Reflections in architecture: mastering makeup mirrors , The magic of led bathroom mirrors, Remodeling tips to know

Reflections in Architecture: Mastering Makeup Mirrors

30 January 2025

In the past, the majority of mirrors were mainly used for adornment and had a maximum diameter of eight inches. Louis Le Vau created the renowned “Hall of Mirrors” much later, in the 17th century. “The Hall of Mirrors” had about 357 mirrors, each of which was extremely rare and costly.

The way mirrors interact with buildings has become increasingly inventive in the modern period. Now, architects and designers have more options to experiment with. If you, as an architect, and you love playing around with makeup mirrors, you have plenty of them at your disposal. The common ones are:

Large “Hollywood” vanity mirrors

You’ve most likely seen the iconic image: warm bare bulbs surrounding a giant mirror, reflecting a goddess with exquisite skin, enticing lips, and warm bare shoulders.

The original design, with incandescent lamps mounted directly to glass, remains the benchmark to beat. However, current models that include LED illumination, color options, dimmer switches, USB plugs, speakers, and other features are just as effective, if not as aesthetically pleasing.

Their primary selling point is the quality of the lighting. Rather than emanating from a single “point” source, the ring of lights provides even and homogeneous illumination with no shadows, making it ideal for makeup application, hair styling, accessories, and color matching.

Compared to a smaller mirror, this makeup mirror is far superior for viewing your full image from a greater distance and with your entire head and shoulders in the frame.

Hollywood mirrors can be freestanding, wall-mounted, or included as part of a vanity desk. Keep in mind that the base of a freestanding Hollywood vanity will take up a lot of space on the desk, so ensure that you have enough of it before putting the mirror in place.

These work nicely on top of a makeup station, regaining some of the wasted space and positioning a smaller mirror at the proper height.

Wall mounted mirrors

Wall-mounted mirrors pose a bigger risk. If you make the right choice, however, they can be the best decision. Their main downside is they are not particularly adaptable, and there is a significant risk of making a costly error.

When considering them, there are a number of things you should pay attention to.

If you use your bathroom as the primary vanity space, the bathroom is not the best place to get ready. The steam from the shower ensures a bad hair day, the mirror is poorly positioned (and sometimes covered in condensation), and the lighting is harsh.

As an architect and designer, you should research ways to properly use this mirror and get the most out of it. For example, you can go with anti-fog mirroring. You also should consider using a huge tri-fold mirror with storage space behind it, as well as a smaller wall-mounted makeup mirror that is flexible and adaptable.

Lighted mirrors

You might have seen many people complaining about lighted mirrors and how they gave them a bad experience. In most cases, the problem isn’t with the mirrors but with the other lights in the room.

So, as you install these mirrors, you need to pay close attention to the other lights in the room. You should note that if you want to use lighted mirrors properly, don’t rely on them for everything.

To be on the safe side, use a low-wattage, low-lumen bulb for a lighted mirror because, unlike most lights, which are meant to illuminate a whole room, lighted mirrors only need to cover a small space. More importantly, you shouldn’t have to wince at the brightness and turn your head away from the bulbs when applying makeup.

You can also go with incandescents which are effective because they provide a lot of detail in the red-to-yellow region, which is where most makeup falls.

There are also LED lights that have several light settings (color, brightness, and temperature), are energy-efficient and long-lasting, and come in a wide range of shapes and designs.

Magnifying mirror

Magnifying mirrors are commonly found on one side of a double-sided “flippable” makeup mirror (tabletop or wall-mounted). They are also common in handheld designs, and they make it faster and easier to see the minute but important features in brows and eyes, allowing you to do it perfectly the first time and in less time. They also help you tweeze accurately.

When it comes to the ideal magnification to go with, it depends on your eyesight and the purpose for which you intend to utilize the mirror. You should note that most people use a 3x-5x zoom level, which is excellent for younger women’s everyday use. If you share a bathroom with a man, this zoom is also useful for shaving so that it can do double duty.

If you’re older or prefer to work with outstanding detail, consider choosing 7x – 9x instead. This will reveal individual eyelashes and skin pores.

You should note that the magnification can make you feel self-conscious as you can notice wrinkles or imperfections that are not ordinarily evident.

Most people do not require a zoom of 10x or higher. This only reveals a little portion of your face, and due to physics, it can only be used with pocket-sized mirrors.

As an architect, you should sit down with your clients and understand their needs so that you can guide them on the best magnifying mirror to get.

Parting shot

Cosmetic mirrors are not only ideal for seeing your image, but you can also use them to add richness, mainly because of their reflected properties.

Unlike ages ago, when you were only limited to the conventional silver color, modern technology has enabled mirrors to be created in a variety of tones and finishes, including exquisite silver, grey, bronze, and black antique finishes. And you only need to choose the one that is ideal for you.

As an architect or designer, it’s your responsibility to research and point your clients in the right direction. You should help them make the right decision when it comes to choosing the ideal cosmetic mirror that matches their needs and the space they have.

Remember that your clients rely on you, so you should ensure that you have the right information at all times.

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