Tips For Overcoming Dim Room Lighting With Mirror Placement

Although mirrors typically just show you a normal reflection, when light is directed at a mirror, the effect is different. Understanding how that energy responds when directed at a mirror is the first step to helping you battle dark, dim or poorly lit rooms in your house. Here are some tips to help you optimize your mirror placement and make light work for you.

How Can Mirrors Help With Poor Lighting?

Since light is energy, it cannot simply be captured by the mirror and displayed the way that your reflection is. Instead, when light is directed into a mirror, it doesn't pass through and provide a flat reflection. The light actually bounces back off the surface of the mirror at an angle, sending it back into the rest of the room. With the right placement of several mirrors in a room, you can reflect light throughout the space.

Determining The Angle of the Light

In order to use mirrors to reflect light, you need to know exactly where the light is coming from in the room. If any natural light comes in, make an effort to note the angle at which it comes in and where in the room it falls. If there's a wall in the immediate vicinity, you'll want to place a mirror there.

If you cannot capitalize on natural lighting, you'll have to add some of your own. Mount some wall lights in the room or position tall floor lamps so that they will cast light toward an opposing wall. The brighter or more directly positioned the lights are, the less fading you'll experience as the beams reflect from one mirror to the next.

How Do You Place the Mirrors?

To make the most of the light reflection, you need to position the mirrors properly. This requires some consideration of the angle of the reflection. Light will bounce back away from a mirror at the same angle that the light hits the mirror in the first place.

If the light is coming in at a 50-degree angle to the mirror, you'll want to place the next mirror at a 50-degree angle on the other side of the mirror. So, if the light comes in from the right side, put the mirror to the left. The goal is to create a triangle-like effect with the light and the mirrors.

With an understanding of the angles of reflection, any dim space can be livened up. If you're struggling with low light in your home, consider these tips to maximize the illumination you already enjoy. For more information on mirrors, contact a place like Glasshopper Schor Glass.

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