrow hallway opposite the mirror, you can place several LED lamps. They will provide diffused light, making the room visually increase in space.
- Do not hang mirrors at an angle, otherwise it will distort visibility.
- When installing a mirror in the corridor, you need to choose a place where you will be able to examine yourself in more detail.
- Canvases 60 centimeters long provide visibility up to the waist, and 120 centimeters long provide full-length visibility. This should be taken into account when choosing a particular product.
I would like to note that you should not save money on buying mirrors - high-quality copies cannot have too low a cost.
Option to install a large mirror in the hallway
Various mirror installation techniques
In this section we will look at various techniques for installing mirrors yourself, which have their own advantages and disadvantages.
Mounting a mirror in a frame
Most often, the mirror with frame comes with all the fasteners, so installing it is quite simple. At the same time, even if they are not included in the set, you can buy the hinges yourself, secure them to the wall with standard screws and hang the mirror.
Popular fasteners for mirrors
For large items, it is recommended to use solid metal hanging plates. They have special holes for self-tapping screws, and thanks to this fastening the mirror will be securely held on the wall.
Table 1. Instructions for installing a massive mirror with a wooden frame
| Steps, illustration | Description |
Step one: preparing the wooden blocks | You need to take two wooden blocks with a diameter of 5x2 centimeters. Their length should be slightly less than the frame itself. |
Step two: make cuts | On each side of the block it is necessary to make a cut at an angle of 45 degrees. |
Step three: attach the bars to the frame and wall | Next, you need to secure these bars to the wooden frame and the wall at the required height using fasteners. |
Step four: hang the mirror | Then you should hang the mirror in such a way that the two bars are connected to each other by a common fastener. |
Frameless mirrors: installation methods
Currently, you can find a huge number of different frameless mirrors on sale. They can also be mounted on the wall at home.
Miniature accessories can be attached to the wall using glue
Mounting to the wall using clamps: step-by-step instructions
The easiest way to mount a mirror is to use auxiliary fastening elements. This includes all kinds of clamps, brackets and inserted metal strips. Their main advantage is that you do not need to drill holes in the canvas itself.
Step one: markings should be applied to the wall in the places where the fasteners will be located. It is important to provide two lower mounts (the main weight acts on them) and two on both sides of the mirror.
It should be taken into account that the more massive the mirror, the correspondingly more fasteners will be needed during the installation process.
Making markings on the wall
Step two: according to the markings, you need to make holes in the wall using a drill or hammer drill into which the dowels will be inserted. The drill will need to be selected exactly according to the diameter of the dowel itself, while the recess itself in the wall will be slightly longer. In order not to make a mistake, it is better to immediately put a mark on the drill.
Drilling holes with a drill
Step three: then the clamps are attached to the screw, and then they are screwed into the dowels, after which the mirror itself can be placed in the resulting grooves. Upon completion of installation, the fastenings are closed with special plugs for masking.
Fastening the mirror with clamps
Important advice! This method is also suitable for installing large-sized products, but to protect yourself, first attach the mirror sheet to a plywood sheet of the same size - this will increase its strength.
Installing a mirror with a threaded hole
Of course, it is much easier to install a mirror if it has special holes for fastenings, so it will hold securely even on an uneven wall. If they are initially missing, then you can drill them yourself using a drill or seek help from a specialist who can quickly cope with such a task.
How to make recesses in a mirror sheet: step-by-step instructions
Step one: you need to place the mirror on a flat table and fix it in this position.
It is necessary to fix the mirror on the table
Step two: next you will need to use a special marker on the glass to mark the location for the future hole and build restrictions around it using plasticine. After which the resulting container must be filled with liquid.
Washable glass marker
Step three: Drill a hole at the mark using a diamond drill. This entire process should be done very carefully; it is not recommended to press too hard on the drill. At the same time, it is important that there is always liquid in the plasticine “container” - it is necessary to cool the drill, because during operation it overheats too much, which can cause cracks on the mirror surface. In addition, this way you can protect your eyes from glass dust.
Drilling a hole
Step four: when the holes are ready, you can begin installing the mirror. It is fixed to the wall using screws and dowels. In addition, it is necessary to use special plastic gaskets to prevent cracks and other damage to the canvas. The upper part of the screws can be masked with overlays.
Mirror mounting method
Important point! If using this method you need to hang a mirror on a wall where there is decorative wallpaper that you don’t want to spoil, you can use one useful tip. You will need to make a cross-shaped cut at the fastening site and carefully bend the wallpaper to the sides. Now you can drill the hole without any worries. In the event that the mirror needs to be re-hung again, this place can be covered with putty and the wallpaper can be carefully glued.
Installation using tape
Don't forget that there is a fairly simple way to mount a small mirror - using double-sided tape. It is sold in the form of a tape that has an adhesive backing on both sides. This is how you can install the product on a tiled wall or MDF surface with a laminated surface. In this way, mirror panels built into various cabinets are held in place perfectly. Therefore, if this option suits you in all respects, then you need to secure the mirror using the instructions.
Step one: you need to clean the wall (or other surface) of various contaminants, traces of lime and other finishes, then dry thoroughly.
Cleaning the wall
Step two: next you should put markings on the place where you plan to place the mirror. After all, after mistakenly gluing the tape, it will be too difficult to tear it off.
Making the markings
Step three: pieces of tape must be glued every 10 centimeters along the entire perimeter of the canvas. Next, you need to remove the top layer of double-sided tape and attach the mirror. It should be carefully secured, pressing lightly.
We fix the tape on the canvas
Installing a mirror with glue
For mounting mirrors, a special composition is sold in bulk tubes. It has similar properties and is a type of conventional construction adhesive, but differs in that it does not damage the mirror surface. Of course, you can also use construction adhesive for such purposes, but in this case the fastening points will have to be treated with a sealant.
The step-by-step instructions for installing a mirror with glue are practically no different from the previous version. Only instead of double-sided tape in this case, a liquid product will be used.
Applying glue to a mirror
It is important to observe some nuances:
- as in the previous case, we will need to clean the wall of various contaminants;
- if you plan to hang a mirror on a cabinet door, then it is better to first dismantle it and place it horizontally;
- if the canvas is installed on a concrete base, you will need to first sand it with sandpaper and then prime it;
- It’s better not to glue a mirror to the wallpaper, because no one can say for sure that they will withstand such a load, so a thin sheet of fiberboard is first fixed to the wall, and a mirror is already mounted on it;
- you can further strengthen the structure using double-sided tape;
- The glue must be distributed in vertical strips so that it does not leak out along the edges.
Mounting method using glue and double-sided tape
How to install a mirror that is too heavy?
Many people prefer to install a large full-length mirror, and most often it is placed in the hallway or bedroom. Therefore, before installing a large canvas, you need to familiarize yourself with some nuances that will be useful during the work process:
- You should first level the wall, because if there are any surface defects, cracks may appear on the mirror. In addition, an uneven surface often leads to skewed mirrors, which means distorted visibility.
- A special protective film is placed on top of the large mirror to prevent chipping. This way, even if it is damaged, the fragments will not fall to the floor.
- When installing a mirror made of component parts, it is necessary to leave a distance of several millimeters between them. Otherwise, the structure may be damaged during the installation stage.
- On the connecting parts between the canvases, special supports are fixed, which allow you to level the product from below.
Installing a large product using glue
Important point! When installing a mirror with glue, the air temperature in the room should be no more than 24 degrees, otherwise it is better to refuse installation in this way - the glue will dry too slowly and the mirror will simply fall off.
Video - How to hang a large mirror
Beauty is in the details. How else to complement the interior of the hallway
Feng Shui masters advise placing in front of the mirror something that evokes positive associations in you, thereby increasing your joy. However, no figures, symbols, talismans or trigrams should be placed in front of it, since the mirror will reflect their meaning the other way around. It is better to replace them with pleasant paintings with views of nature and fresh flowers.
How to place a painting in the hallway
Mirrors were endowed with special powers not only in China. There are a great many Russian folk legends about them. Even in the 21st century, when returning home to retrieve a forgotten item, many glance at the mirror at random. Similarly, Slavic tradition prohibits keeping broken, cracked and dusty mirrors at home. And when getting ready for a new life or moving, you shouldn’t take an old mirror, especially if it has seen a lot of grief, to a new place. To a new life with a new mirror!
You can have different attitudes towards signs and feng shui, but listening to the wisdom of generations can be useful. Moreover, modern designers agree with many of the ideas of their ancestors in arranging a comfortable hallway.
Let's sum it up
Summarizing the above, I would like to note that each person decides for himself how and where exactly to install the mirror. Of course, you can believe in folk superstitions and various ancient teachings, but the main condition for choice is personal comfort. So, if it is convenient for you to mount a mirror opposite the front door, then you can do this without forgetting about safety precautions.
Illuminated mirrors can add an unusual accent to any room and attract attention. These products are truly universal and can fit into any interior and any space with the right choice of design dimensions and type of lighting. We will tell you how to make a backlit mirror with your own hands in a special article.
