Use mirrors to add flair, panache to any room

There is something magical about mirrors. From an infant's first gleeful look at her cherubic visage to a teenager's final glimpse before heading out on a first date, mirrors are a constant in our lives.

As novelist, Edith Wharton noted in 1897: "There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it."

Of course, it's not just vanity that makes us love mirrors. They are also fabulous decorating tools, useful not only for checking your makeup on the way out the door but also for bringing a decorator's flair and panache into any room, large or small.

Today is one of those glorious spring days when the sky is blue, the air is clear and the light is radiant and sparkling. Just inside our office door is a small mirror that, around 3 p.m., captures the brilliant sunlight and bounces it into our reception area so that it is bathed with beautiful light. The mirror allows this serviceable reception area to become a real decorating star at least once a day.

Mirrors placed around your home can help make all of your rooms special, too. Their visual impact, not just of increasing light but also of creating the sense of a larger space is instantly enhanced. How a mirror works depends on the choices you make when it comes to style, size, positioning and hanging.

The logical first place to hang a mirror in any home is the foyer. It can serve as a decorative accent for your walls, a final checkpoint before you leave the house and also to reflect and maximize sunlight into an often-dark interior hall. You can also "borrow" light from another room with the strategic placement of a mirror just as we did in our offices. Just make sure that besides the light, the image that gets reflected in the mirror is pleasing from all angles.

When you're shopping for the perfect mirror for any spot in your home, you might consider the following:

— Size and shape. Select a mirror that is large enough to provide ample reflection and suit your needs. Larger mirrors reflect more light into a room, creating the illusion of a more expansive, brighter area. An oversize rectangular mirror, leaning against a wall, makes a dramatic statement in any room, especially in one that lacks a focal point.