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alirob2

Remodeling entry wall

13 years ago
We're remodeling our house room by room. The entry way is the project right now. Question is should we leave the mirrors or take them down? They scream 80's to me but my husband likes them. The mirrors make the entry way feel bright and big but I think I could do the same with a large framed mirror that's updated. Any thoughts?

Comments (26)

  • 13 years ago
    I think you are right. Is there a way you could leave the top mirrors to make it look as though it was a transom window?
    That way, he could keep part of the mirror and it wold provide more light...just an idea.Good luck!
  • 13 years ago
    Hi alirob2, wow! At first glance I thought I was looking at a huge glass window. They do make the entrance look very bright and big, very open, expansive feeling, which is great. It seems a shame to tear them down. Hmm....
  • 13 years ago
    I would bet someone will or could come up with an idea keeping these mirrors that would have us dropping our mouths in awe...don't take them down yet...to be continued...
  • 13 years ago
    I like them but would add a wood molding detail around the perimeter and at the joints to create a window effect or possibly a wainscoting look..... You could be very creative?,,
  • 13 years ago
    Sorry, I feel the entry quite busy with all that double activity caused by the reflection.
  • 13 years ago
    I actually thought you mistakenly put a picture of a walk-in shower in stead of the entry way. They gotta go. I expect Tubbs and Crockett any minute :-) Would you be interested in changing the doors as well to glass doors to allow more light in and then a fabulous hanging light fixture. Cant tell much unless we see more of the area connected to the entryway but the mirrors have got to leave the building.
  • 13 years ago
    HI -- Nope , they should go ! They have had their time , too 80's Miami Vice etc..Not good reflections .
  • 13 years ago
    I like the idea from Christine to change doors for glass doors to let more light in.
  • 13 years ago
    Thank you for everyone's opinion. I'm thinking mirrors need to go. Now to figure how!
  • 13 years ago
    I thought it was a shower:) As much as I like mirrors, these do look like the 80s..You can and should have mirrors in the hallways, but something more modern and elegant.
  • 13 years ago
    HI -- To remove all that mirror --- get a glass company to remove them safely. This is not a job for home owners .
  • 13 years ago
    As a marital compromise...I would take down (or as lefty47 advised, have a professional take down) the section over the hallway. That seems a bit much. Be prepared for hefty wall repair. The two large full height sections could prove to be a nice "bling" opportunity, if your home style supports it. Reflection of a beautiful hanging light fixture with other accents could be quite dramatic. Depends on how you do the rest of the entry as well.
  • 13 years ago
    Forgot to mention if you consult a professional, they should be able to tell you if they could remove the narrow mirror transition strips without damaging the large mirrors. You could replace those transition strips with molding, trim out the ceiling and base area with white moldings (can't tell exactly). Then it would look like two glass panels.
  • PRO
    13 years ago
    Remove them
  • PRO
    13 years ago
    As a large blank wall, your eye goes right to the mirror. But trimmed and furnished, a wall of mirror doesn't have to look retro. Here are pages and pages of beautifully incorporated walls of mirror:
    https://www.houzz.com/photos/mirrored-wall-phbr0lbl-bl~l_37947
    I'd find a clever way to embrace it rather than fight it.
  • PRO
    13 years ago
    Wall to wall mirror, or floor to ceiling mirror, without perimeter trim is best used to make a small space seem larger. Although many of the commenters feel this mirror installation looks dated, wall-to-wall mirror, in my view, is dateless.

    I think the problem here is (1) what the mirror is reflecting (a somewhat uninteresting view that includes a lot of blank wall area over the door, suggesting that the entry heigh is not being fully exploited for light and view) and (2) the fact that the mirror appears to have been applied around a hallway opening, if I am reading your photo properly. That exposes the edges of the mirror and makes it look pretty decorative.

    When you use mirror like this (wall-to-wall and floor (or vanity splash) to ceiling), it should not call attention to its appliqué nature by having its edges seen. Further, it should have as few joints as possible to further take away attention from itself.

    Taking the mirror off may be the better solution in this application, but expect that the feel of the entry will be smaller, even if you put up "framed" mirror areas. As another commenter mentioned, consider getting more natural light in the space, and glimpses of the outside, by changing the doors and, if you can, getting more light through a transom window above them.
  • 13 years ago
    last modified: 13 years ago
    I agree with John and Barnhart G. If it's well done, with or without trim, it can be timeless --
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  • 13 years ago
    I'm thinking I should see if trim pieces can come off mirror without damaging big mirrors. Then see if they can be trimmed in wood some how. I can try to update them some before taking them down completely.
  • 13 years ago
    I think you should trim them out with wood and make them look like big framed mirrors. Or you could even go a bit crazy and do different size squares or other shapes. Bottom line is that they have to be changed or taken down.
  • 13 years ago
    I totally agree with you Teresa. My imagination is going now on how to create a beutiful change with out going to crazy. I think the mirror above door jam needs to go regardless it to much. Then try to frame out larger wall. If I could cut mirror size down that would be great :-)
  • 13 years ago
    The mirrors do throw a ton of light around this space and you might miss that light terribly... but how do you know? Put up plain white paper over the mirrors and just live with it for a few days. You can also play with covering just parts of it also. A $10-15 investment in a roll of paper might save you from removal regret with loss of light.

    I agree with previous poster who commented that part of the issue is that what's seen in the reflection is boring. Simply decorating the balance of the space should make a huge improvement.

    A large full wall mirror like yours is timeless (it's not that 70's mirror and cork squares thing). If the sheer volume of mirror is what bothers you, consider treating the mirrored wall like it is a window and put up draperies to soften the area and create a window illusion.
  • PRO
    13 years ago
    I encourage you to work with a local glazing contractor to remove the mirror. His/her expertise on how the mirror is attached to the wall will be useful, and that will direct how you approach the work.

    While it is difficult to see the details at the mirror edges, it is likely that there is a metal strip at the bottom helping to support the mirror and maybe one at the top. The mirror is probably adhered to the wall at several locations with adhesive. My guess is that removing the mirror without out damaging the drywall is unlikely, but the glazing contractor can offer you a better judgment.

    While you may think that re-using the mirror by cutting it into smaller pieces is is a good use of your money, be aware that it often happens in cases like this that you spend more money trying to re-use something (taking care to remove the item without damaging nearby wall/ceiling construction, transport the large pieces back to the shop to cut and polish the new edges and repair any silver coating damage on the back, repair the drywall damage, and then install the new smaller mirror pieces with the frame you mentioned.
  • 13 years ago
    Here is a thought. How about suspending a beautiful, large frame from the ceiling on a decorative cord in front of your mirror wall? Or maybe a large piece of art? That would add some interest to it and yet allow you to enjoy it's good qualities. If possible, the piece above the hall should go. I think a mirrored wall, done right, is very classy and timeless.
  • 13 years ago
    alirob2, I read a tip in another discussion that may be helpful. If applying molding to mirror, paint the back side of the molding silver or black. Without doing that you may have a little ghost image of the bare wood reverse side along the edges. The black or silver paint makes that possibility visually disappear. Thought I would pass it along, for what it's worth.
  • 13 years ago
    Great idea mswilder I'm going to throw some paper of mirror & see how the lighting looks in the room without the mirror. Then I can decide if all or parts of the mirror should be taken down.
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