Polish your mirror image

Instantly transform a spot with these artful mirrors for every personality and budget.

September 10, 2011 at 6:02PM
Laura mirror from Aidan Gray
Laura mirror from Aidan Gray (Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

UNDER $200

1 Beveled classic: Customize by hanging it from a wide grosgrain ribbon or a simple chain, both included with the mirror. Small Eleanor frameless mirror (20 inches high, 15 inches wide), $79, potterybarn.com.

2 Mod porthole: This sleek mirror with a fish-eye reflector provides a nautical feel. Convex mirror with deep, lacquered frame (13 inches in diameter), $41, westelm.com.

3 Tall, dark, handsome: Elegant and style-neutral, this well-priced upright can live with modern or traditional decor. It adjusts like an easel to offer just the right angle. Brighton standing mirror (67 inches high, 201/4 inches wide), $199, crateandbarrel.com.

4 Vintage cluster: Group three or more to bring country charm to a hallway or a girl's room. Antiqued hand mirrors (about 14 inches high, 6 inches wide), $55 each, jaysonhome andgarden.com.

5 Theater in the round: A distressed crackle finish gives this acanthus leaf frame Old World charm. Acanthus Beige Crackle mirror (30 inches in diameter), $160, lampsplus.com.

6 Starburst showstopper: Bold, retro-inspired wall art, it would be a high-impact element in an entryway. The 8-inch mirrored center helps with out-the-door lipstick application. Constellation mirror (30 inches in diameter), $58, chiasso.com.

7 Sweet and scalloped: Pressed tin gives it a hint of seaside texture. Also available in round and rectangular shapes, which group well on a landing. Pressed-tin mirror (81/4 inches high, 61/4 inches wide), $22, areohome.com.

$200 TO $500
1 Fairy-tale prop: Magical and romantic, like having a tree growing in the corner of your bedroom. Grove floor mirror by Roost (68 inches high, 18 inches wide), $445, rumrunnerhome.com.

2 Beach-house fantasy: The organic ruffled frame adds rich texture to a neutral room. Atoll Antiqued mirror (461/4 inches high, 371/4 inches wide), $299, ballarddesigns.com.

3 Bold and groovy: Changes personality based on its background. On a sunny yellow wall, it's glamorous; and on hot pink, it's preppy. Black flower mirror by Global Views (40 inches in diameter), $445, highfashionhome.com.

4 Gilded laurel leaves: Formidable, regal and rich, this treasure could be the crowning dramatic touch in a dark-painted powder room. Farrah small iron mirror (24 inches in diameter), $495, arteriorshome.com for stores.

5 Classy saloon: Subtly nostalgic, it summons dark-paneled 19th-century coziness. Murray Feiss Boulevard Collection oval mirror (33 inches high, 24 inches wide), $275, lampsplus.com.

6 Whitewashed Venetian: A little beat up, it has the allure of a French antique without the stuffiness. Vine Gardener mirror (44 inches high, 381/2 inches wide), $498, anthropologie.com.

7 Medieval relic: The weathered frame and antiqued glass would make a moody focal point at the end of a long hallway. Laura mirror by Aidan Gray Decor (30 inches in diameter), $225, laylagrayce.com.

$500 AND UP
1 Coral wreath: The ideal accessory for the luxe dressing station of your dreams. Alba mirror by Made Goods (15 inches in diameter), $500, mecoxgardens.com for stores.

2 Chips off the old block: Vintage blocks frame this ebony mirror, so no two mirrors are quite alike. Print Block rectangular mirror by Roost (36 inches high, 181/4 inches wide), $625, velocityartanddesign.com.

3 Bubble cluster: Large iron circles make a spectacular but not too serious statement above a sofa. Sheridan silver iron mirror (44 inches high, 53 inches wide), $900, arteriorshome.com for stores.

4 Outsider artsy: Rough-hewn but controlled, it's a slightly stern use of beachy flotsam. Lean vertically or hang horizontally. Bodega driftwood mirror by Arteriors Home (54 inches high, 30 inches wide), $718, interiorhomescapes.com.

5 Prickly pizazz: Painted to look like porcupine quills, it has the risky glamour you would see in a fabulous boutique hotel. Porcupine Quill mirror by Janice Minor (33 inches in diameter), $700, horchow.com.

6 Fanciful flourish: Eighteenth-century curves combined with a modern lacquer finish. Hang low over a sideboard or at eye level in an entry. Rococo mirror (28 inches high, 40 inches wide), $595, jonathanadler.com.

7 Burst of rays: Any fireplace -- marble, brick, wood -- would benefit from this shimmery spectacle. Round and radiating, it also gets high marks for feng shui. Dawn mirror by Made Goods (32 inches in diameter), $1,200, mecoxgardens.com for stores.

Copyright 2011 Time Inc. Real Simple is a registered trademark of Time Inc. Used by permission.

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