Mirror is the most requested panel on a sliding wardrobe and the most regretted when it is used carelessly. Done well, a mirrored wardrobe doubles the apparent size of a small London bedroom and brings daylight to the back of the room. Done badly, it reflects an unmade bed at you from every angle. This guide sets out both sides and the ways designers get the good without the bad.
Mirrored wardrobes, weighed up
- For: a room that reads twice its size, more light, a full-length mirror you do not have to find wall space for, and a finish that never dates.
- Against: reflections of the bed and clutter, fingerprints and cleaning, glare from a window opposite, and a cooler feel in a north-facing room.
- Fixes: mirror on one or two doors rather than all, bronze or grey-tinted glass, a mirror band at eye height, mirror between painted doors.
- Cost: mirror sliding doors from £1,020 per metre (Level 4) including VAT and installation.
The case for mirror
A wall of mirror is the only wardrobe finish that makes a room bigger. In a 3-metre by 3.5-metre London bedroom, mirrored sliding doors on the long wall make the room read as 6 metres deep and throw window light into the far corner. You also gain a full-length mirror without giving up a wall, which in a small room is worth more than it sounds. Mirror does not go out of fashion, works with any wall colour, and, unlike a painted finish, cannot fade.
The case against
Mirror reflects everything, including the bed opposite, the laundry basket and the ceiling light. Full-height mirror facing a window can glare in the morning. Fingerprints show around where hands land, so mirror doors need a wipe more often than matt ones. And in a north-facing room a wall of silver mirror can cool the palette when you wanted warmth.
Six ways to get mirror right
- Not every door. One mirror door between two painted or woodgrain doors gives the full-length mirror and most of the light without the hall-of-mirrors effect.
- Tint it. Bronze and grey-tinted mirror warm the reflection and soften what it shows. Bronze mirror with black frames is the most requested sliding finish in our showroom.
- Band it. Sliding doors can carry a mirror band at eye level with woodgrain or painted panels above and below. You get the mirror where you use it and a calmer wall.
- Mind what it faces. Mirror opposite a window doubles the light; mirror opposite the bed doubles the bed. Your designer will draw both options.
- Frame it. A mirror centre panel inside a shaker frame reads as furniture rather than glass.
- Choose sliding for full height. A full-height mirror door on a hinge is heavy; on a sliding track running on steel rollers it is effortless and carries a 10-year guarantee on the gear.
Safety and cleaning
All our mirror is safety-backed, so if it were ever broken it would hold together on the backing film rather than fall. Cleaning is a dry microfibre cloth for dust and a damp one for marks; no abrasive cleaners, and never spray directly at the edge where the glass meets the frame.
What mirrored wardrobes cost
Mirror is one of the more economical sliding panels. Mirror sliding doors sit at Level 4 of our price guide, £1,020 per metre, so a three-door run about three metres wide from £3,060; bronze or grey-tinted mirror sits a step above silver. On hinged wardrobes, mirror doors are also Level 4, and a mirror centre panel within a shaker door is priced with the shaker levels from £1,860 per metre. All prices include VAT and installation. See sliding wardrobes and the price guide.
Frequently asked questions
Do mirrored wardrobes make a room look bigger?
Yes. A mirrored run on the long wall of a small bedroom can make the room read as twice its depth and reflects window light into the far corner. Using mirror on one or two doors rather than all keeps the effect without the clutter.
Are mirrored wardrobes hard to keep clean?
They show fingerprints around the handles more than matt doors, so they need a wipe with a microfibre cloth more often. Tinted mirror hides marks better than silver.
Is it bad to have a mirror facing the bed?
Many people dislike waking to their reflection. Place the mirror door opposite the window rather than the bed, use a mirror band at eye level, or choose bronze-tinted glass to soften the reflection.
How much do mirrored sliding wardrobes cost?
Mirror sliding doors from £1,020 per metre, so a three-door run about three metres wide from £3,060, including VAT and installation. Tinted mirror costs a little more than silver.
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Ready to see what your room could hold?
Book a free home design visit. A Metro designer measures the room, brings full-size door and finish samples, and returns a 3D design with an itemised, fixed price within two to three days. No deposit is taken at the visit and there is no obligation. Or see every door style at our Wembley showroom, next to the workshop that makes them.
