Mirrors can definitely open up a room, but honestly, I've found that sometimes less is more. I used to have a big mirror reflecting my living room window, thinking it'd brighten things up, but it ended up feeling weirdly distracting—like too much visual clutter. Eventually swapped it out for some textured artwork, and the space felt calmer and more inviting. So mirrors are great, but they're not always the best solution... depends on the vibe you're going for, I guess.
I totally get what you're saying about mirrors sometimes feeling like visual clutter. A few years back, I was helping a friend redo her tiny studio apartment. We thought mirrors would be the perfect trick to open up the space, so we put up this huge floor-to-ceiling mirror opposite her main window. At first glance, it seemed great—tons of extra light bouncing around—but after a week or two, she said it felt overwhelming, almost like living in a fishbowl.
"Eventually swapped it out for some textured artwork, and the space felt calmer and more inviting."
We ended up doing something similar, replacing the mirror with a vertical garden wall (just some simple hanging plants and shelves). It softened the room instantly and actually made it feel bigger somehow—maybe because it drew your eye upward without reflecting every little thing. Mirrors can be awesome, but they're definitely not a one-size-fits-all solution... sometimes you just gotta experiment a bit to find what really clicks with your space.
Totally relate to this. Mirrors can be tricky—I've seen them work wonders in some spaces, but in others they just amplify clutter or create weird reflections you didn't anticipate. Your vertical garden idea sounds great though, plants always seem to add depth and warmth without overwhelming the eye. Sometimes it's just trial and error until you find that sweet spot... Glad you found something that clicked!
"Sometimes it's just trial and error until you find that sweet spot..."
Totally agree with this—when we moved into our custom home, I thought I had everything mapped out perfectly, but reality hit differently. Curious, did you use any specific apps or tools to visualize your layout beforehand?
I get the appeal of apps, but honestly, nothing beats physically moving furniture around. I've had clients swear by digital layouts only to realize their sofa blocked half the window IRL... Did you find the apps matched up well with reality?
