Antique Mirrors

What we mean by an antique mirror

Every mirror on this page is a present-day piece finished to look antique. Not one is a genuine antique, and we would rather say so plainly. The aged character sits in the finish, with frames in antique gold, silver, bronze or brass. One has a foxed finish, with a soft, mottled surface, and its name says so.

A genuine antique can come with worn silvering, a fragile frame or an unknown fixing on the back. Here you choose the look you want and check the shape, frame and size in the details before you order.

Antique mirror finishes in gold, silver and bronze

Start with the metals already in the room. Antique gold and brass sit happily beside warm woods, cream walls and gold-toned lighting, and they lift a north-facing hallway. Antique silver and pewter suit greys, soft blues and white paintwork, where a cooler tone looks calm rather than cold. Bronze sits between them: deeper and browner, it holds its own against dark walls, walnut and leather.

Beyond the metals, a few come in black, which draws a crisp outline on a pale wall. A few more are finished in white for a lighter, softer look. If you are mixing metals, keep the mirror close in tone to the nearest fitting, such as a ceiling light or a door handle, and the room will feel considered.

Choosing a frame for an antique mirror

Most of our antique mirrors have a metal frame. Metal holds fine detail in a slim profile, so it suits a delicate border as well as bold, open shapes. Several have iron frames. Some have swirling ironwork that reads clearly from across a room, so it suits a large, plain wall.

We also stock wood and MDF frames, which sit comfortably with painted furniture and natural textures. A few have frames of mirrored glass, which carry the reflection right out to the edge. The frame sets much of the weight, so note it in the details before you plan where it hangs.

Round, rectangular and full-length antique mirrors

Shape settles where a mirror will sit. A round mirror softens a room full of straight lines and sits neatly above a small chest or in an alcove. A rectangular one fills the space above a sideboard or a console table, and the way it hangs matters: portrait draws the eye up, while landscape widens a wall. Check the orientation in the details, so you know which way it is made to hang.

Full-length mirrors let you see an outfit from head to toe, so they earn their place in a bedroom or by the front door. A few have an arched top, which adds a gentle curve to a tall, narrow wall. Some are divided into panels, like the panes of an old sash window.

Antique mirrors for hallways, living rooms and bedrooms

Most of the mirrors here suit a hallway or a living room. In a hallway, a mirror by the door gives you a last look on the way out and bounces light into what is often the darkest part of the house. In a living room, hang it above the fireplace or the sofa, or opposite a window so it carries daylight further in.

We stock antique mirrors for bedrooms too, where a round or rectangular one sits well above a chest of drawers or a dressing table. Wherever it goes, position it so it reflects something you like looking at, such as a window, a lamp or a favourite picture, rather than a blank wall.

Antique mirrors in classic and modern rooms

Our antique mirrors include classic, traditional and vintage styles, as well as modern and industrial ones. In a period home, an antique gold or silver frame looks as though it has always been there, especially against original cornicing or picture rails. In a modern room, the aged finish does a different job, bringing warmth and character to clean lines and plain walls.

For an industrial look, pair a bronze frame with exposed brick, metal shelving or a concrete floor. In any style, let the mirror be the only aged piece among simpler things, and it will look intended rather than borrowed.

Hanging and cleaning an antique mirror

Before you drill, check how the mirror is meant to hang. A keyhole fixing lets it sit flat on a screw head, steady and close to the wall. Choose fixings rated for its weight and suited to your wall: plasterboard needs cavity fixings or a timber stud, while solid brick takes a plug and screw. Where the details say a mirror can lean, stand it on a level floor and secure the top if children or pets are around.

To clean, dust the frame with a soft, dry cloth. Spray glass cleaner onto another cloth rather than the glass, so no liquid creeps behind the edge to the silvering, and skip abrasive pads and harsh polishes, which can rub through an antique finish.