Buyer's Guide to Bathroom Mirrors and Cabinets
Bathrooms are no longer the boxy space they used to be in the home. They have now evolved into large, exotic spaces that can be used for unwinding and relaxing as much as they are for daily rituals like bathing. To make the most of your bathroom, it should contain proper lighting and mirrors for makeup and grooming tasks, as well as sufficient storage space to keep the clutter hidden from plain sight. The continued push in the bathroom mirror market to provide bigger and better features has led to some great products being available. This article intends to talk you through the main features to consider when buying a bathroom mirror.
A lot of people tend to downplay the importance of mirrors. Consequently, they go on a shopping spree for bathroom mirror fittings without due consideration for the shape, size, or design feature. The result? A badly proportioned mirror or cabinet that doesn’t suit your bathroom.
LED Mirrors
Much like any other bathroom accessory, there are many factors to consider when shopping for mirrors. Mirrors range from simple, plain ones to more luxurious ones with advanced features such as LED mirrors. These come with an ambient source of lighting that provides illumination to your face to aid with makeup and grooming tasks. With these kinds of mirrors, you do not need to worry about an uneven shave or foundation blend. They are a must have in modern bathrooms. Some of the ultra modern mirrors even allow you to choose the tone and brightness of the lighting. It is worth pointing out that you will need a power source wired into the bathroom to allow for these types of mirrors. So make sure when planning your self build or renovation project to consider this.
Bluetooth Mirrors
Just like the name suggests, Bluetooth mirrors have provisions for establishing a connection through Bluetooth. This enables the user to play their favourite music aloud without risking splash damage to their device. It’s as simple as connecting to any other Bluetooth device. Search, connect and press play. The music will play through waterproof, integrated speakers on the side of the mirror.
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A solid example of a Bluetooth mirror is the Tara 50 Bluetooth Mirror. This tidy mirror from MyLife Bathrooms is the perfect size for the standard 600mm wide Bathroom Vanity Unit.
While some are fitted with only Bluetooth stereo speakers, ours are packed with even more. An infrared motion sensor, shaving socket and a heated demister pad are just a few of the features that make our Bluetooth mirrors a solid pick. The heated demister pad is one feature you do not want to miss out on. It prevents the mirror from steaming up.
Heated Demister Pads
A modern, but now standard feature of an average priced Bathroom Mirror is a heated demister pad. These smart pads are fully integrated into the body of the mirror, and when turned on, prevents the mirror from steaming up and so allowing the mirror to remain fully functional. Simply turn the demister on when filling your bath or running your shower to make sure no condensation is on the mirror for when you need it.
Shaving Sockets
A charging socket is a very useful feature to have on a mirror. Housed within the body of the mirror, the charging socket provides a safe power source to feed your electric shaver or electric toothbrush, independent from the light power source. This not only provides extra functionality but also prevents extra fixtures from having to be installed further down the line to provide this function. This is definitely worth thinking about when considering bathroom mirrors.
Size
The size of the mirror largely depends on the size of the bathroom. Small mirrors are the ideal pick for ensuite and personal bathrooms, while medium to larger sized ones is a better fit for places like family bathrooms or those with more wall space like in hotels and offices.
The ideal mirror size depends on the length of your vanity unit. It is recommended that your mirror size is 2 to 4 centimetres narrower than the vanity, to keep the bathroom fittings well proportioned. For example, a sink vanity of 50 centimetres should have a mirror dimension (including frame design) of about 40-42 centimetres. See the Beck 1200mm LED Mirror.
Final Thoughts
Bathroom mirrors have taken a new dimension as there are now more complex designs with more accessories and features. For illuminated bathroom and LED mirrors, the benefits are too numerous to list. They not only offer crisp, stylish designs but reduce energy consumption and have a long lifespan. Others like Bluetooth mirrors come with stereo speakers and a heated demister pad that cushions the warming/heat effect of LED bulbs. It is easy to see that choosing the correct bathroom mirror will have a huge impact on the style and functionality of your bathroom.
While you are here, why not take a look at our full Bathroom Mirror Collection. Here you can filter our mirrors to provide whatever combination of features and size that you want for your bathroom!
