I would set it up for easy removal. I would also put a 1/16 gap at the bottom to allow for expansion with or without a frame.

tim, thanks for your help. I'm not sure what you mean by easy removal? The mirror or the frame? Not sure why I'd need to remove either. Maybe you mean something else? Or there's something that hasn't even occurred to me yet...

Thanks for your ideas williamsem. The ceilings are 9' and there is a recessed light above the sink. A 4" can with a pinhole trim. I also made sure to pick sconces with A19 (regular light bulbs) that can go up to 100 watts. I didn't consider any smaller candelabra-type bulbs because they wouldn't have provided enough light. The whole bathroom will also have recessed lights (2) above the tub and (1) in the shower as well as a hanging pendant/chandelier in the middle of the room. I appreciate your thoughts about making sure there is enough light.

You bring up a good point: if I leave space between the chair rail and the mirror -- make sure there's enough room to dust. So maybe at least an inch. I agree that the frame needs to be substantial, maybe even 2.5 inches wide. I start to worry that we'll need a step stool to see in the mirror. ha!

I think if you are going to do something this big do it all the way, minimal gap all around: all the way to the ceiling or crown and all the way to each side. All the better if it is in a niche and you can go side-to-side.

A mirror done this way almost completely disappears and ceases to be an object. It becomes a reflective surface.

Definitely a frame. I say go big. We did a huge mirror, wide frame, large crown molding... and I LOVE it.

We ended up going all the way to the ceiling. We debated something lower, but decided not to be shy.

Can't wait to see your finished product!

Here is a link that might be useful: Framing out our large mirror.

There will come a day the mirror will need to be removed. i.e. Crack, silver flaking off. I would set it up that allows it to be changed easily. Which more than likely, means a frame.

So I was thinking about this some more. Can you post dimensions of the room as a whole? Or better yet a layout on graph paper? Hard to get an idea of scale just based on one piece.

Our master bath has a large mirror over the sink cabinet, which is about 5.5 feet long and has two sinks. The mirror has no frame and extends all the way down to the backsplash (a short piece of the same granite as the countertop). As Pal says, it is not really a noticeable design element, it's just a reflective wall. We even have an electrical outlet in the mirror (it's got a mirrored cover plate so it doesn't stand out). Our mirror doesn't go all the way to the ceiling; it stops underneath the lights mounted to the wall. We had it installed 14 years ago and it shows no signs of age. If it ever had to be changed I suppose we'd cut out the sheetrock around it, but I don't anticipate having to do anything with it.

If I were designing our bathroom again I'd do the vanity and mirror the same way, even down to the short granite backsplash. I'm not planning a short counter-material backsplash in the kitchen, but it looks like it makes perfect sense in the bathroom with the mirror resting on top of it -- just a part of the counter.

Ours is framed and comes down to the top of the backsplash.

Here is a link that might be useful: MB Mirror

Hi - found this thread and I am faced with the exact same decision. If any of you are still following this thread - would love your opinions.

To frame or not to frame our mirror to fill the space above the eventual backsplash and between the towers?

How high to make the backsplash? 7" total? (I have 1/2" pencil on the bottom, 2" chair rail at top and any amount of marble mosaic in between.

Thanks! And would love to see pix of your completed vanities and mirrors!

This may not apply to you but our large, unframed mirror abuts the 4 inch backsplash and my hubby's shaving routine evidently gets water there. the mirror is so corroder in that area it looks like huge black clouds growing from the bottom of the mirror. I'm afraid to remove it and find mold!

If it is a functional, utilitarian bathroom (for kids?), I'd say mirror the whole wall. If it is a master bath and a beautiful, decorated space, I would buy a big beautifully framed mirror. It should not "match" the cabinet. It should just go with the cabinet and hardware.
Here is a large mirror in my powder room that could be hung horizontally~

artteacher i LOVE that mirror! I was looking at frames for mine - here a more finished pix before the mirror, with the backsplash and doors. I decided on a beveled mirror - I kind of thought a framed mirror would yuck it up too much. It was just too hard to visualize. But I did go for a bevel. Can't wait for it to come in. The sconces will really stand out nicely I think.

Phylhl, thanks, and yours is so beautiful! You made the right choice with the upper cabinets on the side. A beveled mirror will be perfect!

artteacher - thanks!

My vote is for a framed mirror with a little bit of space between the mirror and backsplash. That is what I have in my master. The frame matches my cabinets. I also like how I am able to dust the top of the pencil rail of the backsplash...

the mirror will need to not touch the ledge below it. over time, say 5 years or so, water and cleaning agents will seep up behind the mirror and create a black line at the bottom of the mirror. You need enough space to no allow water to wick up behind the mirror.

phylhl - Love what you did with your vanity - Can you please provide a few dimensions - Thanks
Total width
Sink cabinet width (each)
Depth at sink area
Depth at ends of cabinet
Thanks

Thanks!
total width: 102"
sink bases: 31"
Depth at sink area: 23"
Depth at ends of cabinet 19"
these are finished depths - I can send you the drawings of the vanity if you'd like.

>the mirror will need to not touch the ledge below it. over time, say 5 years or so, water and cleaning agents will seep up behind the mirror and create a black line at the bottom of the mirror. You need enough space to no allow water to wick up behind the mirror.

Kind of puzzled by this. I can see that this would be a big issue for mirrors that come to the countertop, but I have 30 year old mirrors that are actually supported by the backsplash, and they're just now starting to go at the corners, which I don't think has much at all to do with that.

I like the look when it is the mirror resting on the pencil rail over the backslash with no wall visible. I have 17 year old mirrors resting on backslash and am now seeing the black spots not above the sink area but on the medicine cabinet on the other wall. Perhaps its moisture in general.

I found my old post when looking for info for my next remodel project. Here's a better-late-than-never update to my post. It has worked well for us the last 6+ years. I did end up having the carpenter also frame the medicine cabinet. I will also include the 'before' picture for fun.

Shell did he just build a frame for your existing old mirror and medicine cabinet? If so did he just glue the frame to the mirror? I want an affordable way to update my daughter’s vanity mirror which goes from counter to ceiling so there is no room to frame the edges. Would like it to be framed with beveled mirror glass.