The dressing mirror is one of the most used objects in a bedroom and one of the most poorly considered. Most people place it wherever it fits, at whatever height the wall allows, in whatever light the room happens to have at that spot. The result is a mirror that is technically present but practically inadequate — one that shows you a partial reflection in poor light at an awkward angle every morning. Here is how to get it right.
The Three Failures of a Badly Placed Dressing Mirror
A dressing mirror that is not working for you fails in one or more of three ways. It shows an incomplete reflection, cutting off your feet, your head or both depending on its height and your distance from it. It shows you in poor light, either too dark to see clearly or lit from above in a way that is unflattering and inaccurate. Or it is positioned so awkwardly — behind a door, in a corner you cannot stand in front of comfortably, at an angle that distorts the reflection — that you avoid using it and rely on smaller mirrors that show you less.
Each of these failures has a specific cause and a specific fix. None of them requires a renovation.
The Incomplete Reflection Problem
A mirror that does not show your full reflection from head to foot is not a full length mirror regardless of what the product listing says. The physics of reflection mean that a mirror needs to be positioned with its bottom edge at or near floor level to show your feet at a normal viewing distance. A mirror mounted at waist height, however tall it is, will not show your feet unless you stand very close to it, which distorts the reflection of the upper body.
A full length floor mirror solves this problem definitively. Because it rests on the floor, the bottom edge is at floor level and the reflection begins at your feet regardless of your viewing distance. A leaning floor mirror adds the additional benefit of a slight backward angle, which means the reflection shows slightly more of the ceiling and slightly less of the floor, which is the most flattering angle for a full-body reflection.
The Poor Light Problem
Overhead lighting is the worst possible light for a dressing mirror. It creates shadows under the eyes, nose and chin that make the reflection look tired and unflattering. It also produces a cool, flat light that does not accurately represent how you will look in the natural or warm artificial light of the environments you are dressing for.
The best light for a dressing mirror is natural light from a window positioned to the side of the mirror rather than behind or above it. Side lighting is directional and warm, which is both flattering and accurate. A full length floor mirror positioned adjacent to a window, with the window to one side, gives you the best possible dressing light without any additional fixtures.
If natural side lighting is not available, a warm lamp positioned to the side of the mirror at roughly face height is the next best option. The goal is directional warm light from the side, not overhead cool light from above.
The Awkward Position Problem
A dressing mirror that is difficult to stand in front of is a mirror that will not be used properly. Common awkward positions include behind a door that must be held open, in a corner with insufficient standing space, on a wall that requires you to stand on the bed to see your full reflection or at an angle that distorts the reflection because the mirror is not vertical.
A leaning floor mirror solves the awkward position problem through flexibility. It can be placed anywhere there is a wall and enough floor space to stand in front of it. It does not require a specific wall, a specific height or a specific installation. If the current position is awkward, you move it. The iteration is free and immediate.
The Akari Pinewood Mirror: Built for Dressing
The Akari Pinewood Mirror is a full length floor mirror in solid pinewood designed to lean. The bottom edge rests on the floor, which gives a complete reflection from head to foot at a comfortable viewing distance. The leaning angle provides the slight backward tilt that is most flattering for a full-body reflection. The solid pinewood frame is heavy enough to hold the mirror safely in position without wall fixings and light enough to be repositioned easily when you find a better spot.
Positioned adjacent to a window in a bedroom with the Poka Bed, the Akari Mirror gives you a complete, well-lit, flattering reflection every morning in a room where the materials are consistent and the design is considered. The solid pinewood frame matches the bed frame. The matte finish matches the matte finish of the bed. The room feels like it was designed rather than assembled, which is the quality that makes a bedroom feel like a retreat rather than a room.
The Mirror You Actually Use
The best dressing mirror is the one you actually use. A mirror that is complete, well-lit and easy to stand in front of will be used every morning without thought. A mirror that is incomplete, poorly lit or awkwardly positioned will be avoided, replaced by a smaller mirror that shows you less and tells you less. The dressing mirror is a daily tool. It deserves to be chosen and placed with the same care as any other tool you use every day.
