How Big Should a Bathroom Vanity Mirror Be

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A bathroom vanity mirror is that accent piece that not only adds style to your bathroom but also dramatically influences the atmosphere of the space. It is one of those ornamental pieces that are both functional and add esthetics to compliment the style of any room.

The most important aspect of a bathroom vanity mirror is its sizing, of course. Sizing of a vanity mirror can break or make the overall feel of your space.

It is why it is essential to spend time figuring out how big a bathroom vanity mirror should be.

The size of the vanity will determine a bathroom mirror size. The bathroom mirror should not extend beyond the length of the vanity. Experts say that a distance of about 4-inches should exist between the vanity mirror and the vanity. The mirror should be positioned such that it gives an uninterrupted reflection.

A bathroom vanity mirror can work wonders to any space when added correctly. It is difficult to get the right proportions that work well in conjunction with your vanity to give out that balanced look when you finally do, the results can be a masterpiece.

For you to decide on the size of your vanity mirror, there are a few things you might want to consider. The bathroom dimension dramatically influences the size of your vanity mirror.

As much as it is your personal choice on the sizing of the vanity mirror you want, the dimensions of the room and the size of the vanity can also play a significant role.

Here is how you can determine the size of your bathroom vanity mirror

How to Determine The Size of Your Bathroom Vanity Mirror

Contents

Before deciding the best size of vanity mirror for your bathroom, you should take some simple measurements. It is essential to measure the length of your countertop or vanity since this is where the mirror will sit.

Next, your available room measurements are also crucial because they will determine how much space there is to house the mirror.

Likewise, your space dimensions will help you select a vanity that is suited to your space. Not all vanity mirrors will be feasible to your area and complement your bathroom size to balance the room.

The length of your vanity will determine the size of the mirror that sits on top of it. As a general rule of thumb, your vanity should extend a few inches beyond your vanity mirror.

If your vanity mirror is more comprehensive than your vanity, it will make the vanity appear smaller and completely throw off the bathroom proportions.

The standard bathroom vanity sizes range from 72 inches to 24 inches, while complimentary vanity mirrors range from 71 inches to 22 inches.

Here is a list of vanity sizes and the size vanity mirrors that go with them.

  • 24-inch vanity – 22 to 23-inch vanity mirror
  • 30-inch vanity – 28 to 28-inch vanity mirror
  • 36-inch vanity – 34 to 35-inch vanity mirror
  • 48-inch vanity – 46 to47-inch vanity mirror
  • 60-inch vanity – 58 to 59-inch vanity mirror
  • 72-inch vanity – 70 to 71-inch vanity mirror

Things to consider before deciding on your bathroom vanity mirror size

Together with matching your vanity length to the length of the vanity mirror, there are certain design aspects you should include to give your that perfect finish.

Importance of Vanity size

Because the length of the vanity will determine the size of the vanity mirror to go above it, its importance might be evident from the deduction. However, it is vital to consider hypothetical situations when the proportions are mismatched to provide more clarity on the matter.

If your mirror is the same size as your vanity, the results can be atrocious. Two straight parallel lines lead nowhere. If you mismatch the sizing and get a vanity mirror that is too small for your vanity, you will have to do a lot of head movement to see yourself correctly on the mirror.

In case you have a vanity of nonstandard size, designers recommend that the vanity mirror be 4-inches shorter than the vanity whether or not you go for a framed mirror.

This distance can be adapted to any size vanity by adding two for more oversized vanities or subtracting two for smaller vanities.

Height of Ceiling

The height of the ceiling will significantly influence the size of your mirror. The high top gives you leeway to use large mirrors that create fluid lines to provide that feeling of spaciousness.

Remember, a small mirror in such a scenario is likely to be engulfed by the walls of space. On the other hand, a mirror that is too big will look awkward. Generally, stick to matching proportions.

Room Size

Your bathroom size is of importance here because a vanity mirror that is disproportionate to the size of your vanity might look out of place. Get an enormous mirror that is appropriate for your room, and everything else looks small.

Go for a smaller mirror than your room, and you risk it being deluged by the wall space.

How to Position a Bathroom Mirror Above a Vanity

Other factors to consider would be ensuring your wall can hold the weight of the vanity mirror. Provide for anchoring if necessary. Small mirrors, framed or not, are easy to hang.

On the other hand, more oversized mirrors will need special anchorage to ensure they are adequately riveted to the wall. 

 For that excellent bathroom vanity mirror combo, you should position the vanity mirror perfectly above the vanity.

Length From The Ceiling

For that perfect look, your vanity mirror should sit at a certain length from your ceiling. The mirror should not extend to the top of the roof.

The best practice will be to leave a minimum of 5 inches of space between your mirror and the ceiling if you are going for a long vanity mirror.

If you have other wall-mounted fixtures like hanging shelves and light fixtures, the mirror should extend within a few inches of the institution.

Height of the people using the mirror

Your whole face, neck, and a foot above your head should be visible in the mirror.

The relative distance between mirror, vanity, and backsplash

The backsplash is there to protect your wall from water damage. However, if you position the mirror flush against the backsplash, it can still funnel the water behind the mirror and cause damage.

So allow some distance between the mirror and the backsplash.

The vanity mirror should be at least one inch above the backsplash.

Centering The Vanity Mirror

Traditionally the vanity mirror is centered over the vanity. However, if you have a sink above the vanity, you should center it with the sink. It will, in turn, align it with the vanity.

Always base your centering according to the vanity when the sink is not in the middle of the vanity. It will work as long as the mirror is large enough to have an uninterrupted view of your reflection.

Supposedly the sink and vanity are misaligned. A clear view of your reflection is impeded because you are working with a smaller mirror, then center the vanity mirror relative to the position of the sink and not the vanity.

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