I like the vertical.

My eye is drawn to the vertical.

The vertical looks nicer between the lights.

The opinions are pretty consistent! The vertical gives both my husband and me a better view of ourselves, so it seems functional, too. Does anyone feel they need more mirror on the sides of the vanity? When I blow-dry or curl my hair, the appliances sit to the side of the sink, but I feel like I'll still stand in the center and be able to see everything I need to.

The mirrors actually come with the hangers only designed for horizontal, but I can easily switch that. I wonder if it's a more "modern" feel to have them horizontal.

Thanks for weighing in and asking, Ingeorgia! I honestly don't know which I like better. After having spent months designing and building this bathroom, I have decision fatigue.

I don't like how high off the counter the horizontal needs to be, but I wonder if there is too much room between the sconces if I do the vertical. I guess I'm really wondering whether a wide, low room with lots of horizontal elements needs a matching mirror placement or a contrasting one. And I don't want to simply put the mirrors up one way and then change my mind, because I just hung the wallpaper and don't want to put unnecessary holes in it!

I prefer the horizontal and was surprised to read the preference for the vertical! Ingeogia saved me from being the lone dissenter. There is something grounding to the vanity about the horizontal and the lights seem the perfect distance for it that way.

I vote for vertical but I think it needs to be bigger both vertical and horizontal. Beautiful bath.

Neither! Take the longer length and make it a square. It will then fit the space better. A glass shop or frame shop should be able to make you a mirror to your exact dimensions.

I thought I would like vertical, but surprisingly I like horizontal.

Another vote for horizontal. I think it works best with both the wall space and the vanity proportions. Can't wait to see the finished room! I love the sconces and the wallpaper!

I prefer the vertical. I don't think that leaves too much space between the sconces and the edge of the mirror, but I would like it better if the mirror were bigger overall.

This post was edited by Fun2BHere on Thu, Jan 31, 13 at 21:02

The vertical is my choice. The horizontal makes your ceiling look even lower.

You're welcome Equest17, I LOVE giving my opinions :) Olychick it's good to have company :)
Horizontal lines seem more relaxing and informal and is more visually appealing to me (to me being the operative words).
Personally I prefer oval or round to rectangular or square.
It's good to get input from others but in the end you just have to be true to yourself because you have to live with it.

The mirror is the matched piece with the vanity, so I'm afraid it's what I have to work with at the moment. Each mirror measures almost 26" x 32" (over a 36" vanity), so it's not tiny, but I do hear the comments about it looking small. I think/hope seeing the reflective glass instead of a blob of rosin paper will make the proportions appear more balanced.

I guess the vote is split, now. At least I know whatever orientation I choose will be pleasing to at least half of the population!

I appreciate the compliments on the bath. As soon as the tub is in, I will be able to breath a sign of relief. Having the plumbing crew carry an antique cast iron tub all the way through the house, up the stairs, and into the new bathroom without damaging walls, floors, or workmen has been weighing on my mind for weeks (we've had several delays.). I won't have the wainscoting in for a little while yet, but I may post "almost finished" pictures just to celebrate once all the fixtures are installed and functioning!

Vertical, because it relates better to the vanity, and will give you a more natural composition when placed to give people of different heights a full view of their heads with some space at the top.

I know that doesn't sound important, but it makes you feel crowded, even in a good-sized room, when your head is in the top of the mirror - or worse, as my 6' 3" DH well knows, if you have to crouch to see your whole head, front and back.

In the horizontal orientation, it looks to be floating and unconnected, and emphasizes the roundness of the lights too much. In the vertical position, it turns each vanity, mirror, and pair of lights into one cohesive element in its space.

Lovely room! Before you put holes in the wall, it appears to me (though may be an optical illusion from the photo angle), that the vanities aren't centered equidistant between the sconces (though they appear to be centered with the outlets). It looks like they're slightly closer to the center sconce than to the outer ones. I'd center them if they can still be moved slightly so they're equidistant between the sconces...so space between sconces to the edge of the vanity is the same, whether you hang the mirror vertically or horizontally. Maybe my eyes are just crooked and it's already that way? :/ I like your sconces!

Thanks Bronwynsmom; that is a very good breakdown of the reasons for and against each placement! I think I felt the floating, disconnected nature of the horizontal placement, if only because I noticed the large gap between mirror and vanity. I like that the rail and cap will hit the vertical mirror at a slightly better height, also.

Sujafr, you may be right. This is what happens when I don't micromanage and mark out every little detail! My electrician is fabulous and I believe he got the sconces and outlets correct, because I had the vanities drawn out on the subfloor. But I just told the trim guys to center the vanities on the lights and outlets (the finished floor was in and my marks were covered up). That shouldn't have been hard, but now that the baseboards are in, the vanities are pretty well permanent. I do know the vanity on the right has the top on askew, so I will have the plumbers move it about half an inch to the outside, so that might help. And I didn't measure anything when I taped the mock-ups up, so those could be contributing to the effect. But I'm afraid the bases are where they are for good, now.

I have not read through all of the posts - but how tall are the ceilings?

Another vote for vertical! It just looks more balanced to my eye. I also could have gone either way with mine & went vertical

Vertical! The horizontal is too matchy matchy in size to the vanity.

For aesthetics of the room, horizontal. For functionality, vertical.

Wow, looks like you can't go wrong either way. I personally prefer the vertical because it gives it height and will fit more people, but also because the horizontal is such a small distance off from being the same width as the vanity that it looks like a mistake.