One of the most glamorous "looks" in home decoration features framed decorative mirrors. Small mirrors, hung in groups, create a cottage-y and sweet feel to any room. Oversized decorative mirrors, starting around three feet in length, are gorgeous hung behind dining tables or over living room mantles. Full size standing pier mirrors, which can run up to nine feet tall or higher, when hung or leaning against a wall have a striking, dramatic, and sophisticated effect.

I have been in many expensive homes where they decorate exclusively with mirrors. A series of four identical seven foot tall mirrors running the length of the room across from a solid wall of library bookshelves is incredibly dramatic. But one doesn't have to try to transform one's house into some kind of Palace of Versailles wanna-be to enjoy the visual impact of decorative mirrors.

Decorative mirrors can actually be quite practical. Placing one by the front door, where you can casually check yourself before greeting guests or have a last-glance before you head out the door to work, provides both an attractive, space enhancing touch to the foyer and a "last chance to check." It can be hugely convenient when the horn honks in the driveway to not have to run all the way to the bathroom to make sure you got the raisins out of your teeth before you get into the carpool, driven this week by your boss, or that cute co-worker.

Another famous advantage of decorative mirrors is their capacity to create visual space and double the light of any room. For people with small apartments or dorm rooms, particularly on lower floors where they don't get a lot of direct sunshine, the clever placement of decorative mirrors can make the difference between a dark, cramped space and what appears to be a sunny, spacious one. Decorative mirrors, especially when combined with thoughtful lighting, are an inexpensive way to create drama, light, and visual sophistication to an otherwise drab or ordinary space.

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