Mirrors have always possessed a mystical image. In many cultures, there are folktales and mythology depicting mirrors or reflections in water with having the ability to see into the future. There is also the well-known superstition that says a broken mirror can bring seven years of bad luck.
In feng shui, some say mirrors can balance energy, repel bad energy, or even manipulate energy. That’ a log of things it can do! No wonder they call it the “aspirin” of feng shui.
Being a student of form school feng shui, I have learned that we must decipher if these claims really make sense to us or not. Master Hsu said that in ancient China there were no mirrors, instead they used polished brass to see their reflection. So, use mirrors as you would to enhance your space, making sure it has a purpose. Randomly placed mirrors without a purposes can cause confusion and chaos.
For interior design purposes they can be extremely useful. In a small room or narrow hallway you can visually expand the space by lining a wall with mirrors. However, make sure you don’t use tile mirrors or an assortment of small sized mirrors combined. This creates a distorted, or chopped up image and instead of making the room feel larger, it will feel chaotic and uncomfortable. Similarly, just be careful when choosing mirrors for decor in your rooms. The modern shapes or combination of shapes can create undesirable visual images.
Placing mirrors near windows and light sources will also help increase light. If near a window, it can also bring the outside in, but make sure the reflection is something pleasant to your eyes. It is common to use mirrors used in a foyer, but don’t place it directly across the front door. Some say it repels qi energy from entering the house, but from a practical reason, when entering a space you want to be make your guests feel welcome. By having a mirror facing them, they only see the reflection of themselves and it’s subconsciously uncomfortable and distracting. If you’d like to have a mirror in the space, just place it on a side wall.
With careful consideration, mirrors can be a wonderful tool with the ability to enhance a space bringing in light, nature, and the illusion of a larger space.
