Mirror, Mirror On The Bathroom Wall (Maybe)

What’s hot in bathrooms right now  besides a steamy shower? Designer-chosen, often high-tech grooming mirrors selected to fit seamlessly into the décor. These handy, often portable mirrors have always been a must-have for me, but people sometimes write them off as a drug store purchase.

Lately clients want me to incorporate a great-looking grooming mirror into their bathroom that will blend with the cabinetry, sink, vanity, shower and wall treatments. They come in a variety of sizes and shapes, and I’m seeing prices from $150 to $3,000 – honestly!

So how do we choose? We need to know if you sit or stand in front of the mirror to put on makeup, or for the guys, shave or trim a beard. Do you want a two-sided mirror with magnifying component and how about a light? Will it be wall-mounted or free standing? How much magnification do you want? As we get older it's tougher to get eyeliner on straight and tweeze our eyebrows!Some clients want the flexibility to pack up their grooming mirror when they travel. There’s something for everyone, and here are a few interesting options to check out:

Photo Courtesy of bakerfurniture.com

Here’s a sizable version from Baker Furniture (43 by 22 inches) in a movable, triptych style so you can see yourself from all angles. The step-up base is inlaid with natural shagreen skin panels centered on a hand-hammered pewter tray. The mirror backs are hand-hammered pewter too.

Photo Courtesy of wayfair.com

This German-made,brushed stainless steel mirror is from WS Bath Collections for a mere $1,973! It has 3X magnification and weighs 20 pounds, so no traveling with this one!

Photo Courtesy of wayfair.com

I like the rectangular shape of this one, again from WS Bath Collections. It has a magnifying glass and a flexible arm to move the light up and down, left and right, and to angle the mirror. It costs about $200.

Photo Courtesy of nameeks.com

The sleek, contemporary look of this magnifying mirror works in contemporary master bathrooms. It is made of brass and comes in a variety of metal finishes and magnifications and ranges from $1,300 to $1,800. It’s imported from Spain by Windisch.

Photo Courtesy of media.designerpages.com

Theframe of this Ella mirror pulls easily away from the wall and closer to your face for applying makeup or when shaving. A motion sensor just below the surface turns on a light at the wave of hand. High tech in mirrors!