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bethpen

70s mirror behind sofa. Height?

5 years ago

Doing a refresh of my living room. We have this mirror from my in-laws that we’d like to use over the sofa. How high above would you look to hang it?

Comments (40)

  • 5 years ago

    This is at about 12 inches. I’d like to keep it lower so it reflects the fireplace.

  • 5 years ago

    I think that height works well. It’s an interesting mirror! These boards are so mirror-phobic, it’s refreshing to see this thread. :D

    Will you be centering it on the wall?

    Bethpen thanked Jilly
  • 5 years ago

    Yes, DH is crunching the numbers as we speak. :) It'll be fun I think.

  • 5 years ago

    I want to see when you’re done!

  • 5 years ago

    Paint that wall or at least a rectangle the width of the couch, floor to ceiling, the charcoal from the rug and then hang the mirror.

  • 5 years ago

    What a great mirror! I like the height you're purposing. Please take a pic when you're done!

  • 5 years ago

    It seems a little higher than I asked him to hang but it looks pretty good. What would you think about sconces?

  • 5 years ago

    I love it, great job! I’m not sure about sconces. Can you take a photo full-on straight in front of the mirror? I could do a rough mock-up of sconces to get an idea. Do you have any specific ones in mind?

    Bethpen thanked Jilly
  • 5 years ago

    Looks great! I think 2 lamps on your console table behind the sofa would be better than scones flanking the mirror.

    Bethpen thanked Sarah
  • 5 years ago

    Looks really good! Maybe on the sconces. It would depend on what they look like. I hope you let Jinx do a mock-up. That would help.

    Bethpen thanked Amy Lynn
  • 5 years ago

    Exnay the sconces. If you every change your layout they would look strange. Your mirror is very unique and gorgeous!

    Bethpen thanked Gouchar
  • 5 years ago

    I like the mirror, too. The varied angles of the sections gives it an ever-changing abstract quality.

    Bethpen thanked cawaps
  • 5 years ago

    That mirror is quite a conversation piece❣️It looks great over your couch.

    Bethpen thanked kculbers
  • 5 years ago

    No I would not do sconces either and I agree it looks a little high. Very cool mirror but that wall behind it needs something....can’t put my finger on it.

    Bethpen thanked Sandy Berndt-Grimm
  • 5 years ago

    Crown molding?

    Bethpen thanked dee_mckervey
  • 5 years ago

    I have that same mirror, and I love it. I agree that it looks a little too high. Where you held it before was much better.

    Bethpen thanked Gloria Graf
  • 5 years ago

    Love the mirror - I think that wall could use a dose of color. A deep charcoal maybe to enhance the drama the mirror brings. Agree with others, no on sconces.

    Bethpen thanked momdia
  • 5 years ago

    Very cool mirror!!! Another vote for no sconces

    Bethpen thanked Jessica
  • 5 years ago

    Thanks Yvonne. I got it at Boston Interiors, furniture store here in Massachusetts.

  • 5 years ago

    Love the mirror, a little too high.

  • 5 years ago

    Very pretty! Someone suggested painting the wall behind the mirror a charcoal; that might set it off even more!

  • 5 years ago

    Awesome mirror, so great that it’s in the family still!

  • 5 years ago

    I agree with painting the wall behind it. But not Grey. You have enough Grey there. Maybe a navy if ya want darker, or yellow or orange is ya want lighter.


    at first when putting the mirror up I thought you needed a colorful painting instead. A colorful wall might Work just as well, and make the mirror pop a bit more...

  • 5 years ago

    I like your sectional couch —where did you get?

  • 5 years ago

    Paint the light switches the same color as the wall whatever color that is ... I like the charcol idea but am open to am accent though I already see a red sofa table which might be a bit much ..... so love neutral. Love idea of a rectangle but careful not to get to busy.... great ideas everyone!

  • 5 years ago

    Don Drum light switch covers? Room is beautiful, mirror is floating a little high.

  • 5 years ago

    Love the mirror but yes, it’s- little too high. No in sconces or lamps. Mirror is enough. That wall does need to be painted a color, maybe darker gray or something else. Love the sofa & rug also. And those switch plates need to be replaced. Either stainless or a paintable, whatever color the wall is. It’s all in the small details.

  • 5 years ago

    The mirror is wonderful!! is this a well used room?
    If so, and you will have people/children sitting below it quite often, it seems to be positioned well. If it is more for entertaining, it is seems a bit high.
    Beautiful!!

  • PRO
    5 years ago

    I would hang the mirror 5-8 inches below. It seems from the photo that the red table is on the passageway, therefore, if there is a possibility, I would free the passage, move the entire sofa away from the wall, put a narrow console or shelf against the wall behind the sofa, on which I would put the existing lamp with a black shade and something else big. Then there will be no need to paint the wall in order to maintain balance and make the whole composition contrasting.

  • 5 years ago

    Lower it a bit and add crown moulding. Would add so much to the room.

  • 5 years ago

    I don’t see how the sofa can be moved without blocking the doorways.

  • 5 years ago

    Love the mirror. No sconces. Live with the height of the mirror for a while and see if you are comfortable with it.

  • 5 years ago

    Great idea to upcycle or recycle a lovingly used mirror!

  • 5 years ago

    The goal is usually to find another line to anchor a piece to. In. this case, it appears the top of the mirror lines up perfectly with the top of the doorframe. That's what I would stick with.

  • 5 years ago

    Very cool mirror!! Not a pro and hate to be a naysayer but I'm not loving it there. I don't find it fits the vibe of the room at all. It reads cold to me while the room is warm. Don't get me wrong, I love contrasting styles, juxtapositions and eclectic rooms but I wonder if there would be a better spot for this mirror and even if it needs to be hung horizontally? Another thing I'm not keen on is some of the reflections that I see. A lot of Pros on this forum will point out how important it is that mirrors reflect something lovely and while I think they can exaggerate that issue at times, here, I concur with the concept. But all this is my opinion as a stranger on the Internet looking at your pictures. YOU are living in your space so you know best how you feel about the mirror in this room.


  • 5 years ago

    Love the mirror and its placement so that the top is in line with the door frames. I think the mirror is so unusual that it definitely can stand alone and that sconces would take away from its attention-getting feature of the room. DEFINITELY change out the switch plates, though--they're too distracting and don't reflect the style of the room. If painting the wall behind the mirror is an option, wait until you live with it as is for a while to see if you still feel "something's missing" . . . then consider crown moulding in the room, instead.

  • 5 years ago

    I love the mirror, I think the height is good. My suggestion if you are looking for a pop of color, is to place a bouquet of flowers so they reflect in one section of the mirror. Add something else in another spot that reflects in a different section of the mirror. Right now it seems to be reflecting grays and creams.

  • 5 years ago

    Mirrors and pictures should be about 6"-8" above the back of the sofa. It's a common mistake to hang art too high.


  • 5 years ago

    Love the mirror. Agree that it should hang lower - maybe about 9" above sofa. Not too low, though - you don't want anyone to bonk their head on it, especially since it's 3-dimensional! Keep in mind that in art galleries, the work is traditionally hung so that the middle of the painting is 60" up from the ground.


    I think you do need sconces because it's a wide wall, and the mirror looks lost and lonely, like it's floating in space. The sconces should be minimalistic though and not call attention to themselves. If you live near an Ikea, they have some great 2-light, up-down cylinder wall lights (Nymane) that have a plug in cord. I've used the white and the black versions. They're only about $15 each!



    And I agree - lose the switch plates and paint new ones to match the wall!


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