Hang a mirror with its centre 150 to 160 cm off the floor. That is average eye level standing, and it is the height at which a mirror does its job for most people in the house without anyone having to stoop or stretch. Above a console or sideboard, a second rule takes over: leave 20 to 30 cm between the furniture top and the bottom of the mirror.
Why the second rule beats the first
When a mirror hangs above furniture, it stops being a standalone object and becomes part of a composition. Too much gap and the two read as unrelated things that happen to share a wall; too little and the mirror looks like it is resting on the console by accident. Twenty to thirty centimetres is the range where the eye connects them without them touching.
| Position | Height |
|---|---|
| Free wall | Centre at 150-160 cm |
| Above a console or sideboard | 20-30 cm above the top |
| Above a sofa | 20-25 cm above the backrest |
| Hallway, full length | Bottom 10-20 cm off the floor |
| Above a basin | Centre at 160-165 cm |
Making a room lighter, properly
A mirror genuinely lightens a room, but only if you hang it opposite or diagonally opposite a window, where it can bounce daylight back inside. Hung on the same wall as the window it reflects the wall opposite, which is usually the darkest surface in the room, and the effect is nil. Before you drill, hold the mirror up and look at what it reflects - if the reflection is a blank wall or a doorway, move it.
Fixing it so it stays up
Use plugs suited to your wall type, and this is where most accidents come from: plasterboard on its own will not hold a heavy mirror on standard plugs. Find the stud, or use anchors specifically rated for hollow walls and check the stated load. In older Dutch homes with solid brick you have more freedom, but a masonry drill and the right plug still matter.
For anything substantial, two fixing points beat one. A single hook lets a mirror swing out of level every time someone closes a door nearby, and it puts all the load on one spot in the wall.
Bathrooms
Only hang a mirror in a bathroom if the product is suitable for damp rooms. Untreated wood frames and unsealed backings deteriorate in steam - the silvering starts to spot at the edges and there is no fixing that once it begins. Our bathroom accessories state their suitability on each product page.
How high do you hang a mirror in the bathroom?
Above a basin, hang the mirror with its centre at 160 to 165 cm - slightly higher than in a living room, because you stand close and look straight ahead rather than at an angle. Leave at least 20 cm between the top of the basin or splashback and the bottom of the mirror, so toothbrush glasses and soap dispensers fit underneath without touching the glass.
Only hang a mirror in a bathroom if the product is suitable for damp rooms. Untreated wood frames and unsealed backings deteriorate in steam: the silvering starts to spot at the edges, and once that begins there is no repair. Ventilate after showering and wipe standing water off the frame, and a suitable mirror will last for years.
Cleaning without streaks
Wipe with a slightly damp microfibre cloth and buff dry with a second, dry one. The important part: spray cleaner onto the cloth, never onto the glass. Liquid sprayed at a mirror runs down behind the frame and into the backing, and that is one of the ways silvering starts to fail from the edge inwards.
Pair a mirror with a console table in a hallway and you have the most useful two square metres in the house: somewhere to drop keys, and a last look before you leave.
By Meike van Dongen · Veem, Amsterdam · 18 August 2026
