Mirrors can add style to any room, and they can also serve a great use. Having mirrors around your home is good because it enables you to have a quick look, especially before you go out. But aside from being practical items at home, mirrors are also used for home decorating. You can also hang mirrors on walls to hide imperfections like holes and paint scratches. In addition to that, mirrors can make a room look brighter and airy. It can also create the illusion of a small space to look larger than it actually is.
Having the right decorative mirror can help bring in more light and increase the aesthetic appeal of your home. However, how do you choose between the different mirror types, and how many are there to choose from? If you are wondering what options you have, you’re in the right place. Today, we are giving you a list of the different types of mirrors for your home.
Plane Mirrors
Plane Mirrors are the most common type of mirror for homes. It features a reflective surface that is usually flat. There are also some that have slightly curved surfaces, and they can also come in different shapes and designs. It is the standard and basic type of mirror that you can find in the market. But there are also lots of options when choosing these mirrors for your home.
Among the different types of mirrors, plane mirrors are the only type that produces images that are almost identicalor the same as the image it is portraying. It is the same size and shape as the original reflection. When you look at plane mirrors, the reflection is always virtual. This means that the light rays do not come from the image itself, and as well as upright. They produce realistic reflections that are laterally inverted, causing a right hand to look like the left hand of the person whose image is being shown.
There are a number of sizes when it comes to plane mirrors. There are small ones for bathrooms and large ones that can fit across an entire wall. They also come in different shapes, such as square, rectangle, round, octagonal, and more. Most plane mirrors are made using a thin piece of plate glass, which can produce great images and can also strengthen and protect the surface of the mirror, making it slow to tarnish.
Silvered Mirrors
Silvered mirrors are those which are coated with a reflective material, including silver, which is the most common. Before, mirrors were silvered with a mixture of tin and mercury. However, by the 18th century, it had changed to pure silver. In the present time, the most common mixture is made of sputtering aluminum and other compounds. But the term silver is still used in describing the type of design.
Silver is non-corrosive, making the mirror last longer. Aside from that, it also has a highly reflective quality that is perfect when making a mirror. In addition, it is a low-density material, which is lighter compared to other types of compounds. It can also make the mirror stronger, which is the biggest advantage and benefit. Silvered mirrors can also come in different types and sizes. Most of the time, they are larger mirrors that are used to decorate homes.
Spherical Mirrors
Spherical mirrors, unlike flat mirrors, have shapes that resemble pieces that are cut out of some type of spherical shape. The most common types of this mirror are concave and convex mirrors. For example, if the mirror is shaped like a half-moon, these two types are either reflected on the inside or outside of the shape. If you’ve experienced visiting a house of mirrors at festivals, the mirrors that portray a distorted image when you stand in front of it is a perfect example of a spherical mirror.
When you place objects closer to this type of mirror, they become magnified, which is how they work. The glass is curved either outward or inward, which is similar to the outside or inside of a spoon. They are also usually coated and work when the curved nature of the reflection bounces light to a focal point in front of it. The images can also appear farther away than they actually are.
Spherical mirrors also come in many shapes and sizes. You can use them as accent mirrors, vanity mirrors, wall mirrors, and more. Most of them are made out of glass or a kind of polished metal.
One-Way and Two-Way Mirrors
Both one-way and two-way mirrors are transparent and partially reflective. They are designed so that when the light reflects the coated side and goes behind the mirror into the dark space, it will see into a lighted room, but not out of it. Only one side of the mirror is coated with a material that is reflective and thin, making these mirrors work the way they do. Their coated side usually has a material applied to the backside of the glass, such as tin, silver, or nickel. The glass is then covered with copper to prevent oxidation and then painted with a layer of paint.
These mirrors are usually used in experimental labs, security cameras, and interrogation rooms. But they are also sometimes used in homes. They come in a lot of shapes and sizes. One of the best in the market is the Vilros Magic Glass 2-Way Mirror, which is great for smart homes.
Miscellaneous or Customized Mirrors
These are decorative mirrors for homes that are usually customized. They come in different designs, depending on the theme and style of the house. These can include backsplashes made of mirrors that can add style to a kitchen, full-length mirrors that are useful when dressing up, mirror tabletops, mirrored walls, and mirrors with specialized frames. There are also mirrors that have beveled glass, without frames, and in different shapes, designs, and colors.
These are some of the different types of mirrors for homes that you can choose from. All of these can definitely add style to your home and make it look brighter and more spacious. We hope this article helped you in knowing more about the different types of mirrors for your home.