Which diameter for which spot
A simple rule: a circle looks right at about two thirds of the width of the furniture below it. Over a basin, keep it slightly narrower than the basin and taps together.
Round mirrors for walls, basins and consoles
A round mirror softens a room made of straight lines: door frames, shelves, radiators, the edge of a sofa. It works over a basin, above a console table or as the one large circle on a living room wall. Here is how to choose the diameter, the frame and the height so it looks deliberate rather than lost.
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Buying guide
How to choose a round mirror
Diameter matters more than style. Too small and the circle floats on the wall; too big and it crowds the furniture beneath it. Measure first, then pick the frame.
Framed or frameless
A thin metal frame in brass, gold or black gives the circle a clean outline and suits most rooms. Wide wooden or rattan frames add warmth and read as decoration in their own right, so they need a little more space around them. Frameless glass with a bevelled edge is the lightest look and the easiest to place in a small bathroom.
How high to hang it
On an open wall, centre the glass at eye level, roughly 150 to 160 cm from the floor. Above furniture, leave 15 to 25 cm between the top of the console or sofa back and the bottom of the frame. In a bathroom, check that you can still see your face when you stand at the basin, not just the top of your head.
Large round mirrors
Over 80 cm, weight becomes the main question. Use fixings suited to your wall: plugs and screws rated for the load in brick or block, cavity fixings or a timber batten in plasterboard. Two fixing points stop a large circle from turning out of level, which is easy to spot on a round shape.
Round mirrors in the bathroom
Steam and splashes are hard on the silvering at the back of the glass. Look for a sealed back and edges, and a frame in powder-coated metal or sealed wood. Wipe with a soft cloth and a little glass cleaner rather than spraying straight onto the edge.
Glass and fixings to check
Standard mirror glass is 4 to 5 mm thick; thicker glass reflects with less distortion on large sizes. A safety backing film holds the pieces together if the glass breaks, which is worth having in a hallway or a child's room. Check which fixings come in the box and whether the hanging point is a single hook, two D-rings or a cleat, which spreads the load best.
Pairing with the room
A circle sits well over rectangular furniture because the contrast is the point. Two round mirrors of different sizes can work on a long hallway wall, but keep the frames the same colour so the pair reads as a set.
At a glance
| Where | Diameter |
|---|---|
| Cloakroom basin or shelf | 40 to 50 cm |
| Single bathroom basin | 50 to 60 cm |
| Console table of 90 to 110 cm | 60 to 75 cm |
| Above a sofa or double vanity | 80 to 100 cm |
| Statement piece on a bare wall | 100 cm and over |
Frequently asked questions
How big should a round mirror be?
About two thirds of the width of the furniture below it. Over a 100 cm console, that means roughly 60 to 70 cm.
What does a round mirror do for a room?
It breaks up straight lines and reflects light without the hard edges of a rectangle, which makes a small room feel calmer and a little larger.
How high should a mirror be above a sofa?
Leave 15 to 25 cm between the top of the sofa back and the bottom of the frame, so the mirror relates to the sofa rather than floating near the ceiling.
What size is considered a large round mirror?
Most UK retailers class 80 cm and over as large. From that size, use two fixings suited to your wall.