Category Archives: Mirrors

When it comes to the flawless aesthetic and design longevity you want from your beautifully made custom bathroom mirrors, every detail matters.

From having your home ready to a professional installation. There are a lot of aspects to the process of getting your mirror glass up on the bathroom wall. That will impact the overall success, and appearance, of the project.

These are the things you won’t read about in a sales brochure for bathroom mirrors or learn as you browse through interior design magazines or industry websites.

These are the nuts and bolts of getting the results you want with your custom-made mirror, including original custom frameless bathroom mirrors. Find out the nuances that can make or break your bathroom mirror expectations.

Your Bathroom Access Dictates Your Mirror Size

A lot of homeowners look to the size of the free space on their bathroom wall when determining the size they want for their custom mirror. When it comes to actual practice, however, it isn’t wall size but bathroom access size that will dictate mirror size.

If you have a narrow doorway to your bathroom, you may not be able to get a large, one-piece mirror that will cover your wall space. What can happen, however, is smaller mirrors can be joined together. This way, you can still get the look you want for your custom bathroom mirror, even if your room access is limited.

When you work with an experienced glass company to have your custom mirror made, they will come to your home to measure and assess your space. By measuring the wall as well as the access way, they will know how your mirror glass needs to be cut and joined to achieve the dimensions you want.

How Straight Your Wall Is Matters

For joining together smaller mirrors, your bathroom wall has to be perfectly straight. Especially in older homes, over time either the timber or concrete in the foundation can begin to slide, or in some cases the foundation was never perfectly put in. It’s important for someone to check your walls when determining the dimensions of the mirror you want to put up in your bathroom.

It’s also essential for your glazier to have precise measurements. This is why you’ll notice with experienced glass professionals, they’ll come to your property to get the true dimensions and to ensure the wall is straight using a laser and level.

A Special Glue Will Preserve the Pristine Appearance of the Bathroom Mirror Glass

This is one mistake do-it-yourselfers and inexperienced builders often make – using the wrong glue. It’s important to use the right glue to install a mirror on the wall. Not only does it need to be powerful enough to permanently hold up the heavy glass. But, it also needs to be made from ingredients that work well with the chemical composition of the glass.

Using the wrong glue can yield a fatal flaw in your elegant frameless custom bathroom mirror. Some glues will damage the silvering on the mirror. Eventually, this damage will appear on the front of the glass, leading to unsightly blemishes.

There’s More Than One Way to Mount a Mirror

Using glue to attach a bathroom mirror to the wall is only one option. In fact, depending on the aesthetic you are going for. It may be a better idea to use an alternative method so the mirror doesn’t sit flat against the wall.

You can mount the mirror using a stand-off bracket, creating an intriguing shadow line behind the mirror. This is an excellent design technique when you want to use a backlight behind the mirror glass. It creates a negative detail with a shadow line, which is perfect in a modern or industrial-chic-styled bathroom. The other advantage of using bracket installation is that you’ll be able to remove the mirror and reposition it later on if you want to. This isn’t possible with an adhesive installation.

Handle Your Mirror with Extreme Care

Your custom mirror glass may be strong but that doesn’t mean it won’t crack if not properly cared for. You should always veer on the side of caution so as not to risk damaging the glass. Probably the biggest travesty in the world of luxury home builds is watching a stunning custom frameless glass bathroom mirror crack before it even makes it up onto its mounting position.

• Firstly, make sure the glass is never set down on tiles or any other hard substrate material.
• When the mirror is transferred from the shop to the property and mounted. It should be packed with rubber packers and then glued.
• Then, the packers can be removed once the glue has dried, and the mirror can be corked.

Taking special care of the mirror will ensure it doesn’t crack before it is even installed. It will also encourage the longevity of the glass. You don’t want it to be close to cracking during the installation process. As this would make it more vulnerable to normal wear and tear over the years of use.

Relish the Originality

Custom bathroom mirrors offer property owners an attractive mirror that is made to complement and enhance a specific interior. This is even more relevant with frameless glass mirrors. Where you can achieve a unique size, shape, and edging; the design possibilities are truly endless.

Make sure you know your options with putting up a custom mirror in the bathroom and what needs to be done, both before and during the process, so no problems arise. Then, you can appreciate your original architectural glass for years, making the planning, envisioning. And the somewhat tedious nuances of the installation process – well worth it.

Mounting a custom door mirror on the door of your wardrobe, bathroom, bedroom, home office or any other doors in your home can have a transformative effect on your living space.

Often, using the full size of your hinged or sliding doors, the large dimensions of door mirrors create the perception of increased depth, opening up the space of a room in a dramatic way.

This also has the effect of enhancing the amount of light in the room and lets you manipulate light in such a way to help bring out other design elements like artwork, indoor plants, and architectural features you may have in your home.

Take a look at all the different design possibilities of glass door mirrors. When you work with an experienced glass company, you can achieve the aesthetic results you desire, whilst respecting and complimenting the structural and architectural characteristics of your home.

Frameless Door Mirror Ideas

When putting up mirror glass on a door, frameless glass can be used to create a sleek, timeless look. It’s possible to have the glass measured and cut to cover the entire surface area of the door or multiple doors. This can create a cloaking effect, making it look as if the door isn’t there.

Frameless glass can also customize to create unique design results. Alternate panels of frameless mirror glass with natural wood or other types of glass, such as frosted or colored glass. For more ornate interior design styles like art deco or Victorian, install a frameless mirror with eye-catching faceted edges.

Some professional glaziers will even be able to create customized finishes for your door mirror, whether you want a smooth, polished edge or intricate bevelled edges.    

Where to Install a Door Mirror

You can mount a full-door mirror almost anywhere you want. Traditionally, homeowners favor wardrobe door mirror glass as the reflective surface has a functional purpose as well as being attractive. A popular choice is to have a mirror covering the wardrobe doors within the bedroom.

Custom mirror glass can also be used in walk-in closet spaces or separate dressing areas, covering doors as well as other spaces such as drawers and alcoves to create a mesmerizing, fluid-like effect.

For the same functional reasons, door mirrors are appealing on bathroom doors, either the entrance door or a bathroom closet door. Not only does it provide a surface for checking one’s appearance, it will also increase the perceived space of a smaller bathroom.

You’re not limited to bathrooms and wardrobes, however. Anywhere you want to increase light and dimension, or if you have a door you’d like to highlight with the beauty of architectural glass, you can mount a door-sized mirror including:

• Study or home office doors;
• Behind the front door or behind your bedroom door;
• On sliding glass doors leading outside; and
• Double doors lead to a living or dining room space.

Types of Doors That Work with Mirror Glass

Mirror glass can mount on hinge doors, within any room of the house. Using custom-cut pieces of frameless glass. You can cover the entire door surface or part of it, depending on what will look ideal in your home.

You can also adorn sliding glass doors with mirror glass. This can create an interesting visual effect as the glass moves when the doors slide open or shut. With frameless glass, it’s also possible to make the wardrobe doors appear as if they are a wall of glass, rather than a set of doors.

Achieving Great Results with Your Glass

With a custom door mirror, it’s important to be careful in choosing the size of the glass. To ensure the finished results look fantastic. This last thing you want to do invest in a beautiful door-sized mirror that doesn’t look quite right once it’s mounted on the door.

It’s also important to be aware of the weight of the glass in relation to the surface it will be mounted on. Hollow doors, for example, aren’t strong enough to hold up a full-size mirror with traditional mounting screws. Heavy mirrors may not be appropriate for different types of doors. By using an over-the-door hanging device, for example, the weight of the glass can cause the door to sag on its hinges.

It’s important to have precise dimensions taken and to have your space evaluated to determine what dimensions and weight your custom door glass should be. When Economy Glass professionals work on a custom glass project, we always visit the site to take laser measurements.

That way we know we have accurate, millimeter measurements of the door. As well as the size of the access space and relevant dimensions of the room.

Once the custom door mirror cut to its exact size. We visit the site again to complete the installation. The advantage of relying on professional glaziers to take measurements. And mount the glass is that you don’t have to worry about any issues such as improper installation. Or using a glass that will, over time, put too much pressure on your doors. You’ll also be able to get a perfect fit. With your mirror glass mounted correctly over your door.

Another consideration is glass quality. As with glass shower screens and doors, door mirrors should be of premium quality. This is because door mirrors are subject to more wear and tear than most wall mirrors. They’re going to move around. And more vulnerable to impact. So they’ve got to be strong.

A custom door mirror, when cut, finished, and installed properly, is always a welcome addition to the home. Glass adds space and depth, as well as tremendous beauty to a space. In the case of door mirrors, you can also enjoy the functionality of having a large enough mirror to check your appearance. Positioned in such a way to become an aesthetic high-point of your home.

When you open the door to a custom color mirror, your design possibilities take on a whole new dimension of brilliance and character.

Whilst the traditional silver mirror glass offers lucid clarity, reflecting light back as it is seen through the human eye, with color mirror glass, you get a unique perspective, channeled through the color you choose, from mysterious grey to warming bronze.

To create bronze or smoky grey mirrors, the tint is added to the glass before the silvering process is applied to the back of the mirror. This silvering is what creates the desired reflective surface.

As a result, you get the intrigue and softer ambiance of the colored glass, as well as the liquid-crystal quality of a traditional mirror surface, just with a gorgeous tint. The advantage of using colors is that your mirror becomes an eye-catching architectural feature to compliment, contrast or enhance the rest of your interior design.

Here’s a guide to the different mirror colours you can use and all the various ways you can customize them to transform your home’s ambience.

1. Silver Mirrors

Silver is pure, unadulterated mirror glass. That’s why you’ll find silver mirrors in most bathrooms and vanity mirrors where clarity is paramount. As it can flawlessly reflect back light, it always offers a clear, unfiltered impression of your interior space.

Silver mirrors are perfect in any room where you want your mirror glass to add dimension and the feel of more space, without taking control of your room’s aesthetic. With frameless silver mirror glass, in particular, you can create this effect.

2. Bronze Coloured Mirrors

Bronze mirrors have an orange-copper hue. They can be used when you want to add warmth to a space. Any light that reflects in a bronze-colored mirror glass tends to create a fire-glow lighting effect, adding a soft warmth in a subtle way.

For spaces where you have a lot of light, a bronze-tinted mirror works well. Instead of having the bright brilliance of a silver mirror, the amber-golden bronze hues are working to reflect back the light in the room in a gentler way.

Bronze mirrors also look fantastic with metallic elements like copper fixtures and gold-colored furniture. Contrast with plenty of greenery and plush furniture for a warming, luxurious atmosphere.

Bronze mirror glass also works well as a compliment to cooler interior design palettes like greys and purples. Look how the bronze glass and frosted bronze glass of these mirrored doors create a sepia reflection of the plum, cream, and grey color mirror in the room.

3. Grey Custom Color Mirror Glass

Grey tinted mirrors are popular in modern luxury homes. They add depth and sophistication, whilst also serving to define a space. For example, a grey mirror on the ceiling or wall of a room creates a sense of grounding and stillness – perfect for a modern home office setting – in an otherwise bright, spacious room.

This way you get the uplifting natural light and the freedom of clean space, but still have an environment that’s easy to focus in, with the dark grey furniture and architectural glass giving depth.

Grey mirrors are popular in kitchen spaces and home wet bars. This is because they pair well with stainless steel appliances.

The Transformative Effect of color mirror

Tinted glass doesn’t change the quality of the glass, nor do you lose the added dimension of light. Using a custom color mirror. You can express the character of space in a way that’s unique to your home’s style.

Mirror wall panels, no matter where they are placed in the home, encourage a refined, spacious aesthetic.

Consisting of large pieces of high-quality glass, they can add light and dimension to a room in truly remarkable ways.

Because of the versatility of glass architecture, and the endless possibilities of size, shape, colour and finish that you can get with custom wall mirrors, this is one feature that you can use to make a bold design statement, without overpowering a space.

Even more appealing, and what many property owners in Hoppers Crossing, Werribee, Point Cook and the surrounding areas of Melbourne don’t realise until they experience it for themselves, are all the practical properties mirrored panels have.

Durable, easy-to-maintain and complementary to any interior design style, there’s good reason more Australians today are opting for mirrored walls.

Where Are Mirror Wall Panels Used?

As with other architectural glass features, the ‘where’ can be anywhere you want to create the effect of more space, reflect light or draw the attention of the eye. Mirrored panels can be used:

• On closet doors to open up the feel of an enclosed closet and to offer a functional reflective surface for checking one’s reflection;
• Along hallways to make a narrow space feel wider;
• In entrance ways to create an ambience of drama and intrigue, whilst also reflecting any natural or artificial light;
• On alcove walls for an attractive architectural element and to highlight statement pieces;
• Along stairways, adding movement and light in a unique way;
• Along the wall of indoor pools or home athletic studios;
• Behind large pieces of furniture, such as a bed, office desk or surrounding a fireplace to add another dimension to a room; and
• Anywhere you’d like to draw out more space, light, colour or energy into a room, large or small.

Practical Advantages of Mirrored Panels

Mirrored wall panels aren’t just timelessly attractive, they are also easy to take care of and offer excellent longevity. Unlike other materials, such as timber and drywall, you don’t have to worry about moisture build-up damaging your glass paneling over time or leading to mould growth. 

This makes glass a smart option anywhere near water or moisture, such as in or nearby bathrooms, kitchens or any indoor pool or spa area, the same way that glass splash backs, frameless glass showers and other glass features are becoming a popular choice in both new builds and home renovations.

Glass is also extremely easy to keep clean. A simple glass cleaner is all that is necessary to maintain a like-new shine on your mirrored walls. High-quality glass isn’t going to lose its lustre and beauty over the years if you don’t spend a lot of money and time maintaining, refinishing or updating it, like you have to do with other materials.

With today’s advancements in glassmaking, architectural glass is also incredibly strong. This isn’t a material that will break or scratch easily. In fact, as long as you work with an experienced glass company, your mirror wall panels will have to undergo a lot of impact in order to foster any marks or cracks.

Aesthetic Advantages of Mirrored Panels

From an aesthetic standpoint, large expanses of crystal clear, custom-made glass are always striking. Particularly with a frameless wall mirror, your glass will define your space with clean architectural lines. 

This is an appealing feature in modern, contemporary and industrial homes, but it also serves the more intricate interior design styles such as art deco, vintage or bohemian by balancing complex interplays of colour, shape and texture.

The other advantage is a greater sense of space. Where a single mirror can increase the apparent dimensions of a room and reflect back desired features, such as indoor greenery, natural or ambient lighting, or colourful pieces, mirrored walls will amplify this effect.

This can create an almost surreal environment, where it feels as if one could walk into the illusion of space.

Customization Options for Mirror Glass Panels

With mirrored walls for the home, it’s possible to customize the glass so that it perfectly suits the character. And the dimension of a particular space, as well as your unique design vision. Glass can be cut to exact measurements to fit whatever space you’d like to cover with mirrored panels.

When your glass is installed, the dimensions are determined by how large the access to the room is, rather than the size of the wall. Then, multiple smaller mirrors are brought in and joined together before they can be mounted. 

This means you don’t have to worry about your mirror being too large or cumbersome – the glass is often joined together. It does mean, however, that your wall needs to be perfectly straight. A glass professional should take accurate dimensions and ensure the wall is straight before starting your project.

Experienced glaziers will also be able to cut your glass out of larger squares. Giving you the exact shape you need. This can allow for interesting designs. 

For example:

Instead of using larger squares of glass, you could use pieces with a defined shape that are mounted together. Such as a honeycomb, diamond, or circular shape.

With frameless wall mirror glass, you can choose how the edges are done, from straight, polished edges to elegant beveled borders. Your glass can be finished with a bright, clear polish or sandblasted for a more fascinating appeal.

More property owners are opting for colored glass today, such as smoky or black glass. Or mirror glass with gold, rose, or copper tones.

Why Mirrored Walls Are Always Beautiful

Some people envision the more traditional approach when they think of mirrored wall panels for their homes. Large panels of the frameless glass cover an entire wall. Whilst this is a timeless choice, there are so many options for mirror wall panels.

From dramatic entranceways and faceted beveled edges to the mystery and intrigue of a full panel of colored glass. This is a design material that can be tailored to enhance your space – anywhere in your home – with striking, yet subtle beauty.

Having a custom mirror installed in your home can totally transform your space – as long as you have your mirror cut to size.

In the western suburbs of Melbourne custom mirror glass is often used as a unique architectural element, designed to fit within, compliment, or reflect other dimensions in your home, from either the space itself or other pieces, such as countertops, cabinets, a fireplace, a dining table or windows.

Being a few millimeters off can change how the mirror looks when it is installed. In some cases, it can also make the installation itself a challenge – or even impossible unless the glass is recut.

The fantastic thing about mirror glass, especially frameless glass, is that it can create remarkable aesthetic effects, depending on where and how it is positioned and how it interacts with other aspects of a space.

For example;

In this bathroom, the mirror fits seamlessly with the countertop, acting as a virtual extension of it.

In this living room, the wall-sized glass mirrors create a dramatic effect in an otherwise calm space, with soft, warm colors and plenty of rounded décor pieces. They are sized perfectly, giving the beautiful crown molding and ceiling design enough room to be seen, yet they are large enough to double the space of this otherwise tight room.

When your mirror is cut exactly to size, it can offer so much more to your home than just an attractive reflective surface. With a design element as powerful as mirror glass, the precise measurements, placement, and shape are what is used to tell the story of the space.

Instead of worrying that your made-to-measure mirror isn’t cut the way you – and your design constraints – need it to be, use these tricks to ensure your mirror glass is cut flawlessly.

1. Laser Measure Your Space

If your mirror needs to be installed by a professional. This is generally the case with custom mirrors as you want your glass to be mounted. And set in place correctly to avoid problems like poor positioning and improper glue usage. Your best bet is to invite them to your home to take the measurements for you.

Any experienced glazier will take laser measurements, which are more accurate than tape measure dimensions. And, they’ll know exactly how to assess your space based on the characteristics of your architecture (for example, how curves, crown molding, and other details of your architecture may impact how your mirror should be sized).

They can do this because they’ll have had plenty of experience with different made-to-measure scenarios.

2. Hire a Glass Professional for a Professional Cut

When a licensed glazier is tasked with cutting your mirror glass, they will also laser measure and cut to size your mirror. This way, you’re guaranteed your glass will be cut to the exact size and shape, down to the nearest millimeter.

When you have a glass professional do this instead of, for example, ordering a certain size or shape online. From a factory warehouse or from a store. You are passing on any liability to the glass professional who has done both the measuring and the cutting.

If your custom-cut mirror glass doesn’t properly fit the space when it is installed. Then they’ll remedy your glass for you at no cost. If you took the measurements and asked for dimensions that aren’t quite right. You may be stuck with the costs of having the glass recut.

3. Work with Glaziers that Have Glass and Mirror Cutting Experience

With custom-cut mirror glass, you can get virtually any dimensions you want. It’s possible to create the perfect size or even cut a shape from a square of glass.

If a glass company tells you your cut isn’t possible or your expectations are too high, it may be because they don’t have the skill and experience to create the customized shape you want.

Keep in mind with glaziers who have been working with architectural glass for years. What can be done is only limited by your imagination. Shape, size, finishes and even different colored glass. Your mirror can be cut to size and tailored to seamlessly suit your vision.